Mr. Smith

L.L. Cool J Mr. Smith (Def Jam) As a hip-hop pioneer in the '80s, L.L. Cool J was an archetypal B-boy prodigy. Now, as a prime-time TV star, he's an elder statesman. This belated return to the studio finds him on familiar ground, playing equal parts cutup, seducer, and gangsta. And while his cutting-edge days are well behind him, this is far from the self-parodying effort we had every reason to expect. B