42nd annual Kennedy Center Honors finds its host in LL Cool J

Musician and actor LL Cool J will host the upcoming Kennedy Center Honors, the program announced Monday.

The two-time Grammy Award winner was the first rap artist to earn Kennedy Center Honors when he was awarded in 2017. It is his first time hosting the event. 

“He’s the absolute renaissance man: musical artist, producer, actor, author, fashion icon, GRAMMY winner and a 2017 Kennedy Center honoree,” CBS executive president for events Jack Sussman said in an announcement. 

“He will be a masterful master of ceremonies for the Kennedy Center Honors, with his unique style and charisma guiding us through a night of heartfelt and well-deserved tributes celebrating the life’s work of this year’s stellar honorees.”

The Kennedy Center Honors will be held and recorded on Sunday, Dec. 8. The show will later air as a two-hour special on Dec. 15. 

This year’s recipients include R&B collective Earth, Wind & Fire; actress Sally Field; singer Linda Ronstadt; children’s television program Sesame Street; and conductor and musical visionary Michael Tilson Thomas.