"Mama Said Knock You Out" | ||||
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Single by LL Cool J | ||||
from the album Mama Said Knock You Out | ||||
Released | February 26, 1991 | |||
Genre | Golden age hip hop | |||
Length | 4:50 (album version) | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Marley Marl | |||
LL Cool J singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Mama Said Knock You Out" on YouTube |
"Mama Said Knock You Out" is a song by American rapper and actor LL Cool J, released in February 1991 as the fourth single from his fourth studio album of the same name (1990). The song famously begins with the line, "Don't call it a comeback/I been here for years." Before "Mama Said Knock You Out" was released, many people felt that LL Cool J's career was waning; his grandmother, who still believed in his talent, told him to "knock out" all his critics. [1] The song takes various shots at Kool Moe Dee. It was produced by Marley Marl [2] with help from DJ Bobcat along with LL.
"Mama Said Knock You Out" reached the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 17. [3] The single was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In October 2023, Billboard ranked "Mama Said Knock You Out" among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time". [4]
The song uses samples from James Brown's "Funky Drummer", the Chicago Gangsters' "Gangster Boogie", Sly & The Family Stone's "Trip to Your Heart", the drum break from Sly & the Family Stone's Sing a Simple Song, and LL Cool J's own "Rock the Bells" (from his debut album Radio ). The music video features LL Cool J in a boxing ring, rapping into the announcer's microphone. Intercut with this are clips of boxing matches and LL Cool J exercising.
LL Cool J said in his autobiography that the idea for the song came from a discussion with his grandmother. He had said to his grandmother that he felt that he couldn't survive as a rapper now that gangsta rap was popular and he was being dissed by several up-and-coming rappers. LL's grandmother responded, "Oh baby, just knock them out!" [5] She is featured in the closing scene of the music video, saying "Todd! Todd! Get upstairs and take out that garbage."
Jon Wilde from Melody Maker said in his review of the single, "It is rather gratifying to see this arrogant, obnoxious young feller struggling hopelessly to resurrect his career. The Roy Kinnear of the rap scene returns with more of the same bilious rubbish. Nice hat though." [6] David Quantick from NME wrote, "'Mama Said Knock You Out' demands that we 'don't call it a comeback'. I don't think we need go as far as that." [7] Another editor, Paolo Hewitt, felt the track is "a vicious and exhilarating display of the man's talents." [8] David Fricke from Rolling Stone remarked that the rapper "obliges big time with producer Marley Marl's steely, stripped-back beats and his own verbal fisticuffs" on "the super-slammin'" track. [9]
Rolling Stone ranked the song 29th in a 2012 list of the "50 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of All Time". [10]
In October 2023, Billboard magazine ranked "Mama Said Knock You Out" number 406 in their list of the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time". [4]
Bob Dylan played it in the final slot of the "Mothers" episode of Season 1 of Theme Time Radio Hour in 2006. Dylan noted the song was "in the same tradition as the Dozens" and recited the first verse before playing it. [11]
LL Cool J re-recorded a new version along with the Roots by mashing up with Here I Come to promote the NBA in-season tournament. [12]
Chart (1990) | Peak position |
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UK Singles (OCC) [13] | 41 |
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA) [14] | 37 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [15] | 47 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [16] | 17 |
US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [17] | 7 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [18] | 12 |
US Rap Singles (Billboard) [19] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI) [20] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [21] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Mama Said Knock You Out" | ||||
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Single by Five Finger Death Punch featuring Tech N9ne | ||||
from the album The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1 | ||||
Released | March 25, 2014 | |||
Recorded | 2012 | –13|||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:48 (album version) | |||
Label | Prospect Park | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Five Finger Death Punch singles chronology | ||||
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American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch covered the song for their fourth studio album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1 . The cover features rapper Tech N9ne. [22] The single was released on March 25, 2014 by Prospect Park Records.
James Todd Smith, known professionally as LL Cool J, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC.
Bigger and Deffer is the second studio album by American rapper LL Cool J, released on May 29, 1987, by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. With over two million copies sold in the United States, it stands as one of LL Cool J's biggest career records. Bigger and Deffer dominated the summer of 1987, spending 11 weeks at number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart while also reaching number 3 on the Billboard 200. The album also became the fourth rap album to become a platinum album.
"Push It" is a song by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, who originated in Queens. It was first released as the B-side of the "Tramp" single in 1987. Then released by Next Plateau and London Records, it peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1988 and, after initially peaking at number 41 in the UK, it re-entered the charts after the group performed the track at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday concert, eventually peaking at number two in the UK in July 1988. The song has also been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song is ranked number 446 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and was ranked number nine on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop".
The DEFinition is the tenth studio album by American rapper LL Cool J, released on August 31, 2004 by Def Jam Recordings. Largely produced by Timbaland, with several tracks produced by N.O. Joe, Teddy Riley, and 7 Aurelius, the album peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 and spawned two singles: "Headsprung" and "Hush". It was certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over 500,000 copies.
Mama Said Knock You Out is the fourth studio album by American rapper LL Cool J. It was produced mostly by Marley Marl and recorded at his "House of Hits" home studio in Chestnut Ridge and at Chung King House of Metal in New York City. After the disappointing reception of LL Cool's 1989 album Walking with a Panther, Mama Said Knock You Out was released by Def Jam Recordings on September 14, 1990 to commercial and critical success.
