Simone Smith On Love, Legacy & Letting Women Thirst Over LL Cool J

Simone Smith isn’t just LL Cool J’s wife—she’s a force.

From being a 20-year cancer survivor and jewelry line owner to holding down her marriage with one of hip-hop’s most legendary heartthrobs, LL Cool J, Simone proves that resilience, faith, and love never go out of style. Simone recently pulled up to the Banking on Cultura podcast and got candid about life, love, family, and keeping it fly while doing it all.

Simone came through looking like a queen—literally. She rocked a natural fox fur coat, gold hoops from her line, a bold gold elephant pendant, and a fabulous head wrap that screamed regal energy. It’s giving “around the way girl” meets boss lady.

The best part is that she didn’t just serve looks. She also dropped gems and life lessons.

Simone Smith talks marriage to a ‘sex symbol’ and starting her jewelry line

The New Yorker kept it real about keeping her 29-year marriage to LL Cool J, whose real name is James Todd Smith, strong—and how it is being with a man women adore.

Simone and “Todd,” as she calls him, have been together since 1995. They have four children and are proud grandparents. If there were a book of Black love couples we root for, this hip-hop pair would have a full-page spread.

Sis dropped some gems about what it takes to keep their love thriving. “You got to have God first,” she said, clarifying that faith is the foundation. “I stay on my knees. You got to stay on your knees praying.” Early on, she learned from the book, The Praying Wife, that it’s about self-growth, not trying to change your partner.

“You can’t change anybody. You can change yourself, and that’s what I did,” Simone shared.

Now, being married to a certified sex symbol comes with its own set of challenges, and Simone was refreshingly honest about that, too. She admitted that back in the day, dealing with the nonstop attention LL got from other women had her feeling some type of way.

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These days, though, she’s unbothered. When women gush over her man, she laughs it off and lets them take pictures: “Women come up to me, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my god, your husband is so fine.’ And I’ll be like,’ Girl, I know.…Just don’t be disrespectful.’”

Simone Smith turned her cancer journey into something beautiful, helping around-the-way girls find the jewelry they crave

But Simone’s story is more than just her relationship with LL.

Simone is a 20-year cancer survivor—she battled leg cancer, learned how to walk again, and persevered. All of this led her to create something beautiful—a jewelry line.

One of her standout pieces, the “Sweet Touch of Hope” lollipop necklace, was inspired by her old lollipop tattoo and LL’s classic lyrics. “The candy represents how sweet life is, and the bite represents what cancer does to the person, their family, and their loved ones,” she explained.

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Her line also includes gold-plated hoops of all sizes, necklaces, broaches, and more. Simone said she wanted to create “the best jewelry” for women with a focus on the gold hoop. While gold hoops are staple pieces in hip-hop culture, they classically haven’t been made from the best metals. Nor have they offered out-of-the-box options for the “around-the-way girl.”

Simone’s jewelry changes this.

Throughout the interview, Simone is a whole mood. Fans have gotten to know LL Cool J over the years, and now it’s his powerhouse wife’s time to shine. Whether she’s reminding us about the power of faith, encouraging us to rock our signature style, or showing us how to own our story, she’s proof that life can be sweet and stylish.

One hoop at a time.