LL Cool J isn’t a “flash guy” and wants to use his money to “do good things.”
The 56-year-old hip-hop star has revealed he did splash the cash after being given his first every royalty check at the start of his career, but he’s adamant money is not his “end goal” and now refuses to splurge on frivolous luxuries.
“I’m not a flash kinda guy. People will say, ‘LL Cool J is worth X million dollars.’ Yes, but I can honestly say money is not my end goal. When I got that first big royalty check, I went crazy. I wanted the car, the gold chains, the VCR. Now I use the money to do good things,” he told The Sunday Times newspaper.
He went on to insist being wealthy doesn’t mean he spoils his kids, but he did try to give them the best possible start in life.
“Do I spoil my kids? I gave all four of them a car and a debt-free education. The rest they have to figure out for themselves,” the rapper added.
LL Cool J has four adult kids with his wife Simone Johnson, whom he married in 1995, and he insists their relationship is still strong almost 30 years later.
“When you mix money, music and success, real life can suffer. I’m thankful that Simone has been with me all the way. The chemistry is still there, I hope it never goes away. Faith has played a big part in that. We both pray at night — Simone earlier than me ’cause I’m up till 3 a.m. It connects us as a family. The world gets rough and you sometimes need a little help to ride out those rough times. Ain’t no shame in that!” he explained.
