Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Lit
It was okay
Rhymes a bit basic eh?
You got me shook up shook down shook out oonnnnnn your lovinnnn
So 90s swagger. But good voice and rhythm. He developed something better.
Chance generating another run of Rap and Hip Hop classics for me out of this list. Like the Queen Latifah album from a couple days back it's just wild that someone so young could so consistently deliver with such confident swagger.
meh, not so cool imo
There is no way to be more old-school than this album. This is not necessarily good or bad, and the album per see is nice, but it is one of the best candidates to be excluded in future editions of the 1001 list. There are a lot of albums that can be included in place of this one.
Basic rhymes on basic flows on basic beats
San Andreas vibes
Wondering, will he hear better stuff like true masters in the genre , like Ina Kamoze " here comes the hotstepper" , or Run DMC and the Beastie Boys? Or Arrested Development? There are some fun and pleasing rhythmic party tracks with a rolling bass line, contagious and on a subwoofer.... Ok? And his voice isn't all screechy. It's quite warm. But what got it on The 1001? A mystery. Is it saucy lyrics ? Did it empower low rider owners to bounce in time. The threat of "making your g spot sore" for it's originality ? Mmm , mood music for da strip club...? Or is it purely thew commerical success he made, as evidenced by his jewelry ? ( gold is a good hedge against inflation, he is right there). His voice has potential but I want more that smart ass lyrics spoken on a slickly produced album. Take the lyrical peregrinations of his most popular track "doin it" pleading "yo baby open the back door" . There is much worse Here is an extract from Til Da Break of Dawn. "Homeboy, hold on, my rhymes are so strong Nothing could go wrong, so why do you prolong? Songs that ain't strong, brother, you're dead wrong And got the nerve to have them Star Trek shades on Ha, you can't handle the whole weight Skin needs lotion, teeth need Colgate Wise up you little burnt-up french fry I'm that type of guy" The Power Of God is an interesting departure. .
I've always had a soft spot for James, Bigger and Deffer being my all time favourite, but this is a good record. It's a time capsule, you can hear that first wave of rapping flowing through the braggadocio, but unlike so much of what came later he can laugh at himself, there's a really good sense of irony to so much of this. At the same time, by 1990 his thing was was on the wane, sadly, but that is ok. 6 Minutes, Boomin, all great stuff, this is worth a listen.
I enjoyed several tracks on this album, others less so.
I’ve always liked him & some of my favourite hip-hop is stuff he’s done. But I’d never heard most of this album before. It was an easy listen. The title track is a real winner. I also really loved Eat ‘Em Up L Chill, & The Power Of God. The musical setting for his words rarely get boring. A big plus in this genre.
Just last weekend, I was talking to my dear friend and DJ-ing partner, Peter, about the fact that we haven't had any LL Cool J on this list so far, and, voila, here he is! "Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years". The majority of hip hop albums on this list are gangsta rap, which was emerging in 1990, and LL was feeling threatened. "Don't worry" said his grandma, "just knock 'em out". hence the mission statement of this record. I love LL, and spin a lot of his singles regularly (special shout out for Going Back to Cali), but this is his best and most consistent album. His flow is a bit old school, but I like his laid back confidence. At his best, he almost whispers. He is so confident, he doesn't need to shout (unlike much of the genre) although on occasion he will raise his voice. The production is funky and varied, great work by Marley Marl. Six singles from this record, all pretty damn good, and the title track is an all-time hip-hop classic. This record is a corner stone of hip hop, and a real classic.
Cool beats. The lyrics, not so much.
Cool as for something a bit different
3/5
Not a great album overall. Just straight up gimmicky. Given an extra star for the obvious single.
only knew the title track here, but decent hip hop album goes light and hard at various times.
This album was pretty good. I wasn't as moved by it as I was hoping to be, but it's still very good 90s hip hop. Favorite track: Farmers Blvd
One of the few rap albums I have owned over my life. Mainly for Mama said knock you out, but there are several good songs off this album. Mama said is the best off this album and overall just a great tune that should pump up anybody with a pulse. Other favorites, include Around the way girl, Jingling Baby and 6 minutes of pleasure, The Boomin system and Mr Goodbar despite, the cringeworthy line of "And I can't make you, but I won't rape you." I mean WTF?? Milky Cereal is a fun song I use to play for kids just to see how many cereals they could hear. The song still makes me smile every time I listen. Have always been a fan of many LL songs, but this album did seem to be a bit long. It has been a long time, but I did like going back in my music history and the overall listening experience was enjoyable. Loved the New Edition/Bobby Brown references. 3.5 3.5 for me, but can't get to that 4 number. Just a few too many songs I didn't really enjoy. LL, especially his early stuff, remind me of hanging out with Melvin F and playing basketball on the north side of Ann Arbor, when I was in high school.
