LL Cool J posted this video on Facebook with the caption:
“My late grandmother passed some wise advice to me: ‘If a task is once begun, never leave it ‘til it’s done. Be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all.’ That adage has guided everything I have ever done in my life and I couldn’t be more grateful because it has led me here. To be the first rap artist honored by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is beyond anything I could have imagined. I dedicate this honor to the hip hop artists who came before me and those who came after me. This simply proves that dreams don’t have deadlines. God is great.”
According to the Kennedy Center Honors website, the ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 3rd and will be broadcast on CBS Tuesday, December 26th at 9pm.
LL Cool J told The New York Times that he never considered skipping the event like fellow nominee Norman Lear is planning because of President Trump.
“I don’t have any stunts planned. I’m not saying I need to be there backslapping and all of that, but this time, this one ain’t about him. I’m not going to block my blessings or let the political divide stop me from embracing my art. I’m banking on the goodness and the optimism of people to say: ‘You know what? I get it. Let this guy have this honor.'” You can read the whole article here.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 15: Host LL Cool J speaks onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)