Mack Wilds has expressed his desire to play LL COOL J in a biopic of the legendary rapper’s life, after Uncle L teased the idea on social media.
On Thursday (January 12), the G.O.A.T. took to social media to share a series of classic photos from across his career, including a shot of him in his signature Kangol hat and another sporting his iconic four-finger “Cool J” ring that many will remember from the cover of his fourth studio album, Mama Said Knock You Out.
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“Should I do a bio pic?” LL COOL J captioned his post, asking fans whether he should follow in the footsteps of N.W.A., 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Roxanne Shante, 50 Cent, Eminem and others who have made movies about their lives.
One person in favor of LL shooting a biopic is Grammy-nominated singer/rapper/actor Mack Wilds, who also teased the idea of him stepping into LL’s shoes and playing the G.O.A.T. in the film. “I mean… what are we talking about?” he tweeted alongside a laughing emoji.
HipHopDX reached out to Wilds to find out more about his bid to play LL COOL J, and he explained that it’s actually something he’s always wanted to do.
“Hell yes! I’d love to play LL,” the talented crooner told DX. “I’ve been trying to figure out if he’d do a biopic for years.”
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Wilds said his connection to LL COOL J — who himself is an established actor, starring in numerous Hollywood films as well as the record-breaking TV series N.C.I.S. Los Angeles — goes all the way back to his childhood when his father took him to see the “Doin’ It” rapper live.
“LL was my very first concert,” he explained. “He did a free concert at Wingate Park in Brooklyn. My dad took me ’cause he saw I really connected to his music. He was my first understanding of stage presence.”
LL COOL J is yet to respond to Wilds’ suggestion.
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Mack Wilds is known for his roles in TV shows such as The Wire, Shots Fired, 90210, and more recently Swagger, the Apple TV+ series inspired by Kevin Durant’s youth basketball playing experience on the AAU circuit. He also starred in the George Lucas-executive produced Red Tails in 2012.
He released his debut album, New York: A Love Story, in 2013. Executive Produced by Salaam Remi and featuring the likes of Method Man, Raekwon and Doug E. Fresh, it bagged Wilds a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album, however lost out to Rihanna for her seventh studio album, Unapologetic.
Mack’s last full-length release was 2017’s AfterHours, which features Wale and Tink. While it was mostly self-produced, it also features production from Salaam Remi, Teddy Riley, Scott Storch and James Poyser on the song “Love in the 90z.”
Meanwhile, LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells recently announced the inaugural Hip Hop Experience Cruise in celebration of the genre turning 50 years old this year.
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The unique cruise experience will be brought to life in partnership with Sixthman, and the Norwegian Pearl sets sail from Miami to The Bahamas on November 13, 2023 for four nights through November 17, 2023.
There will be a full lineup of performers announced at a later date but guests will be welcomed to a kick-off party on the boat’s deck with a concert from Trina and Trick Daddy.
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“It took 50 years, but it’s finally here! This Cruise is for Hip-Hop, because you deserve it,” LL COOL J wrote to Instagram. “The Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience is setting sail in 2023. We’re dropping the line up at the top of the new year, but put $100 down to reserve your cabin today or sign up to be the first in line.”