I don't know why but this just didn't hit for me. I didn't care for a lot of the lyrics being examples of a lot of what I don't like about rap. If I ignored the lyrics, the beats and samples were still kind of uninteresting. It was one or the other. Either I liked the beat but hated the lyrics as in the case of Around the Way Girl or like the lyrics but think it sounds stupid like in Mama Said Knock You Out. It's rare when Five Finger Death Punch does a good song but their cover of that song is pretty solid. I think this album leans more Prince and less Michael Jackson. I wish I liked it more. 2.5
4 Man, what a childhood throwback. And by childhood throwback, I’m referring almost exclusively to the track Milky Cereal. How is that one of the least popular songs on the album?? I thought all of the wordplay and callouts to my favorite cereals were so cool as a kid, and I still could probably recite the whole thing for you today. Anyway, despite that track being a childhood staple and my dad owning the album on CD, I don’t think I’ve heard anything else from it prior aside from the title track. So, I really wasn’t sure what my opinion was going to be, but with the first song in I knew that I was in for a good time ahead. The charm of Milky and Mama is present in every song, and I really don’t think I could find anything unenjoyable if I tried. Beats are catchy and delivery is smooth - this is among 90s rap at its best. How was LL never featured in a Tony Hawk game?? Murdergram in particular stood out to me as fun and skateboard-able, though of course I have to call out Mama Said Knock You Out as a banger. Special shoutout to the line “Don’t call it a comeback, been here for years” - my Dad’s been saying it for probably just as long, and I may have once or twice as well in my lifetime. However, what I never realized till now? Another catchphrase from my Dad, “I gotta thank God, 'Cause he gave me the strength to rock hard” also comes from the song. Anyway, great tune. I also noticed LL kept repeating the phrase “run the jewels” on Cheesy Rat Blues, so I had to look it up, and yes, the rap duo got their name from the song. However, despite the number of iconic bars that stood out to me, I saw a few other users call out the lyrics overall as having not aged well. So, I tried following along with a lyrics site on a subsequent listen, and for the most part I personally didn’t hear anything that seemed more provocative or offensive than anything else of the era. There is one questionable lyric on Mr. Goodbar (“And I can't make you, I sure wouldn't rape you”), but as far as the history of sexual references in music goes, I feel like it could be a lot worse. This was very nearly a 4.5 from me, but ultimately I feel like I have to dock half a point for runtime - really think this could have ended after Jingling Baby without anything feeling lost. Not that anything after is bad, but they’re by no means highlights, and as a result the runtime is definitely felt. Still, really good album through and through.
Golden age hip hop genre on parasta kun kappaleet kuullostaa siltä että kappaleet laitettu kokoo viidessä minuutissa heh.. Nopee biitti vaa soimaa ja jotain ramblee päälle häpästään koko länsimainen taide pienessä hetkessä
Mr. J is his own worst enemy on this LP; each track has something going for it in terms of the album’s overall flow and production, but the MC can’t keep from tripping himself up on either awful lyricism (see: tuna melt) or cloying, repetitive samples on a loop. Part of me really wanted this to break into low 3 territory, but there are too many songwriting sins on this one to do so.
LL is cool and all, but as far as rap albums go, this misses the mark. One memorable song, really.
I haven't listened to LL Cool J since college, when my friend Josh - yes, he called himself LL Cool Josh - was obsessed with him and played him incessantly. Really wish I'd stayed in touch with him to get his take on this album today. My only notes are that Mama Said Knock You Out is a great single, and the MTV unplugged version of it is iconic. Jingling Baby has a great bass line and groove. Everything else is ok but not memorable imo. And why is 6 Minutes of Pleasure only 4:35? 2/5.
I admit I liked this more than I expected to... but I felt like a lot of the lyrics were a bit corny. I'd give this a 2.5/5.
More dates than I remember, when it hits it’s great but there is a lot of clunk going on too.
Things seem a bit lightweight. I know this one! ('Mama Said Knock You Out') What the fuck is going on here?! Boring. 2 / 5 stars.
