Photo:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
LL Cool Jdoes it all as a renowned rapper and doting dad.
The hip-hop legend (whose real name is James Todd Smith) and his wife of nearly 30 years,Simone I. Smith, first met as teenagers in 1987, and they share four children together: Najee, Italia, Samaria and Nina. The couple is also grandparents to three young children.
For the “Doin' It” rapper, being a dad is his favorite job. But despite his own success, LL Cool J instilled the importance of hard work in his four children and avoided spoiling them. He opened up about his parenting approach in a 2017 episode ofOprah Winfrey’sMaster Class.
“This is the real world, they are real people. And I’m a blue-collar guy at the end of the day,” he said. “I’m not going to raise spoiled kids that just don’t know what the real world is like, who think they don’t have to do anything to contribute.”
“They have to go after their dreams, and I have to continue to go after mine and make sure that I’m fulfilling my purpose on this planet,” he said. “I love them, and I’m happy for them, and I want to be supportive of them in every way, but it’s important to me that I always go after my dreams.”
Here’s everything to know about LL Cool J’s kids: Najee, Italia, Samaria and Nina.
Najee,34
Najee Smith Instagram
While Najee hasn’t followed in his father’s musical footsteps and often stays out of the spotlight, he has amassed a large fanbase for himself onInstagram. Additionally, he is heavily involved with his father’s clothing line, Rock The Bells, and frequentlyshares photospromoting its new collections.
In his interview for Oprah’s Master Class, LL Cool J spoke specifically about how he raised his son.
“I don’t want [them] to let people set the bar for [them] because I am [their] father,” he said of his children. “Especially for my son. He’ll go and do some work … he’s working because he’s going to be a real person.”
Italia, 33
Italia Smith Instagram
LL Cool J and Smith’s oldest daughter, Italia Anita Marie Smith, was born in January 1991. Similarly to her brother, she has chosen a career that keeps her largely out of the spotlight and works as a real estate agent.
According to herLinkedIn profile, Italia studied business administration at Northeastern University and earned her commercial real estate certificate from Cornell University. She worked as a real estate agent in New York City for five years before turning her focus to the North Shore and Suffolk communities of Long Island, where she grew up.
Italia is a mother herself and has three children — daughter Faith, son King and a newborn daughter whose name hasn’t been shared — with her husband Lamar Cardinez, making LL Cool J and Smith grandparents.
When it came to raising daughters, LL Cool J always made sure to nurture and encourage his girls.
“All while they were growing up, I might catch my daughter while she’s coming out of her room on the way to a soccer game and I just grab her and say, ‘You know you can do anything you put your mind to. You know you’re beautiful. You know you’re special,’ " he said in his episode of Oprah’s Master Class.
Samaria, 28
Samaria Smith Instagram
LL Cool J and Smith welcomed their third child, Samaria Leah Smith, on Sept. 15, 1995. While she’s not in the entertainment industry, Samaria has chosen a life that is closer to the world of her parents than her older siblings.
According to a 2020 interview withCoveteur, she grew up loving fashion and had a tendency to rework clothes. “My mom would get so mad because I would just change and cut my clothes all day,” Samaria told the outlet.
Samaria went on to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in N.Y.C., where she studied design and merchandising. After graduating, she created her own brand,Samaria Leah. According to the brand’s website, Samaria Leah Denim “marries the past and present with every one-of-a-kind piece.”
The designer has also been joining her father on red carpets and at industry events since she was little. In 2008, the rapper brought Samaria and her sister Nina up on stage at the UniverSoul Circus. A few years later, in 2010, all three of theNCIS: Los Angelesstar’s daughters attended the Teen Choice Awards with him.
As for her personal life, Samaria is currently dating Los Angeles Rams safety Jordan Fuller.
Nina, 23
Nina Smith Instagram
The youngest child of the Smith family, Nina Simone, was born in August 2000. Unlike her siblings, Nina is the only child in the family who is following in her musician father’s footsteps. Nina debuted her first single in 2019, a track called “Call Me.”
While speaking toSteve Harveyin 2020, LL Cool J spoke aboutNina pursuing a musical career.
In May 2023, Nina graduated from Berklee College of Music with a bachelor’s degree in songwriting. Her parents attended the graduation ceremony, with Smith sharing aphotoon Instagram of her and LL Cool J posing with the grad, captioned: “We are so proud of you!! Go Beanz!!! Now go out there and let your work be impactful and inspiring. And always always ask God for daily guidance. His plan is bigger than yours. Love you Beanie Rama 💜✨.”
source: people.com
