Mama Said Knock You Out

Better actor than rapper. And he is not a good actor.

LL breaks new ground and pioneers "sexy rap". NWA talks about bitches. Beastie Boys want girs to do their laundry. LL is here to wear a Kangol hat give your girl a dozen orgasms. Fun and very consistent album. B

The album is too long, and a lot of the material either didn't age well ("I sure wouldn't rape you" as a pickup line? Yikes) or is super corny (Milky Cereal, among others). There is no denying the power of the title track, though. Best track: Mama Said Knock You Out

I knocked out Bald Bull during his bull charge in Mike Tyson's punch out right after "Don't call it a comeback"

Having just gotten to Mr. Good Bar, I have to ask... how can anyone find this anything but incredibly cringey? Some hip-hop acts from this era have aged pretty well... Rakim, Run-DMC... but the punchiest moments on this album feel like Will Smith trying to be Ice Cube.

I'd rather have mama knock me out than listen to this shitload of crap again.

Holy damn wow. 1990?! 1990!!!!???!?! The whole album is good, with incredibly clever, powerful rhymes delivered perfectly, the mixing is great, the samples are minimal but effective--this is the perfect rap album, and I can't believe it happened in 1990. LL Cool J is the father of modern rap, and it's right here in this album. When he does the obligatory "I am the greatest at this and you suck" rap songs, a weird staple of all rap albums, I JUST NOD AND AGREE.

Such a clear portrait of the transition from 80's hip hop to 90's hip hop. At times feels like listening to two different albums on shuffle. That sounds like a knock, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My first real exposure to LL Cool J's music was when I saw his performance of "Mama Said Knock You Out" on MTV Unplugged in 1990 and it blew me away. Listening to this album all the way through serves only to make me more of an admirer. Such great music, lyrics, performing, fun, depth, all of it. Loving the groove, loving the energy in his voice; just really loving this album.

Ladies Love Cool James.... As for me? Not so much. His music has just never done it for me. Mama Said Knock You Out is great and there’s a few other good tracks here. But there’s probably a hundred or so rap records I would listen to before this one

All the bad traits of 90s Rap that killed Hip Hop. The tracks were ok but the lyrics were crap. Also the line "I Sure wouldn't rape you' is worrying

I remember listening to this as a teenager. It was ok then, but didn't pass the test of time. Not only are the lyrics trivial, but also very sexist.

I don’t know what I thought LL Cool J sounded like but it was not this. Pleasantly surprised by the banger beats and his flow. “Around The Way Girl”s’ chorus was so smooth and weaved perfectly into the song at the right times. His lyrics are witty and full of finesse. This is possibly one of the biggest surprises so far with just how much I enjoyed this. “Milky Cereal” is probably my favorite song on the album. It was basically banger after banger. I found myself nodding along to every song and will probably relisten to this album a couple more times. 10/10

Pretty shite. Run of the mill, cliched, insincere tat. Mr. Cool wreaks of desperation, wanting to be in the cool gang but probably spend his high school years playing Warhammer.

Top classic hip hop

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Hell yes.

Loved this. Eastside rap was a lot more cosmopolitan than west, and I preferred its sound. Mama Said Knock You Out still sounds great, while Milky Cereal is great fun.

Awesome hip hop album

Competent rap but not my style. A bit aggro masculine. Did not finish.

Pretty cheesy tbh

Badass old school hip hop. Really dug the album

A blueprint.

Great Hip Hop

Deep Blue Sea! He’s real! Rapping about milk and cereal my fave

This album strongly reminds me of the late 00s, possibly the early 10s as I used to have this album in rotation for my drives to work. I'd often drop off my housemate at his work while on the way to the office while this album was playing, and his office was best accessed via a lay-by clearly signed as being "No buses". We would always shout "fuck you, no buses!" as we pulled into the layby, because clearly we weren't even in a single bus, let alone multiple buses. Anyway, this album is just fun. It makes you glad that you're listening to it.

Just the epitome of that era of hip hop. The lyricism is clever, the production is simple yet great, and LL Cool J is obviously one of the best to ever do it. What I didn't expect was the range of song themes and tones. I expected the entire album to be somewhat similar to the titular track but there was a broad range of different themes and emotions that really added a lot of depth to the album. Truly one of the greats.

