Meet LL Cool J's Stunning Daughters
LL Cool J and his wife Simone I. Smith are parents to four children; their eldest is their son Najee Laurent Todd Eugene Smith, who was born in 1989, and they would later have three daughters: Italia Anita Marie Smith, Samaria Leah Smith, and Nina-Symone Smith. This is a beautiful family, both genetically blessed and exceptionally talented. They are also fortunate to have their parents' support and encouragement.
"You need the right type of fuel, you got to put the right fuel in your kids. You got to put a battery in their back, make them believe," LL Cool J told Entertainment Tonight. In the same interview, he also discussed how he has instilled a good work ethic in his children. "If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done. Be thy labor great or small. Do it well or not at all. That's the mantra I grew up with," he said. "I pass that on to my kids."
The "I'm Bad" musician has worked hard to ensure his children found their way without forgoing his passions. "I love them, and I'm happy for them, and I want to be supportive of them in every way, but it's important to me that I always go after my dreams," he said in an interview with People in 2024. "I don't think we should miss out on our own dreams. Know what I'm saying?" Meet LL Cool J's three stunning daughters and how he parented them.
Italia Anita Marie Smith is a mom
Italia Anita Marie Smith is LL Cool J and Simone I. Smith's eldest daughter. She was born in January 1991. On LinkedIn, she lists her professional achievements but also mentions her priorities. "When not traversing the city or tending to clients, she enjoys community work, traveling the world, watching a good movie, and spending time with her family," the page reads. She values her family, and Italia often posts pictures on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse into her life as a wife and mother of three. In 2022, she celebrated her husband, Lamar Cardinez. "Happy Birthday @mr.cardinez. We love you so much. To More Love, More Grace, More Blessings," she wrote on Instagram.
She has also given her parents a special gift; they've become grandparents. "Being a mom is great, but being a MoMa is something different. I know some people like to spoil their grandbabies, but I don't let them get away with stuff," Simone told BET in 2023. Motherhood has also let her bond with her daughter on a different level. "As a MoMa, I can only give my daughter advice — I let her raise her children," she said.
Italia has also posted a bunch of photos of her father with her kids and put their special bond on display. For Father's Day in 2023, she posted a picture on Instagram of herself with her dad. "The Best to ever do it. Love you, daddy/grand-dad," she wrote in the caption.
She is also a real estate agent
Rather than follow in her father's footsteps, Italia Anita Marie Smith is a real estate agent. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has worked as a real estate agent at Keller Williams Realty, Inc. from August 2021 until the present. Before that, she worked for seven years as a licensed real estate salesperson for the firm Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
Smith attended Northeastern University, graduating with a degree in business administration, which she feels helps her job performance. On LinkedIn, she wrote about how her childhood inspired her career. "Through her privileged but humble upbringing, Italia has been able to experience architectural marvels both domestic and abroad, influencing her love for real estate," the About section of her LinkedIn profile reads. "While also contributing to an extremely diverse network of contacts that altogether make Italia an incredible resource."
LL Cool J has raised his children to be driven and to make it independently own. "I don't want [them] to let people set the bar for [them] because I am [their] father," he said in a chat for "Oprah's Master Class." He also encouraged his girls to be whoever they wanted. "I might catch my daughter while she's coming out of her room on the way to a soccer game, and I just grab her and say, 'You know you can do anything you put your mind to,'" he said.
Samaria Leah Smith has a passion for fashion
Samaria Leah Smith is LL Cool J and Simone I. Smith's third child. She was born on September 15, 1995, and has been interested in fashion from a young age, even attending the Fashion Institute of Technology. In September 2019, her passion would become her profession when she created an eponymous label. The focus is on vintage denim, and Samaria has found a niche market. "My ever-growing collection of vintage denim continued to evolve, and that's when I began to repurpose/rework them. It became a passion and an obsession that took on a path on its own," the Samaria Leah website reads. What started with Smith altering her own garments turned into so much more. "There was a void in the market that was meant to fill. From there, Samaria Leah Denim was born."
