LL Cool J To Host The 54th Annual Grammy Awards [Video]

Hip Hop icon and veteran actor LL Cool J has been named the host of the 54th annual Grammy Awards show the Recording Academy announced Wednesday (January 18). LL has hosted Grammy nominations concert since its first live broadcast in 2008, but this is the first time in seven years the actual show will have a host. Queen Latifah was the last to perform the duties in 2005.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of music's biggest night," said the two-time Grammy winner. "I will always have fond memories of my first Grammy Awards and to now be hosting the Grammy show, in the company of so many other incredible artists, is a dream come true."

Kanye West leads all nominees with seven nods including Song of the Year for "All of the Lights." West is also nominated twice in the category of Best Rap Album for his solo disc 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,' and 'Watch The Throne' with Jay-Z.

Adele, Bruno Mars and The Foo Fighters are close behind West with six nominations each.

Performers on the night include Nicki Minaj, Jason Aldean and Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, The Foo Fighters and Kelly Clarkson.

The show will be held on February 12 in Los Angeles, and broadcast live on CBS.

Check out the full list of nominees in the top categories below.

Record of the Year: "Rolling in the Deep," Adele; "Holocene," Bon Iver; "Grenade," Bruno Mars; "The Cave," Mumford & Sons; "Firework," Katy Perry.

Album of the Year: "21," Adele; "Wasting Light," Foo Fighters; "Born This Way," Lady Gaga; "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," Bruno Mars; "Loud," Rihanna.

Song of the Year: "All of the Lights," Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter and Kanye West, songwriters (performed by Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie); "The Cave," Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford and Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons); "Grenade," Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars); "Holocene," Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver); "Rolling in the Deep," Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele).

New Artist: The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Skrillex.

Pop Vocal Album: "21," Adele; "The Lady Killer," Cee Lo Green; "Born This Way," Lady Gaga; "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," Bruno Mars; "Loud," Rihanna.

Rock Album: "Rock 'n' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul," Jeff Beck; "Wasting Light," Foo Fighters; "Come Around Sundown," Kings of Leon; "I'm With You," Red Hot Chili Peppers; "The Whole Love," Wilco.

R&B Album: "F.A.M.E.," Chris Brown; "Second Chance," El DeBarge; "Love Letter," R. Kelly; "Pieces of Me," Ledisi; "Kelly," Kelly Price.

Rap Album: "Watch the Throne," Jay-Z and Kanye West; "Tha Carter IV," Lil Wayne; "Lasers," Lupe Fiasco; "Pink Friday," Nicki Minaj; "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," Kanye West.

Country Album: "My Kinda Party," Jason Aldean; "Chief," Eric Church; "Own the Night," Lady Antebellum; "Red River Blue," Blake Shelton; "Here for a Good Time," George Strait; "Speak Now," Taylor Swift.

Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album: "Entren Los Que Quieran," Calle 13; "Entre La Ciudad y El Mar," Gustavo Galindo; "Nuestra," La Vida BohGeme; "Not So Commercial," Los Amigos Invisibles; "Drama y Luz," ManDa.

Jazz Vocal Album: "`Round Midnight," Karrin Allyson; "The Mosaic Project," Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists; "The Gate," Kurt Elling; "American Road," Tierney Sutton (Band); "The Music of Randy Newman," Roseanna Vitro.

Contemporary Classical Composition: "Elmer Gantry," RobertAldridge and Herschel Garfein; "The Ghosts of Alhambra," George Crumb; "String Quartet No. 3," Jefferson Friedman; "Lonely Motel-Music from Slide," Steven Mackey; "Piano Concerto No. 2," Poul Ruders.


For the entire list of nominees go HERE