LL Cool J makes a name for himself on tour

LL Cool J--a.k.a. James Todd Smith--is gearing up for a full-on US tour that launches later this month. The outing backs the rap icon's latest collection, "Todd Smith."

Things kick off with a June 23 show in Washington, DC, and the outing is currently scheduled to touch down in about 30 cities by mid-August. Details are included below.

Included in the itinerary is a July 1 performance at this year's Essence Music Festival in Houston. The three-day event will also feature Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, Toni Braxton, Bobby Brown, Jaheim and others. More information is available at the festival's website.

Shortly after the tour gets underway, LL will make a stop at the 19th Annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. During the June 26 ceremony, he'll receive the ASCAP Golden Note Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

The ASCAP Golden Note Award is given to songwriters and composers who have achieved extraordinary milestones, according to a press release. Past recipients include Garth Brooks, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Jermaine Dupri, Jose Feliciano, Alan Jackson, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Jay-Z, Quincy Jones, Tom Petty, Michael W. Smith, Mark Snow and Stevie Wonder, among others.

LL rocketed to the forefront of the mid-'80s rap scene with his 1985 debut album, "Radio," which was the first Def Jam disc ever released. Since then, he has racked up nine platinum-plus selling albums and eight gold singles.

Released in April, "Todd Smith"--LL's 12th album--features a dozen guest artists, including Blige, Teairra Mari and Mary Mary. The set, most of which was recorded in Miami and New York, houses the hit "Control Myself," a Jermaine Dupri-produced collaboration that finds the rapper paired with Jennifer Lopez. The cut has helped spur sales of the album to the tune of about a half-million copies; the RIAA gold-certified the set last month, signifying US shipment of 500,000 units.

The video for "Control Myself," as well as follow-up cut "Freeze" (featuring Lyfe Jennings), are streaming at Def Jam's LL Cool J website.