The ManningCast is getting quite an interesting celebrity guest for this week’s New York Giants-Pittsburgh Steelers Monday Night Football clash. That would be famed rapper and actor LL Cool J.
On the music side, LL Cool J (a Mikey D–coined acronym for “Ladies Love Cool James”; his real name is James Todd Smith) was in an early wave of rappers who hit mainstream success in the 80s, starting with his “I Need A Beat” single in 1984 and progressing through albums such as “Radio,” “Bigger and Deffer,” and especially 1990’s double-platinum “Mama Said Knock You Out.” The title track there saw him win a Grammy in 1992 for “Best Rap Solo Performance”; he’d win in that category again in 1997 for “Hey Lover,” and earn seven further Grammy nominations in all. And he’s continued to be notable in the music world, including with a 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and just released his first official studio album since 2013, The FORCE.
But LL Cool J is also known for his acting, and that’s often involved football. His first acting role was a small part in 1986 high school football movie Wildcats (also the film debut of Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson), and he starred in his own sitcom In The House on NBC and then UPN in the 90s, playing a former Raiders’ running back who rents out rooms in his house. On the movie side, he also was a key part of 1999’s Any Given Sunday. He’s had significant movie (In Too Deep, Deep Blue Sea) and TV (particularly 14 seasons on NCIS: Los Angeles) roles outside of football, but he’s often spoken about what football in general and the Giants in particular mean to him. One notable case there saw him talking about Lawrence Taylor (who will also guest on Monday’s ManningCast) in a 2015 NFL video:
“Why am I a New York Giants’ fan? First of all, I represent New York to the fullest. Secondly, I always remember early in my music career, like around ’86, Lawrence Taylor just being the most dominant thing on the field and just crushing everybody in his path. I mean, this guy was a wrecking ball, he was a wrecking machine. He really solidified me being a New York Giants’ fan, because to be honest with you, when I was a little kid, I was kind of on the fence with the Cowboys and all that. But Lawrence Taylor took it home for me, know what I’m saying? Big Blue, man.”
It’s cool to see the ManningCast nab a notable rapper and actor this way, and one with a long history of Giants’ fandom. The 2-5 Giants may have their hands full on the field against the 5-2 Steelers, where they’re 6.5-point underdogs. But they certainly will have some significant names rooting for them on this ESPN2/ESPN+ alternate broadcast.