14 Shots to the Dome is the fifth studio album by American hip hop recording artist LL Cool J. It was released on March 30, 1993, via Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Marley's House Of Hits, at Cove City Sound Studios and at Unique Recording Studios in New York, and at QDIII Soundlab in Los Angeles, at Bobcat's House in Palmdale, and at Encore Studio in Burbank. Production was handled by Marley Marl, DJ Bobcat, Quincy Jones III, Andrew Zenable and Chris Forte. It features guest appearances from Lords of the Underground and Lieutenant Stitchie.
Todd Smith is the eleventh studio album by American rapper LL Cool J. It was released on April 11, 2006 by Def Jam Recordings. It includes collaborations with Jennifer Lopez, Pharrell, Juelz Santana, Teairra Mari, Jamie Foxx, Ginuwine, Mary J. Blige, 112, Mary Mary, Ryan Toby and Freeway. Producers on the project include Pharrell, Scott Storch, Bink!, Shea Taylor, Keezo Kane and Trackmasters.
"Forgot About Dre" is a song by American rapper-producer Dr. Dre featuring vocals and sole songwriting from American rapper Eminem, released as second single from the former's album 2001 (1999).
Funke, Funke Wisdom is the fourth solo studio album by American recording artist Kool Moe Dee from the Treacherous Three. It was released in 1991 via Jive Records, making it the rapper's final album on the label.
"Around the Way Girl" is the third single by LL Cool J from his 1990 album Mama Said Knock You Out. The song later appeared on LL Cool J's 1996 greatest hits album, All World: Greatest Hits. "Around the Way Girl" peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming LL Cool J's first top 10 single. It was also a hit on the R&B and dance music charts, where it peaked at #5 and #7, respectively. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified "Around the Way Girl" Gold on January 15, 1991, for sales of over 500,000 copies.
"Summertime" is a song by American hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, released in May 1991 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Homebase (1991). The song was produced by Chicago-based producers Hula and K. Fingers, and it won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1992 Grammy Awards. It spent a week at number #1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart, as well as reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the duo's first single to enter the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #8.
Power is the second studio album by American rapper Ice-T, released on September 13, 1988, by Sire Records. Recorded at Syndicate Studios West in Los Angeles, the home studio of DJ Evil E, it was produced by Ice-T and Afrika Islam. The Los Angeles Daily News noted that its lyrical themes ranged from sex to gun violence, and that Ice-T "implicates everyone from radio programmers to the police as accomplices in the decline of western civilisation." The album contains lyrics which began a feud between Ice-T and rapper LL Cool J. The album cover, which features Ice-T's then-girlfriend Darlene Ortiz, Ice-T, and DJ Evil E, was described as "perpetuating stereotypes" by the Chicago Tribune and "violence-glorifying" by both the Chicago Sun-Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.
"6 Minutes of Pleasure" is the fifth and final single from LL Cool J's fourth album, Mama Said Knock You Out. It was released in 1991 for Def Jam Recordings and featured production from Marley Marl. "6 Minutes of Pleasure" was a mild success for LL Cool J, it made it to 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 26 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs. On the B-side was "Eat Em Up L Chill".
"The Boomin' System" is the first single released from LL Cool J's fourth album, Mama Said Knock You Out. Produced by Marley Marl and co-produced by LL Cool J., it was released on August 2, 1990, by Def Jam Recordings. It was the first of the six singles released from the album and reached No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The song samples "The Payback" and "Funky Drummer" by James Brown and "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy.
"Doin It" is the second single from LL Cool J's sixth album, Mr. Smith, and was released on February 20, 1996 for Def Jam Recordings. Based on a sample of Grace Jones' "My Jamaican Guy", it also featured LeShaun, production from Rashad "Ringo" Smith and LL Cool J. In several interviews, both the artist and producer stated that the instrumental was originally meant for The Notorious B.I.G., to be used for a song and single on his Life After Death album, which was posthumously released.
"Hey Lover" is a song by American rapper LL Cool J, released as the first single from his sixth album, Mr. Smith (1995). The song features vocals from American R&B group Boyz II Men. It was released on October 31, 1995, for Def Jam Recordings and was produced by The Trackmasters and LL Cool J. The song samples Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life" from his 1982 hit album Thriller; thus Rod Temperton, the writer of that song, was given credit as a writer of this song. On the B-side is the "I Shot Ya" remix.
"Love Is Strong" is a song by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released as the opening track, and first single, from their 20th British and 22nd American studio album, Voodoo Lounge (1994). Issued as a single on 4 July 1994 by Virgin, the song preceded the release of Voodoo Lounge by a week. "Love Is Strong" peaked at No. 14 in the band's native United Kingdom and at No. 2 in Canada and Finland but stalled at No. 91 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Despite this, it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. The song's accompanying music video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.
All 6's and 7's is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne. It was released on June 7, 2011, through Strange Music. The album was released to universal acclaim by music critics, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
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"Strange Clouds" is a song by American rapper B.o.B featuring fellow American rapper Lil Wayne. Produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut, the song was announced by Atlantic Records to be released on iTunes on September 27, 2011, Wayne's 29th birthday. The song serves as the lead single from B.o.B's second studio album of the same name. In its first week, it sold 197,000 digital copies, debuting at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has sold over 1.3 million digital copies worldwide.
We had an idea to cover Mama Said Knock You Out. [...] Then we made the song heavy and when Tech N9ne came it, we thought 'Oh yeah, this is happening. Fuck it, Let's put it on the record.'