Posted by | Ray Cornelius

After a controversial sit down with cyclist Lance Armstrong, media maven Oprah Winfrey is ready to tackle her Next Chapter  interview with hip hop heavy weight LL Cool J.

Winfrey talks to the ageless hip hop icon about his amazing career as a pioneering rapper, actor, fashion entrepreneur and pop culture phenomenon. Often referring to himself as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), LL Cool J is one of the first rap artists to successfully transition from the world of hip hop to Hollywood, appearing in a string of successful films and television shows.

However, life hasn’t always been a bed of roses for the Queen’s rapper, whose real name is James Todd Smith. The father of four, talks candidly with Winfrey about the abuse he suffered as a child growing up in New York.  Apparently Smith was victimized by his mother’s boyfriend Roscoe, who beat him ruthlessly while tormenting him psychologically. He discusses this in his 1998 autobiography” I Make My Own Rules.”

Check out this snippet of Smith talking to Oprah about the ordeal and much more:

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