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“Dreams don't have deadlines. I'm thinking of doing bigger and better things and having more fun with it.” When hip hop music caught mainstream attention, one of the artists at the forefront of the movement was none other than New York native James Todd Smith, otherwise known to his fans as LL Cool J, which is short for “Ladies Love Cool James.” Rapping since he was nine years old, LL Cool J created his own demo tapes as a teen after his grandfather gave him a few turntables, an amplifier and an audio mixer. After sending his demo to record companies throughout the Big Apple, it wasn’t long before he was signed with Def Jam Records and released his debut single, “I Need a Beat,” in 1984.

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Over the next few years, LL Cool J released his first album—Radio—but didn’t find mainstream success until 1987 with the release of Bigger and Deffer and again in 1989 with Walking with a Panther. By then, he was known for hits like “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “I Need Love” and “I’m Bad” but, still wanting more, he didn’t stop with music and turned his attention to Hollywood. After making his acting debut in Wildcats, he starred alongside Robin Williams in Toys in 1992 only to earn critical acclaim for his performance in Deep Blue Sea and In Too Deep. By 2009, he was a star in primetime television thanks to his role as Special Agent Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles, a role he continues to hold today.

Thanks to his history as a hip-hop artist and his role as the ultra-macho Agent Hanna, LL Cool J hasn’t been exceptionally open about admitting his history with plastic surgery but that hasn’t stopped the rumors. The multi-talented star is often accused of enhancing everything from his face to his body with the hopes of adding to his mainstream appeal. For starters, he’s always had a famously wide nose but, in recent years, it’s seen a few changes since he first rose to popularity in the mid-1980s.

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As many wonder if the S.W.A.T. star has opted for a rhinoplasty to narrow the bridge of his nose, make the tip more pronounced and to separate his nostrils, the rumors don’t stop there. Over the years, it’s hard to deny that LL Cool J’s appearance has seen a dramatic change especially since he’s not afraid to show off the fact that he’s added plenty of muscle to his already toned physique.

Since he emerged looking more muscular than ever before, the media has had a field day with the 48-year-old’s changing appearance with many critics arguing that the actor has had plenty of help achieving his new look. Whether that involves steroid use or cosmetic surgery all depends on who you ask but, according to LL Cool J himself, there’s nothing to admit. “At the end of the day, you will ruin your life by [opting for plastic surgery],” he said. “But, I don’t want to judge anybody that wants to get [it done].”

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Always known for his quick wit and outspoken opinions, LL Cool J wasn’t done there. “With me, they want to say ‘Oh LL he must have done steroids.’ No, you [got] to work hard…You sitting there with a Twinkie in your mouth talking about how I take steroids—no, I work hard. I’m in the gym. It’s real,” he said.” He also commented about his rumored rhinoplasty and said that hearing the rumors was simply comedic. As for the scar on his stomach that ignited a slew of rumors suggesting a liposuction or chest implants to increase the size of his pectoral muscles, he said the scar was the aftermath of having his appendix removed.

Despite his response, little has stopped fans and critics alike from claiming that LL Cool J’s changing appearance isn’t entirely natural. Several “insiders” have made far-fetched reports that he’s had extensive work done while others say that he “overdid it” with plastic surgery. By then, LL Cool J was tired of his appearance overshadowing his talent and addressed the rumors in one of his four books, I Make My Own Rules.”

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“[I wrote the book because] there was a lot of speculation,” he said during an interview promoting the 1998 title. “People were thinking I was doing steroids. People were thinking I was getting plastic surgery. They were thinking I had lipo [and] a rib removed. All these different questions people had.”

Although he likely won’t admit to ever going under the knife, the rumors haven’t hurt his career in any way. As he continues to wow his fans on NCIS: Los Angeles, he’s proved that he truly does make his own rules as he’s taken his celebrity status to the widely popular Lip Sync Battle where he serves as the show’s host. At the end of the day, it seems that his nickname is undeniably true—that all the Ladies Love Cool James.