Rockin’ The Bells At Home: LL Cool J Contracts COVID-19, Cancels ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ Performance

As the latest variant of the coronavirus, Omicron tightens its grip across the country, one notable celebrity, LL Cool J, will be celebrating New Year’s Eve from the comfort of his couch after testing positive ahead of his scheduled live television performance.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the legendary rapper and actor had no choice but to cancel his scheduled New Year’s Eve performance with ABC’s Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 after receiving positive test results for COVID-19. The veteran entertainer has been stricken with COVID-19 and won’t be performing for his hometown crowd after all.

“I know it’s disappointing to the millions of fans, but my test came back positive for COVID, which means I’ll no longer be able to perform as scheduled at NYRE,” the NCIS: Los Angeles regular said in a written statement.

“We were ready, and I was really looking forward to ringing in 2022 in my hometown in a special way, but for now I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year. The best is yet to come!”

Black-ish actress and singer Chloe Bailey, who was also scheduled to perform will no longer do so.

The show, which will be airing live from Times Square in New York City, is still scheduled to take place after concerns about the rising spread of the latest variant of the coronavirus.

There will be pre-taped performances from Los Angeles, including Outkast’s Big Boi and Sleepy Brown, D-Nice, Don Omar and Nio Garcia, and French Montana. Billy Porter will be performing from New Orleans, and Daddy Yankee will take the stage from Puerto Rico.

Deadline reported that outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced no plans to cancel the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases. There will be fewer people allowed at the location with stricter rules for attendees.

This year is the 50th anniversary of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.