LL COOL J BECOMES FIRST RAPPER TO EARN KENNEDY CENTER HONOR
Thirty-two years after making his storied entry into rap’s mainstream—or, perhaps more accurately, helping to create rap’s mainstream—LL Cool J gets yet another big time accolade. This one comes in the form of the famous Kennedy Center Honor, an award that recognizes artists with a lifetime of contributions to American culture. LL is the first rapper to ever receive this honor.