I am unabashedly nostalgic for this album and the era of hip hop it came from. This came out just when I was just beginning to develop my own musical consciousness apart from what my parents put on. I know every one of these songs despite never having owned a copy of the album myself. I had friends who had the cassette, and we were too young to have much money, so we'd all buy different albums and share. Plus the videos for the singles were all over Yo! MTV Raps and the video jukebox channel. LL Cool J is severely underrated. He, and this album in particular, was a fucking juggernaut when it came out. I feel like around 93/94 any rap that wasn't overtly gangster became viewed as somewhat passe, even in retrospect, which is a shame. Dude was a pioneer and he played a big part in popularizing hip hop with a mass audience. His delivery is iconic, particularly on the ferocious title track.

So fucking good. 5 stars.

amazing

They don’t make hip hop like they used to…

Classic. This one comes with special memories

I love this album! Remember when he performed Mama Said Knock You Out on VH1 Unplugged? Yeah, he was part of the first rappers to do unplugged shows. Also hard to compute that “comeback” was even a part of this. Around the Way Girl makes me FEEL. Ugh. This album has sexy, fun, hard vibes throughout. Listened to it several times!!

Yeh, something else. 32 years old my arse. Still so fresh.

I never would have sought this album out, but I really enjoyed it. It had great flow throughout and good beats.

You could call some of this dated and might be right (e.g. some of those keyboard stabs in "Around The Way Girl") but I feel like that's a feature not a bug here. There's never been better music for rap than when organic instruments and/or samples were used (see: "Golden Age of HipHop"); not just drums (although yes 100% drums - kill the 808s forever) but great old funk samples (e.g. James Brown, Rick James) as used liberally here. So the music is catchy as hell and/but LL's rapping is top-notch - not just his great deep voice but his rhythmic flow is perfect. The album is a bit too long (should have capped off around 45 minutes) but the high points make it a great hiphop throwback. 7/10 4 stars.

Much better than expected. When I think of LL Cool J I mainly think of his acting career even though I'm very familiar with the title track and I think it's a banger. I really thought it the track was an outlier but the rest of the tracks are also hard hitting. Maybe the album was a bit too long.

Surprisingly solid. Don't get me wrong, the album's a bit too long, there are some cringe lyrics here and there. But it's an interesting time capsule. It really feels like a transition between 80s rap (see "Eat 'Em Up L Chill" or "Murdergram") and 90s rap (the more RnB and jazz-influenced tracks). Some of the samples on the latter are almost ethereal, definitely the highlights. The title track stands out as well, not really fitting into either of the two categories. It's aggressive and playful in a strangely compelling way. Fav tracks: Around the Way Girl, Mama Said Knock You Out, Jingling Baby (Remixed but Still Jingling), 6 Minutes of Pleasure

Classic old school rap album.

Assured and aggressive but still approachable and amusing.

Förvånansvärt bra old school rap.

Great old school hiphop

I was patien enough to listen to it till the end but SUCH A TIRING EXPERIENCE IT WAS. Nevertheless, there are some good songs and it gives this very hip hop vibe. 3/5

interessant

Fun for a rap album

L can certainly throw down, even if his lyrics do feel a bit cheesy at times. Overall, I found the experience less challenging than most others in the genre (despite running long). I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this again, but I'd also be fine letting it roll if it ever DID come back around.

Really solid early 90's hip hop. For some reason I have some notion in my head that LL Cool J has always been some kind of jokey artist but these songs are genuinely really great. He's got a nice laid back flow and the production is tight. The one thing that holds it back for me is that the lyrics aren't exactly profound or deeply artistic, which is one of the best facets of hip hop and rap. I do recognize that it's just one aspect though, and not every artist strives to be some incredible timeless lyricist. "Mama Said Knock You Out" is one of the best 90's rap songs. A true classic that is fun, just a bit tough, and catchy as hell. It's a nice 3/5, maybe a 3.4/5. Not quite high enough to be a 4, but it does deserve a place on this list.

It's alright

A fairly solid LL, which sees him start to come into the golden age from the mid-80s basic beginnings. A lot of people love those early albums, but I often find the production too rudimentary. This is where he starts to shine, in my opinion, for what turns into a pretty good 90s run of albums. Title track is absolute classic. Jingle Baby is great. To the Break of Dawn is a great diss track, aimed at Kool Moe Dee, Ice T and MC Hammer. Lots of smooth picking up girls type rap that has always been a focus of Ladies Love Cool J. Production, which is mostly by Marley Marl, is classic for the era. 3.4/5 probably.

Better than almost all other 80-90's rap but is still way too long. Shave off 20 minutes and this is a SCC.

Yeah, its some cool rap. Album overstays its welcome though. Some good production.

Playful, clear-in-your-ears hip-hop! Slightly RNB! Gangsta but listen to your mama!

