Mama Said Knock You Out | Through the Shattered Lens

This song was written at a time when some critics were saying that LL Cool J’s popularity and creativity was waning. The “mama” of the title was LL Cool J’s grandmother, who told LL Cool J to keep doing what he was doing and “knock his critics out.” Don’t call it a comeback because LL Cool J never left and this song and music video proved it.

The video was directed by Paris Barclay, who would go on to become one of the busiest and most respect television directors in the industry. A winner of multiple Emmys and a two-time president of the DGA, Barclay has directed episodes of NYPD Blue, Lost, Sons of Anarchy, ER, The West Wing, CSI, The Shield, House, and a countless number of other shows.

Enjoy!

“Just like Mohammad Ali, they called him Cassius
Watch me bash this “

This song came out in early 1991 and went through like wildfire through pretty much the final half of my senior. One must realize that LL Cool J was a major presence in the rap I listened to growing up during the 1980’s. But as wont kids then and now, we listened to what was big at that time and it was mostly gangsta rap that dominated booming systems in the late 80’s.

LL Cool J was beginning to fade into the background as N.W.A. and Ice Cube and the rest of the West Coast gangsta rap scene was ascending. Yet, it was foolish to count out LL who people should’ve learned by then as a survivor of the rap game and he came out hard and strong the single off of the album of the same name: “Mama Said Knock You Out”.

In anime, there’s a character trope called “gar”. It’s a term reserved for anime characters so manly that they eclipse all males for as far as the horizon. This song was just that. It made LL Cool J reach the level of “gar” and the accompanying video helped in making it so. It was a shot to the new rap youngbloods and old-standing rivals (song was literally taking shots at Kool Moe Dee). The song also shoots down critics who have been calling LL as washed-up and a has-been. He sure told them all in the hardest way possible.

So, coming in at #23 and starting the stretch run to #27 is LL Cool J coming in so “gar” with “Mama Said Knock You Out.”