The website lists reworked denim pieces, tops, bottoms, sweatsuits, and even accessories like denim bucket hats and caps. It was a lifelong dream. "My mom would get so mad because I would just change and cut my clothes all day," she told Coveteur in 2020 about how she would dress herself as a young girl. And now that she has her own brand, she is fully involved from start to finish. "I do everything by hand," she said. "I'm putting that personal touch and love into every pair of denim that I sell, which is what I love most about it."
She's best friends with Magic Johnson's daughter
Samaria Leah Smith and Magic Johnson's daughter, Elisa Johnson, are good friends. In 2021, they spoke with Teen Vogue about their friendship, which has lasted over a decade and started with their moms organizing a meetup as teens. "Me and Elisa, since day one, we've balanced each other out," Smith told the publication. "She's always there for me. ... She's one of my friends [that] you just know you're going to be friends forever, no matter what."
As the children of celebrities, the girls were able to connect on another level and share an understanding. "Even though we were newer friends, it's not like we grew up together ... we still [shared] a similar background, so I knew our friendship was pure and that she was there for me — like I was there for her — for the right reasons," Johnson said. She has also praised Smith for being a reliable, great friend. "I wouldn't know what I would do without Samaria," Johnson said. "I can call her, and she can get me together. She's that friend."
Johnson posted about the interview on her Instagram in 2021, thanking the publication and celebrating her relationship with Smith. "It was such a blessing to do this alongside my best friend @samarialeah! It feels like we were just 14 years old talking about our dreams of owning our own brands, and now we're here," she wrote.
Samaria Leah Smith is dating an athlete
Samaria Leah Smith is dating LA Rams safety Jordan Fuller, and she is not shy about putting their love on display. Fuller's Instagram bio states he is an "Ohio State Alum, Educated Athlete, Follower of Christ." Smith's social media is filled with sweet posts dedicated to the man who makes her so happy. In 2021, she posted a few photos on Instagram of their time together. "Loving you is nothing but Joy. My baby," she captioned them. In an Instagram post from 2022, she celebrated Fuller's birthday with a photo of him embracing her. "Happy blessed birthday to my baby, my best friend! I love you from top to bottom, front to back," she captioned it. For Valentine's Day in 2023, Smith posted a picture of herself leaning into Fuller. "Loveee to loveee youuu!!! Happy Valentine's Day, my baby," she captioned the Instagram post.
Getting the approval of LL Cool J isn't always easy, and he has discussed how his daughters' previous love interests didn't always have his respect. "Yeah, I've had some moments where some boyfriends have given me awkward handshakes and stuff like that," he told People in a 2024 interview. "You know what I'm saying? Don't quite get it yet. ... And I've seen the bottom lip with the tremor. I'm saying that's a giveaway that you might want to rethink that choice a little bit." Instead, he wants to meet boyfriends who are confident (and whose lips don't shake).
Nina-Symone Smith had an unusual childhood pet
LL Cool J's interview with Nina-Symone Smith for Redbook in 2010 showed their bond as father and daughter. But it also revealed a few details about Smith, like her interesting choice of pets. "Do you like feeding Miles? [Her pet lizard]," she asked her dad, who responded, "It's not the friendliest thing to feed him worms and crickets, but I love the idea of fattening him up and watching nature take its course." Smith then commented on how much her lizard had grown. "He's going to get big, and he's got girth. He's like my man. My man, Miles! When he first crawled into my hand, I knew it was meant to be," the "Doin' It" rapper said.
The family also owned a dog, although it would not have been LL Cool J's first choice of pet. "Look, being a working parent is about sacrifice, right? Prime example, I have a dog and I'm allergic to dogs," he told Wonderwall (via HuffPost). "That's a perfect example. [Laughs] You know what I mean. I'm sneezing, my eyes are red, and I'm using eye drops. I got a daughter who loves a dog, [so] I got to have a dog. It's crazy. What can I do?" Although he didn't specify which of his daughters it was that wanted a dog, it is sweet to hear the lengths he has gone to make his kids happy.