Not much to say, except I really enjoyed listening to this. It’s out of my wheelhouse, but it’s interesting musically, intelligent and has a consistent and great groove. Love it.

Bang average

Not a bad record but nothing I would come back to. Cool to listen to once though!

A little too long, but some absolute bangers on here.

If this album was just around the bend girl and the title track it might be a 5, but there’s a few stinkers and it goes a bit too long. Will be for sure revisiting some songs, just not the whole album

A little too long.

Pre-listening thoughts: this is album 100!!!! 😭😭 not sure what I expected but it wasn’t this. Laughing a little cause I mixed LL Cool J up with Ice JJ Fish in middle school and yeah iykyk Post/during listening thoughts: people were so right that this is a great representation of the transition from 80s to 90s rap. I think the best thing this album challenge has done for me is expose me to more rap and hip hop cause I genuinely enjoy those genres but just never really knew where to start in terms of listening to them and finding what eras/specific styles I enjoy. I think this is pretty good but it’s a little too long for my tastes and my head hurts so im sorry LL Cool J that’s not your fault but it’s tainting my perception of this album. 6.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: I dont think so Fav tracks: Around the Way Girl, Murdergram, Cheesy Rat Blues, Mama Said Knock You Out Least fav tracks: I didn’t dislike any tracks but a lot of it sort of blended together just bc of length + headache

I think it was this version of "Jingling Baby" that a friend put on a beloved mixtape he gave me when we were teens, and a nostalgic joy hit me when it came on here, as I hadn't heard it in over a decade; I never knew it was LL Cool J, though I knew his name. Such swerve, the samples career and race. Much of this album is like that, though it is 20 minutes too long.

Pretty enjoyable, with some excellent parts (title track is an all-timer) and some terribly-dated cringe ("Milky Cereal", "Mr Good Bar" - a chocolate bar, for those non-US people - with the choice 'I sure wouldn't rape you' lyric; thanks, LL!). I prefer the previous "disappointing" (?) Walking With A Panther but this has enough classic '90s production to keep its average up. However - pro tip - the excellent "Def Jam 10th Year Anniversary" box set has all the LLCJ you'll ever need.

Is it just me or is the most famous track on this record (the title track) the weakest of the bunch? Also, I appreciated the Bartles and Jaymes reference in “To da Break of Dawn”, but that’s because I’m old and the first sip of alcohol I ever had was a Bartles and Jaymes wine cooler I stole from my parents at a Fourth of July Barbecue in the early 90’s. The music is pretty good, the lyrics mostly are dated and of their time at best, 3 stars.

I enjoyed the beats. Don't know what he was saying to much. Something about ice cream, riding the bus and raping a woman. xXxplicit

Personally I just think this album was too long and also similar to a lot of stuff I have heard before HOWEVER I do recognize there is immense influence and therefore give it praise.

Epic!

Solid

One of the best rap albums ive ever listened to. Every song is brimming with great beats and some of the best lyrics and delivery I've heard. A complete masterpiece with no skips or weak spots

I’m in my LL Cool J appreciation era for sure. I def undervalued him as a rapper bc growing up I knew him more as a cheesy action star/ubiquitous CBS personality. But this man has serious skills. The lyricism and storytelling are a cut above. The beats are funky fresh and playful as hell. It’s not just the ladies, listeners love cool j, too!

God damn is LL Cool J funny as hell. So many hilarious lines. This guy is a rap OG and after a few years of getting made fun of LL had enough and shit on everybody who doubted him, creating an album that inspired every rapper who heard it. Legend

Wonderful.

defining Rap album!!

Damn ok

Nobody's calling it a comeback, sweetie. This is the album that legitimized Rap Music, proving that it was not just a fad. LL Cool J elevated Rap as both an art form and a commercially viable genre. With unstoppable beats and and a flow to match, this album planted its flag not just in urban neighborhoods, but also the suburbs. Interesting fact: "Mama Said Knock You Out" was released on the same day that Stevie Ray Vaughn died in a helicopter crash. There's probably some sort of symbolic correlation there.

awesome

Knock u out

This man is horny. I wanted to give it 4 stars, but the titular track pushed it over to 5.

While not as legendary as other acts from the east coast hip hop scene, this album is still a good time from front to back. 4.5 bumped to 5.

