LL COOL J Announces 'Rock The Bells' Las Vegas Residency In 2027

Before the stadium tours, before the platinum plaques filled corporate lobbies, and before hip-hop conquered the globe, there was a kid from Queens in a Kangol hat showing the world what it meant to hold a microphone. Four decades later, James Todd Smith — the untouchable LL COOL J — is making history once again, officially announcing his first-ever Las Vegas headlining residency: "Rock The Bells: The Residency."

Set under the high-definition acoustics of Dolby Live at Park MGM, the multi-generational celebration will light up the Strip across two exclusive runs in 2027: May 15 through May 22, and July 9 through July 17. Far from a standard solo retrospective, the residency will capture the spirit of LL’s celebrated Rock The Bells festivals and cultural cruises, reuniting golden-era trailblazers and modern chart-toppers on one shared platform.

"Hip-hop started in a few neighborhoods in New York, and now it belongs to the whole world. Along the way it changed rock, R&B, pop, soul, dance music, all of it," LL COOL J shared in a statement. "Rock The Bells celebrates everybody who was part of that story. This isn't me doing a show in Vegas. It's all of us."

Fans can expect a powerhouse setlist spanning forty years of anthems — from Def Jam foundational classics like "I Need Love," "Going Back to Cali," and "Mama Said Knock You Out" to hard-hitting tracks off his acclaimed 2024 album, THE FORCE. Ticket presales kick off this week, with general public sales launching Monday, November 2 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.

Keep your dial locked to Vena Soul — Arizona's Hottest R&B — as we celebrate hip-hop royalty with LL COOL J classics and the smoothest sounds on the airwaves 24/7.