She is also a musician
Nina-Symone Smith is the baby of the family and LL Cool J and Simone I. Smith's fourth child. She was born in August 2000 and is following in her father's footsteps with a career as a musician. "My youngest daughter Nina, she's a singer ... she really has that gene, and she loves it," LL Cool J told Steve Harvey on an appearance on "Steve" in 2020. "I'm going to support her, but she has to make it. Daddy will help, but you gotta make it. What I am not going to do to my children is ruin their lives by giving them everything they should work for."
Nina has released music, starting with a single called "Call Me" in 2020, when she was 19. More recently, she released an EP titled "Ecstacy" in 2021. It includes four songs and is available to stream on Spotify. In 2023, Nina graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in songwriting. Her proud mama posted a bunch of photos on Instagram from her graduation, showing Nina wearing a graduation cap and gown. "We are so proud of you!! Go Beanz!!! Now go out there and let your work be impactful and inspiring," Simone wrote. "And always, always ask God for daily guidance. His plan is bigger than yours."
They were not spoiled kids
LL Cool J's children have privileges but are not spoiled, which he proved when he was interviewed by Nina-Symone Smith for Redbook in 2010. During the chat, she asked her father, "If I get all As on my report card this year, do I get a present?" He replied, "I expect you to get all As. Why would I get you a present?" He then shut down the idea he would buy her a gift and drew comparisons to their childhoods. "I think it's obvious we grew up in different neighborhoods," he said.
In his interview for "Oprah's Master Class," the musician spoke on this topic again. "This is the real world," he said. "They're real people. And I'm a blue-collar guy at the end of the day. ... I'm not going to raise spoiled kids that just don't know what the real world is like, who think they don't have to do anything to contribute." The "Luv U Better" musician has raised his children to be well-rounded individuals who will follow their dreams, but fatherhood isn't his only goal. "[M]y life isn't defined by the fact that my kids graduated college, which I'm very happy for them. They have to go after their dreams, and I have to continue to go after mine and make sure that I'm fulfilling my purpose on this planet," he told People in 2024.
They took part in a magazine photoshoot as kids
There has been an interest in LL Cool J and Simone I. Smith's children from a young age. They were raised mostly out of the limelight. Still, fans have been given a glimpse into their lives with interviews and the occasional photoshoot (they've since chosen a more visible path for themselves as adults). One milestone moment in terms of their visibility happened when the family appeared on the cover of Vibe in 1997.
In an interview with Vibe in 2023, Simone reflected on the cover and how handling three small children was no easy task (this was before the birth of their youngest daughter, Nina-Symone Smith). "My kids were off the chain at that shoot, trying to get them to sit still," she said. "I think Samaria had to be 1 year old; I think Tali was 5, and Najee was 6. If you look at the cover, she [Samaria] was trying to shove the bottle in my mouth. But it was a great shoot. That's what I remember, trying to get my kids like, 'Can you smile? Can you look at the camera, please?' But it was memorable, and it was really great because it was an honor that Vibe wanted to put LL on the cover with his wife and his children."
They've been raised to be individuals
LL Cool J and Simone I. Smith have dedicated their time to raising children who believe in themselves. "I think my husband and I have always encouraged our children to be whoever they want. They can do whatever they want to make the world better. I tell them that they are not only beautiful, but they're also smart," Smith told BET in 2023. She also praised her children for their kind and generous spirits, referring to them as "naturally giving people" and crediting LL Cool J for being the same.
"I just try to lead by example, encourage them [and] make sure they can do anything they put their minds to," the musician told Newsday (via HuffPost). "I've always been really trying to teach them to believe in themselves and not be limited."
Italia Anita Marie Smith, Samaria Leah Smith, and Nina-Symone Smith have grown up with privilege, but their father refuses to hand them everything on a silver platter. He has also not tried to force them into a specific career path, rather letting them choose for themselves but being supportive of those choices. "They gotta do what they feel is right for them," he told Parade in 2009. "You be who you want to be. Just be successful."