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LL Cool J Plays Shy-Guy Role In 'Last Holiday'


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LL Cool J Plays Shy Guy Role Says It Reflects Real Life

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LL COOL J PLAYS SHY-GUY ROLE IN 'LAST

HOLIDAY':

But rapper says character wasn't

that much of a stretch.

courtesy of www.eurweb.com

*LL Cool J has known Queen Latifah for

decades through mutual adventures in the

rap game, but neither had really gotten to

know each other until production began on

their latest film, "The Last Holiday."

"I didn't know Latifah has the sense of

humor that she has," said LL during

interviews for the movie this past weekend

in Los Angeles. "I knew she was a nice

person, because I've seen her around many

times for years, but I didn't know she had that

type of a sense of humor. I didn't know she

was so laid back and relaxed."

At nights during the shoot, LL said his crew

spent time with Latifah's posse tearing up the

local bowling alley, "going crazy and sliding

down the lane," laughs the rapper. "Sliding

into home base to get strikes."

Hopefully, audiences will laugh as much in

the theater as the actors did during their free

time. The film is an update of the 1950 film

starring Alec Guiness in the title role of George

Bird, an agricultural machinery salesman who

find out he hasn't long to live and embarks on

a last holiday. Latifah, as Georgia Bird, is a

cookware salesperson for a New Orleans retail

outlet who takes a dream vacation to Europe

upon finding out that her days are numbered.

LL plays Sean Matthews, a shy, soft-spoken

man who carries a secret torch for the lady.

"That's the thing that made [the role]

attractive," said LL, who turns 38 on Saturday.

That was the fun part of the role, the fact that it

was an opportunity to play against type, against

what people expected me to do. Most of the time,

especially in film, people are gonna assume, 'Oh,

it's a rapper, it's hip hop.' So this was an

opportunity to do something different."

Despite the role being a departure for the

New York native, LL says he shares one trait

with his character.

"What a lot of people don't know about me

is that I am shy," he says. "I've never been the

guy who went up to girls and asked them for

their phone numbers. He wasn't that far away

from me, as far away as a person may assume.

We all have different pieces to us and different

aspects of our personality."

Born James Todd Smith in Bay Shore, Long

Island, LL has been busy these days taking

advantage of the opportunities introduced as

a byproduct of phenomenal success in the rap

game. In a road similar to his co-star Latifah's,

platinum records were followed by a television

series, then films and, eventually, business

ventures.

"Every rapper or musician who goes

platinum or double platinum is gonna get a

movie opportunity, that's just the way it works.

Whether you like it or not, that's just the truth,"

admits LL. "But are you gonna be able to take

advantage of it? Is it something you love? Do

you truly wanna do it? Are you killing time?

Those are all questions that get answered over

time."

For LL, opportunities that have come his

way include a nine-picture production deal at

Lionsgate and his Todd Smith clothing line,

two ventures that give the rapper as much

joy as a hit record. But those aren't bad

either.

His next disc, titled "Todd Smith," hits

the street in March with Jennifer Lopez on

the first single, plus guests appearances by

Mary J. Blige, 112, Ginuwine, Mary Mary,

Teairra Marie, Lyfe Jennings, Pharrell Williams,

Jermaine Dupri, Juelz Santana and Broadway.

In explaining the use of his birth name as

the album title, husband and father of four says

it's because, "I'm revealing something else. I'm

going to another dimension musically that's

totally different from what I've done in the past.

It was an opening up. I was more collaborative

with the writing than I've ever been, I've allowed

other people to be involved with helping me

write the songs, with creating the music. It

was like an opening up and inviting in of

everyone."

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Ladie`s Love a shy-guy? :lolsign:

"I'm revealing something else. I'm

going to another dimension musically that's

totally different from what I've done in the past.

It was an opening up. I was more collaborative

with the writing than I've ever been, I've allowed

other people to be involved with helping me

write the songs, with creating the music. It

was like an opening up and inviting in of

everyone."

Whats up with that? Please, dont let this be another Definition or 10...

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Maybe LL means that the material'll be a lil' more personal than his recent albums if he talks about opening up, there'll probably be more personal songs than club songs on this album...

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It's too early to tell how the album's gonna be but March ain't that far away so we'll see soon enough, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie wit Queen Latifah when it comes out this week too, it sounds like they had a lot of fun hanging out on the set....

Edited by bigted
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Well actually not really 'cause I think that the collabs'll make the album more interesting, I think "G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith" is one of his best albums he's done and that had a lot of collabs, hopefully "Todd Smith" is on the level as that album....

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Well actually not really 'cause I think that the collabs'll make the album more interesting, I think "G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith" is one of his best albums he's done and that had a lot of collabs, hopefully "Todd Smith" is on the level as that album....

Fughidabowdit Feat. Method Man, Redamn and DMX is probaly one of my favourite Songs ever. I wish they would be a Crew since then! "Queens is" turned out great too. Actualy all of them.

But this is probaly gonna be diffrent since it are total diffrent Artists. Except from Juelz and Freeway but we allready heard those,lol

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Thanx so much 4 the article!! I've been dying 2 see this movie since i 1st knew it waz shooting. I'll be there opening nite...afterall, 2 of the people i admire the most are in it.

The new album is what i'm dying 4. I don't know how i feel about him letting others get down on the songwriting tip...but if he's dropping an album every year or 2, i guess it dosen't bother me that much. It looks like alot of new school talent is on it...but LL wouldn't do his fans wrong.

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That's dope how LL works with different artists all the time, that definately gives his music a different sound to it, and it ain't really a big deal if LL has a lil' help writing his lyrics 'cause FP does too, as long as it doesn't make it a weak album, then there's a problem.... btw, the movie comes out this weekend, they finished shooting it months ago.... btw, Queen Latifah can't be making that many bad movies since she recently got a star on the Hollywood walk of fame... LL's gonna be on TRL tomorrow talking about the movie, maybe he'll talk more about his album too....

Edited by bigted
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well the trailer I saw it made it look like they were getting Latifah to do her usual "schtick" which she's done in bringing down the house..taxi..etc playing the same role.. I know Latifah is better than that..Just doesnt look a great movie to me..you'll have to tell me what you think when you see it.

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