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I Make My Own Rules
The autobiography of the hip-hop and rap star, television actor, and positive role model details his career, childhood, private life, public service, and views on the music business
196 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
18 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
L.L. Cool J.
9 books19 followersJames Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James) is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 13, 2015
Realistic, Engaging & Encouraging! Loved It!
November 6, 2025
I really like LL Cool J. Hey Lover had me in a chokehold in my teens. He’s become a good man and a solid role model, which is why I kind of wish he’d written this memoir later in life. He was still pretty young when it came out, and it shows. The stories are honest and emotional, but at times, it feels a bit preachy, like he was still trying to convince himself that he’d learned all the lessons he was talking about.
He went through a lot growing up, and I respect him for being so open about it. You can tell he was still in the middle of figuring things out though, and lacking in accountability. Sometimes it came across like he was blaming his past for the things he did wrong, instead of fully owning them. Instead of "I experienced these things and they changed me in this way", it felt more like "this happened to me when I was younger."
Even so, it’s worth reading if you’re a fan. You see where he came from and what made him who he is. I just wish he’d written it now, after all the growth and maturity we’ve seen from him over the years. I think that version of his story would be incredible.
He went through a lot growing up, and I respect him for being so open about it. You can tell he was still in the middle of figuring things out though, and lacking in accountability. Sometimes it came across like he was blaming his past for the things he did wrong, instead of fully owning them. Instead of "I experienced these things and they changed me in this way", it felt more like "this happened to me when I was younger."
Even so, it’s worth reading if you’re a fan. You see where he came from and what made him who he is. I just wish he’d written it now, after all the growth and maturity we’ve seen from him over the years. I think that version of his story would be incredible.
March 26, 2023
LL's writing style felt too informal at moments for me to really enjoy reading this. Everything in this felt genuine from cover to cover, so I cannot fault him for that. However, there points were some of his advice felt contradictory and I questioned how much he really healed/grew from being the person he once was. He worded some of his approaches to healing as if the results happened overnight or were entirely based off the vaguely-labeled "spiritual" advice of one man. I'm wary of those type of approaches to therapy and reconciliation, especially within the black community, so it was off-putting for me.
Overall, this is an older book and I think LL has probably continued to expand in his journey of atonement and self-reflection as well as obviously continuing to have stardom status and fame.
Overall, this is an older book and I think LL has probably continued to expand in his journey of atonement and self-reflection as well as obviously continuing to have stardom status and fame.
December 4, 2020
伝説のラッパーLL cool Jの自伝。
NCIS:LAでLL cool Jを初めて知ったので、伝説のラッパーとはどういうことなのか、アメリカで未だに大人気である背景も知りたくて手に取った。
朧げには幼児期の虐待であるとか、お父さんとの確執などは知っていたが、実際に読むとやはりショックが大きい。何よりも今現在の寛大で朗らかな性格からは想像もつかない。
一番驚いたのは、奥さんのサイモンさんと子供たちから距離を置いていた時期があったということ。
こちらも今のLL cool J氏からは想像ができない。華やかなキャリアを築いていたころが、自分の状態では一番最低な時期と自身が語っているが、本当に凄まじいまでに苦しい時期をよく乗り越え、理想的な夫婦であり家族であり人物像という現在にたどり着けたものだと、ただただ感服するばかり。
辛酸をなめ尽くしたからこそ持ち得る揺るぎない信念。
そこにいてくれるだけで得られる安心感はなみなみならぬものがある。
これからも笑顔のLL cool Jでいて欲しい。
LL cool Jが幸せに笑っている世界は間違いなくポジティブでよい世界と信じることができるから。
NCIS:LAでLL cool Jを初めて知ったので、伝説のラッパーとはどういうことなのか、アメリカで未だに大人気である背景も知りたくて手に取った。
朧げには幼児期の虐待であるとか、お父さんとの確執などは知っていたが、実際に読むとやはりショックが大きい。何よりも今現在の寛大で朗らかな性格からは想像もつかない。
一番驚いたのは、奥さんのサイモンさんと子供たちから距離を置いていた時期があったということ。
こちらも今のLL cool J氏からは想像ができない。華やかなキャリアを築いていたころが、自分の状態では一番最低な時期と自身が語っているが、本当に凄まじいまでに苦しい時期をよく乗り越え、理想的な夫婦であり家族であり人物像という現在にたどり着けたものだと、ただただ感服するばかり。
辛酸をなめ尽くしたからこそ持ち得る揺るぎない信念。
そこにいてくれるだけで得られる安心感はなみなみならぬものがある。
これからも笑顔のLL cool Jでいて欲しい。
LL cool Jが幸せに笑っている世界は間違いなくポジティブでよい世界と信じることができるから。
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November 1, 2019Get up
June 21, 2020
Disappointing from a man who always comes across so well when talking about the issues the world/USA faces. We need a new biography from this man.
