LL Cool J tests COVID-19 positive, cancels 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' performance

Rapper LL Cool J has announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is therefore pulling out of this year's 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022'.

As per Billboard, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee was scheduled to take the stage in NYC's Times Square shortly before midnight to perform his decades-spanning smashes.

The ABC special, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, is still moving forward as planned with hosts Seacrest and Liza Koshy but will have to make an adjustment due to the hip-hop star's absence.

"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," LL Cool J said in a statement to Billboard.

"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," he added.

Chloe has also pulled out of her New Year's Rockin' Eve performance, where she would have performed her solo debut single 'Have Mercy' in Times Square.

Despite LL Cool J and Chloe dropping out, the beloved NYE televised celebration will feature more than 25 performances for its 50th anniversary.

The biggest stars will take the stage in New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans and a new location, Puerto Rico, for New Year's Rockin' Eve's first-ever Spanish-language countdown.

Journey and Karol G are still set to perform in Times Square.

Billy Porter, who will be hosting the Central Time Zone countdown from New Orleans, will pull double duty and deliver a new single while on the riverboat Louis Armstrong on the Mississippi River in the city's historic French Quarter.

Ciara will take over the Los Angeles party for a fifth year, with the help of DJ D-Nice and performers AJR and Daisy the Great, Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker, Big Boi and Sleepy Brown, Don Omar, French Montana, Macklemore with Ryan Lewis and Windset, Mae Muller, Maneskin, Masked Wolf, OneRepublic, Polo G and Walker Hayes.

And like Porter, Daddy Yankee will both host the Spanish-language countdown in San Juan and give a special hometown performance.

'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022' will still take place on December 31, at 8 pm ET on ABC.

( With inputs from ANI )