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A solar-powered bronze statue of hip-hop icon LL Cool J has a new home at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook.
The statue unveiling was part of the 50th anniversary of the Hall of Fame’s Sunday Hip-Hop Concert, which included concerts and panels.
Fans, rappers and DJs from the Long Island hip-hop community came to honor the Grammy-winning Bayshore-born artist and actor whose career spanned decades and genres.
“LL Cool J has been with us for forty years, and paying homage to him is very important to this culture, which has spread all over the world,” said Ralph McDaniels, a video producer , who documented 40 years of hip-hop through his “Music Box” TV show.
“It’s not just about rap, it’s about DJs, break dancers, graffiti artists and knowledge,” said McDaniels, who lives in El Monte. “That’s what today is about—bringing knowledge to people.”
LL Cool J, born James Todd Smith, grew up in Queens and rose to fame in the 1980s with the albums “Radio” and “Bigger and Deffer.” As his music career skyrocketed, he landed numerous roles in film and television, including a long-running appearance on NCIS: Los Angeles.
Sculptor Sherwin Banfield said he made the sculpture to reflect important symbols in LL Cool J’s life. A bronze bust of the artist wearing his signature Kanjol bucket hat sits atop a resin speaker containing a cassette of his first album, “Radio,” circa 1985.
The statue’s stainless steel sides include images of the Unisphere, Queens landmarks, LL Cool J’s childhood home, and a nod to his nearby Farmers Boulevard. Solar panels help power the statue’s audio, which contains LL’s music.
The statue was on display at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park last year. While it’s designed to withstand the sculptural elements of the outdoors, bringing it indoors gives it a fresh and different look, says Banfield.
“It’s unbelievable to be inside and see how the lights can be put on top in an interesting way, with the music and the lights inside creating a dramatic effect,” Banfield said.
The event includes performances by DJ Jazzy Jay, DJ Johnny Juice, AJ Rok, MC Glamorous, Dinco D, Milo from De Dance and Son of Bazerk.
Plans to induct Brooklyn-based rap trio Fat Boys into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame have been put on hold until surviving member Damon “Kool Rock Ski” Wembley can attend the ceremony.
Lisa joined Newsday in 2019 as a Staff Writer. She previously worked for amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press, covering politics, government and general assignments.
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