LL Cool J to announce shock retirement from music?

LL Cool J created a stir on Tuesday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

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Sad news for LL Cool J fans. Speculation had been rife that the American rapper best known for hit songs like Mama Said Knock You Out or I Need Love, is about to announce his retirement from music, at age 58, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 14/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a rapper isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a rapper-actor-business man just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouJames

For a little while on Tuesday evening, #ThankYouJames was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“LL Cool J was unlike any other rapper we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouJames”
— @universalObserver, 13 Jan 2026

“LL Cool J wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 13 Jan 2026

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