February 24, 2024
I read this book so many years ago, but as a LL Cool J fan, I loved it. It was very detailed, and as I like, was easy to follow along and not get lost. He gave you the good, the bad and the unglued in his life.
August 6, 2011
I got this as kind of a gag gift from my brother in law for Christmas. Seriously, this book is pretty awful, but I had to get through it. LL was kind of responsible for my initial interest in the world of Hip Hop. We never had cable growing up, and some of our family friends, the Morgans, occasionally would give my sister's tapes that had 6 hrs of the Disney Channel or MTV recorded over them. We all got to know those video cassettes pretty well. Most of the stuff on there was Paula Abdul or whatever, but I remember one tape specifically because it was pretty much my first actual encounter with Hip Hop. It was 1990, I was like 6 years old, and Momma Said Knock You Out was the most incredible thing I had ever heard. I may have heard Vanilla Ice before that or something, and I probably liked it, but this was on another plane to me. Honestly I didn't understand everything he was saying, but the braggadocio was so intense that you HAD to believe that he actually believed the things he was saying about himself.
That was the only song I ever knew until about 8th grade when I kid in my class had Walking with a Panther in his Disc man. This was a year before downloading and burning CD's became common in most households, so I couldn't get a copy of it from him, but I borrowed it and listened to it over and over again on the stereo in my room with my cheap headphones plugged in. It was mostly something about how weird he was. Nobody else was gonna rap the line "The pudding is delicious", except for him.
No matter how much people jump around on stage, they won't look as crazy as LL used to when he was some excited eager kid. The no shirt thing works for Lil Wayne, but LL perfected it. I make a pretty distict homage to his video for I'm that type of guy in my Peach Fuzz video.
Anyway, the book kind of spoils all that, it was written in 1997, which is right at the point where I lose interest in his whole career. Of all three of these books, this one is the most painful to read. The most interesting moments are about his turbulent relationship with his father. His dad once got so angry he came to the house with a shotgun and ended up shooting his mother and grandfather. They recovered, but his father moved to California and changed his name and was never prosecuted. Later in life LL hired his father to come be his manager, and as you might have guessed, that didn't turn out so hot either. For all the violence he experienced as a child it's actually surprising that his lyrics are some of the least violent in mainstream rap.
LL tends to overdo it on some of the drama and motivational stories. My favorite chapter is called "Cry School", the title strikes me as funny because it's the easiest pun in the world. It's like he was thinking, "I've got to come up with another punny chapter heading,, yeah, that'll work, because I cried alot in high school!". He talks about how he was made fun of for his skinny legs and big lips and how hard it was for him. You would never think LL had self confidence issues. But I guess you could say the same for Comedians and actors, projecting themselves into a character maybe helps them deal with that.
Mostly, his advice tend to be things like, "Keepin' it real ain't about carrying a gun and smoking blunts. I'ts about being true to yourself and those around you." and "A relationship-any relationship-only works when two people are growing together." At the end of the day LL is a family man who's life is a lot less glamorous or exciting as his supercharged youthful music was. I'm not surprised, but the little kid singing "Mama said Knock you Out" inside of me died a little.
That was the only song I ever knew until about 8th grade when I kid in my class had Walking with a Panther in his Disc man. This was a year before downloading and burning CD's became common in most households, so I couldn't get a copy of it from him, but I borrowed it and listened to it over and over again on the stereo in my room with my cheap headphones plugged in. It was mostly something about how weird he was. Nobody else was gonna rap the line "The pudding is delicious", except for him.
No matter how much people jump around on stage, they won't look as crazy as LL used to when he was some excited eager kid. The no shirt thing works for Lil Wayne, but LL perfected it. I make a pretty distict homage to his video for I'm that type of guy in my Peach Fuzz video.
Anyway, the book kind of spoils all that, it was written in 1997, which is right at the point where I lose interest in his whole career. Of all three of these books, this one is the most painful to read. The most interesting moments are about his turbulent relationship with his father. His dad once got so angry he came to the house with a shotgun and ended up shooting his mother and grandfather. They recovered, but his father moved to California and changed his name and was never prosecuted. Later in life LL hired his father to come be his manager, and as you might have guessed, that didn't turn out so hot either. For all the violence he experienced as a child it's actually surprising that his lyrics are some of the least violent in mainstream rap.
LL tends to overdo it on some of the drama and motivational stories. My favorite chapter is called "Cry School", the title strikes me as funny because it's the easiest pun in the world. It's like he was thinking, "I've got to come up with another punny chapter heading,, yeah, that'll work, because I cried alot in high school!". He talks about how he was made fun of for his skinny legs and big lips and how hard it was for him. You would never think LL had self confidence issues. But I guess you could say the same for Comedians and actors, projecting themselves into a character maybe helps them deal with that.