I’m at a 4.5, and I wish I could leave it there, but I’m gonna be that guy who goes up to a 5. This album feels like a very distinct bridge between the 80s and the 90s – I’ve mentioned before that Run-DMC made commercially viable hip-hop possible, N.W.A. gave rap the blueprint to have the amount of edge you’d find in albums to come, and A Tribe Called Quest provided the perfect melding of both. This album feels like the bridge between N.W.A. and A Tribe Called Quest – not necessarily in terms of subject matter (though some of it overlaps), but mainly in its production. A lot of these tracks feel blended between the late 80s style (heavily sampling just the drums, more stunted and less melodic flows, long verses without a break) and the early 90s style of production (effective use of pauses, more melodic flows, more diverse sample use). It’s a really interesting listen for that alone, but what drives this album for me is how effective it is at managing to blend the two in a way that still feels classic and fresh – stuff like Mama Said Knock You Out and Around The Way Girl are the two foremost examples for me, though I’ll throw a quick shout to “6 Minutes of Pleasure” as well. I don’t think there’s a bad track here, just a few that aren’t as melodic and more driven by wordplay, and to each their own when it comes to that sort of thing, but I tend to enjoy both. I think LL Cool J’s flow is great on most of these tracks, and when it’s not as good, the lyrics do carry it (save for that godawful "I sure wouldn't rape you" line). The beats are relatively diverse, but a few of them sort of fall into that “mainly sampling just the drums” thing. I just really enjoyed it – I really wish I could keep it a 4.5, because in spite of how much I enjoyed this, I don’t think it’s quite at a 5, but it definitely feels like it should be higher than a 4. I don’t mind going up to a 5, but I can see this falling on any subsequent listens; for now, though, I liked it enough to give it a 5. Someone will probably give this a 3 to balance me out.

Very cool, head bopping good hip-hop

This ended up getting about six or seven plays, and it got better every time. Favourite tracks: pretty much all of them. It's such a solid record.

Solid, old school, hip-hop album. Sure, a couple of songs are a bit goofy (looking at you "Milky Cereal" and "Jingling Baby"), but the first bunch of songs are so strong you can almost forgive their goofiness. Almost. One of the good things about the album, I wasn't waiting for the "hit," the title track, which is so undeniable. The first bunch of songs were just as good: "The Boomin' System" slams, "Around The Way Girl" is a great, cool song, "Eat 'em Up L Chill" is a good egg-em on song. The groove to pretty much every song I enjoyed, I can see how this album was such a success, even without the title track. The two songs I mentioned "Milky Cereal" and "Jingling Baby"... yeah, they're goofy. But I still kinda liked them. The album is replayable. There's no skits or goofy stuff that breaks up the song that you want to skip on a replay. Classic album, really enjoyed it.

I've always have a bit of admiration for old school hip hop, but i never haerd the music of LLcoolJ, a guy that i discovber not musically but in the crime serie NCIS Los Angeles. The songs that i like: The boomin' system is very groovy and rythmy, prefect intro to the guy. Around the way girl, the sample on it and the RnB sound is so chill and cool. Cheesy Rat Blues also bennefit for, his incredible flow. Mama said knock you out is the title track and one of his most famous, honnestly its not better than other song, but the verses, the sample and the chorus is peak so yeah it deserved the title track. Illegal search also benefit from cool lyrics, flow and sample. LLCoolJ have a solid flow, could be agressive and provocative, could be very lover and smooth, very mainstream in the form but still pretty obvououssly from the street it came from and that why its so good.

Oh my heavens! I had A GREAT TIME listening to this! FIVE STARS

Absolute classic from the GOAT. Ladies love cool James for a reason.

I bought this on release (vinyl) and listened to it a lot. Sad to say it fell out of my rotation and I probably last listened to the complete album 20 years ago. What a fool I've been. An absolute masterpiece, not one bad track.

I thought it was good wouldnt really call it rap more like MC

Great LL Cool J album, almost just as good as his debut (Radio, one of the best rap albums from the 80s).

Can't beat a bit of LL Cool J

I'M On My Way To Tounes Taw. Work Work Work

Good

Its mostly very simple direct tracks, but i like it. 3.9/5

Dope

This wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I actually quite liked it. Makes me think I should NCIS LA a shot. Maybe his acting isn’t that bad either. I’m giving this a bonus point for the cereal song. It’s so non serious it earned street cred for me.

7/10 not a fan of this genre but I think it’s pretty well made

Don't usually listen to this kind of music, but enjoyed it a lot.

What a brilliant comeback album... Oops!

LL cool j is so quintessentially 90s

Interesting album…I liked it!

3.5 - Good

Fun listen for sure. I like how some of the songs are just clearly silly on purpose lol

Clásico del rap. Buenas barras bien flow y buenas instrumentales