LL Cool J

American rapper known as Ladies Love Cool James. Even as a kid, he had a sense of style and literally set the tone for the hip-hop look. At 16, he burst on the music scene in his Kangol hat, baggy jeans and gold chains, a style he picked up from street hustlers.

By 1997 he had six platinum rap albums out, including "Mama Said Knock You Out," and starred in the UPN sitcom "In The House." The Grammy-winning rapper hit it big in 1986 with "I Can't Live Without my Radio."

A troubled teen in Queens, James saw his dad shoot his mom and granddad. He credits his grandmother with setting him on the right track. He married Simone; four kids.

In 1990, he played a cop in the film, "The Hard Way." Still doing rap, he had a collection of more than 3,000 caps by 2001. Sex and violence continued to plague his life with live appearances in particular beset by many problems. Three people were shot at a date in Baltimore in December 1985, followed by an accusation of "public lewdness" after a 1987 show in Columbus, Ohio.

While playing rap's first concert in Cote d'Ivoire, Africa, fights broke out and the stage was stormed. Most serious, however, was an incident in 1989 when singer David Parker, bodyguard Christopher Tsipouras and technician Gary Saunders were accused of raping a 15-year-old girl who attended a backstage party after winning a radio competition in Minneapolis.

Though LL Cool J's personal involvement in all these cases was incidental, they undoubtedly tarnished his reputation. He has done much to make amends, including appearances at benefits including Farm Aid, recording with the Peace Choir, and launching his Cool School Video Program, in an attempt to encourage children to stay at school. Even Nancy Reagan invited him to headline a "Just Say No" concert at Radio City Music Hall.