Mostly, his advice tend to be things like, "Keepin' it real ain't about carrying a gun and smoking blunts. I'ts about being true to yourself and those around you." and "A relationship-any relationship-only works when two people are growing together." At the end of the day LL is a family man who's life is a lot less glamorous or exciting as his supercharged youthful music was. I'm not surprised, but the little kid singing "Mama said Knock you Out" inside of me died a little.
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February 25, 2016I have not read a book before that had a 'parental advisory' notice-- and since the copy that I picked up is lacking its cover, I had no idea until I hit the chapter that opens with a warning to the reader. I also thought it interesting that there is a child-suitable version available, since any respectable child will immediately find a version with the parental advisory just to see what is missing. I have read books that contained more explicit sexual content, that came with no label, no warning and better writing. I wonder if the label helped the sales.
So, why did I read this book? It is not very well written (I think because the authors were trying to capture his vernacular) and it is very repetitive. I like his acting, I found the book for sale in the local library and I was curious about his life. I think his life story is compelling enough, but the lessons that he draws are not interesting or helpful. His ending thoughts are about how money does not bring happiness--with which I totally agree, however, he lives in a different league than the rest of us. When he rejected money, he cut back from twelve fancy cars to just one (well, perhaps two...). When he rejected the hip-hop lifestyle he settled down to be a family man, with his wife and three (or four?) kids and several houses and millions of dollars.
Money may not buy you happiness, but it sure can take a lot of the stress out of life.
So, why did I read this book? It is not very well written (I think because the authors were trying to capture his vernacular) and it is very repetitive. I like his acting, I found the book for sale in the local library and I was curious about his life. I think his life story is compelling enough, but the lessons that he draws are not interesting or helpful. His ending thoughts are about how money does not bring happiness--with which I totally agree, however, he lives in a different league than the rest of us. When he rejected money, he cut back from twelve fancy cars to just one (well, perhaps two...). When he rejected the hip-hop lifestyle he settled down to be a family man, with his wife and three (or four?) kids and several houses and millions of dollars.
Money may not buy you happiness, but it sure can take a lot of the stress out of life.
July 16, 2007
I read this forever ago, when I was a sophmore in college. He had a rough life, and overcame a lot. Be prepared, he made a LOT of bad unforgivable decisions. The point of the book is to see how he learned from it and overcame them. I couldn't get over how bad he really was and as a result don't really like him that much anymore. But I do respect him admitting it and writing it down to share his story.
January 7, 2009
Uncle L Is Wild
In reading I MAKE MY OWN RULES I found out that LL Cool J, one of the sexiest men ever, faced a lot of trials and tribulations in his life. LL shows true courage as he realizes his life wasn't how it should be and rectified the situations. I loved the honesty as well as the detailed time line and family portraits. LL is not just beautiful to look at he's the complete package!
In reading I MAKE MY OWN RULES I found out that LL Cool J, one of the sexiest men ever, faced a lot of trials and tribulations in his life. LL shows true courage as he realizes his life wasn't how it should be and rectified the situations. I loved the honesty as well as the detailed time line and family portraits. LL is not just beautiful to look at he's the complete package!
October 6, 2007
Woah: he used to be a Catholic altar boy too! Definitely read the "dirty" version: even though it's supposed to be a confessional, he offers several decent sex tips. Including the shower-curtain-with-baby-oil which he's frequently mentioned on Conan and the View. I await the next installment.
November 14, 2016
This book is dope it talks about LL Cool J's life and how he didn't go clapping people and smoking just because he had a difficult life and how he encourages people and they can do anything they really set they mind to.
March 25, 2007
If you like LL Cool J, you'll probably enjoy his autobiography. He had a traumatic childhood so there are lots of interesting stories from when he was growing up in Queens and his rise to stardom.
August 3, 2008
This was a very insightful look into this entertainer's life. I totally enjoyed learning more about LL.
January 28, 2009
Boring!
April 14, 2010
Good read into LL"s life how he changed def a must read if you a upcoming artist who might face the same trails as a young LL
April 25, 2011
It was a alright read, kind of all over the place. Wasnt what I expected.
September 21, 2012
my oh my. It has an advisory for a reason. He was blunt and real, and thats what made it a good read.
Currently reading
February 22, 2013Just starting this book. It has shown me a lot of things and different perspectives on the world
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July 16, 2018Great pic. I highly recommend it!
May 2, 2015
love the book got to know him a little better and found more respect for him after reading this book.
January 1, 2016
Quick read. Life of a rapper I grew up with
July 16, 2011
I liked it, he went through some things but got himself together.
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May 18, 2017I remember reading this back when I was 11 or 12. There was a "clean" version and a "parental advisory" version, the difference being a chapter w sex in it that I don't think was that scandalous. Only other thing I really remember is that he was trying to chose between getting a dirtbike or turntables, and then he wrecked his friend's dirtbike, broke a few bones and became a DJ.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews