- Italia Anita Maria Smith is a real estate agent and the daughter of LL Cool J – an American rapper and actor
- The parents of the 33-year-old have been married for 29 since 1995 and have 4 children
- The mother of 2 is a practicing Christan whose DNA is linked to Hall of Fame boxer John Henry Lewis
Many remember African-American LL Cool J as a dynamic emblematic rapper who has also been able to sustain a 29 years old marriage with 4 children. Not many, however, know that one of his daughters, Italia Anita Maria Smith beats her chest as an accomplished real estate agent.
She had an Opposite Childhood with Her Father
Italia was born on July 3, 1991, as the second of the 4 children of LL Cool J and Simone Smith.
She was born into fame as the child of a legendary hip-hop rapper and actor whose music took charge of many radio and TV stations.
Despite the wealth and fame she got, her father claimed to have been quite distant from spoiling her and her siblings. In spite of that, she is believed to have had a smooth journey while growing up.
Her male parent on the other hand had a different story to tell. He was born James Todd Smith on January 14, 1968, in Bay Shore, New York.
His childhood was quiet and not so rosy. His father cum Italia’s grandfather, James Louis Smith Jr shot Cool J’s mother and grandfather and almost killed them.
He was raised in Queens after his mother moved with him. The life of the Big Fun In The Big Town actor took a sad turn when his mother’s ex-boyfriend Roscoe would abuse him physically and mentally.
In the face of all of those, he was able to find himself falling in love with music early in life, and like his daughter, the younger Smith, he had a mother and grandfather who supported his quest for music and encouraged him with words, and musical instruments. His grandfather also recorded his demos and sent them to record companies, including Def Jam which would later sign him.
Italia Anita Maria Smith has Siblings in the Music, Fashion and Photography Industries
She maintains a low profile and so are her other siblings. Nevertheless, her older brother, Najee Smith is a professional photographer who had himself on the other side of the law in 2015 when he was arrested for involving in a fight while intoxicated.
On the other hand, her younger sibling Samaria Smith is a fashion designer. She launched her label in 2019.
Her youngest sibling Nina Smith is the only child of LL Cool J that dares to wear the music legend’s shoe as she heads to have a career in the music industry with a debut single titled “Call me”
The Celebrity Kid was Born a Year Before LL Cool J Won His First Grammy
Prior to her birth, her father had already developed himself from the music he fell in love with and started working towards achieving success in it when he was 10.
The career of her father had already begun to skyrocket since the 1980s with his debut single selling more than 100,000 copies. His I Need a Beat further opened several doors that he necessarily never knocked in the music industry.
Several other works followed, and by 1985, about 6 years before the time she was born, her father LL Cool J released his debut album, Radio which sold above 500,000 in its foremost 5 months. It later pushed and sold more than a million copies claiming gold and platinum.
In 1990, a year prior to her birth, her father released his 4th studio album, Mama Said Knock You Out. The album won him a Grammy Award in 1992 when Italia was only about a year old.
She is married and has 2 kids
LL Cool J’s daughter became married to Lamar Cardinez on July 17, 2017.
Her husband is a graduate of Northeastern University and Cornell University. He has a career in the investment sector and serves as the Vice President of Blue Owl Capital.
The couple has welcomed 2 children – a boy and a girl.
Her Father Had a Love Affair with Kidada Jones and Has Been Married to Her Mother for 29 Years
From 1992 to 1994, her father dated Kidada Jones, an American actress, model, fashion designer, and daughter of Quincy Jones.
After their relationship fell by the wayside, her father married her mother, Simone Smith in 1995, and have been together ever since.
On the other hand, Jones headed to start a relationship with Tupac the same year that the rapper died in 1996.
Some Quick Facts About Italia Anita Maria Smith You Should Know
- Her net worth is probably above $100,000 while her father is one of the richest rappers with a $120 million net worth
- Her grandmother was adopted by Eugene Griffith and Ellen Hightower. Her father’s biology has been traced to Ethel Mae Jolly and Nathaniel Christy Lewis and is said to share DNA with John Henry Lewis – a Hall of Fame boxer
- She was 26 years old when her father became the first rapper to gain the Kennedy Center Honor, an award given to performing artists for their lifetime contribution to American culture
- By the time she was 30 in 2021, the older smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Her 56 actor dad’s stage name stands for Ladies Love Cool James (LL Cool J)
- Her mother Simone was diagnosed with a type of cancer called chondrosarcoma in 2004 but she beat it
- Italia Anita Maria Smith is a practicing Christian. She shares Bible verses on social media and tags herself as kingdom-minded