This album started off fine but there were some songs in the middle that I hated so much that I had to skip them. Honestly, pretty unremarkable, even with the top end of this album being pretty strong. Meh. Standouts: Around The Way Girl, Eat Em Up L Chill, Mama Said Knock You Out
I love LL I really like the 80s and 90s rap. Not all of it but definitely some artists. There was just something about that time in music. favorite song around the way girl and of course mama said knock u out. Nothing like rolling down the highway and rapping out when u know all the words lol
Onee, niet nog meer rap :-(. Ik vind dat er wel heel veel rapmuziek in de lijst der lijsten staat. Helaas niet mijn ding, maar ik zal nog eens een poging wagen. Helaas geen verrassende beats, maar wel relaxt genoeg om luisterbaar te zijn. **
This is probably going to get in into trouble. I associate Mama Said Knock You Out with the movement that took rap from an indie art to the mainstream. It's undeniable that this is a powerful album. The music is outstanding. The rap performance is tight.
Ladies Love Cool James!
Solid to start, trails off at the end. There's something about 80's/90's hip hop beats and scratches that just make me happy. Lyrics are kinda silly (Milky Cereal) with some serious themes (Illegal Search). Overall I would call this album "just for fun". Not dying to listen again, but not upset by any means.
not my jam, wouldnt bring to island but he tried his best
Classic 90's beats I liked the beginning and middle but kinda lost interest by the end The Boomin' System reminds of when me and the homies would ride around the mean streets of Cape St Claire bumping Lil Wayne in Leighton's Toyota Solara that had a an 18 inch subwoofer in the trunk Milky Cereals play on words is absolutely legendary I was laughing the whole song
The ladies sure do love cool James. The Kev does too. So many bangers and great lyrics on this one. Lost count at the number of cereals in that milky one. This deserves a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.
Bad
3,8/5
LL Cool J natürlichen legendär aber diese Album ist jetzt nicht komplett überzeugend. Paar sehr gute aber auch paar cringe/schlechte. Im Bad fand ich insg besser Light 6/10
Nothing too special but certainly an enjoyable rap album
Really good album. A little longer than I would have wanted, but the production is solid. His lyrics are legendary. Overall a good listen.
Catchy in some parts, good beats. Gets repetitive sometimes
Still not into rap/hiphop
eh
Little on the long side but it's alright.
This is what old school hip hop is all about. Solid music, great rapping, and not too much of that misogynist crap.
If GZA and Raekwon were too abrasive, LL Cool J is the polar opposite. This is boring as bat shit. Literally nothing of interest happened in the entire 1hr 6min (way too long also).
A fantastic listen. Some good, old-fashioned hip hop. I always enjoy hearing the moments that were borrowed by later tracks. It won’t be in regular rotation for me but it was properly good to hear.
Je suis touchée par certains thèmes sociaux, mais moins par les rythmes et la musique, qui me semblent moins originaux. Même la groove me laisse plutôt indifférente.
Wasn't expecting much from an album known for just one single featured in Kangaroo Jack, but left pleasantly surprised. Has a more modern production take on 80s hip hop, with clear influences from the likes of Run-DMC and Public Enemy. Samples are fun and funky with hilarious lyrics and a passionate vocal delivery that would surely touch Will Smith for his Fresh Prince performance. There's a lot of diversity here with many standout tracks, but some were pretty forgettable or sounded too much like their influences (e.g. Murdergram sounding like a Public Enemy B-side). Did not warrant the hour length.
It’s fine, but it feels dated. 2.5/5
80s/early 90s rap is tough man. It’s like 50s rock n roll. I can appreciate that it had a big effect on the public and paved the way for the genre, but it sounds so dated now. This record is supremely dated. Beats, flows, lyrics, wordplay, all dated as hell. It doesn’t offend my senses, but I’d never choose to listen to this again.
The production stays out of the way on this one so the vocals take center stage. Despite its age it doesn't feel dated at all. It does begin to get old after Jingling Baby, but that is due to the album's length rather than how long it has been since its release.
amazing
Ladies Love Cool James. Other than the title track there's a lot of rubbish and he's a lame rapper.
He certainly had and maintains a voice
I enjoyed the beats, but on reflection would not listen to the album again.
Couple of top tunes, but too long
Taas solid ysäriräppiä. Tää oli enemmän hyvän fiiliksen boastailua, mikä oli ihan kivaa kävelykuunneltavaa.
Kovaa yritystä, jota latistavat ysäriräpän vaikeasti lähestyttävät puolet, mutta kovaa yritystä joka tapauksessa.
I have this CD at home. The title track packs a punch, along with a few others ones (like "The Boomin' System" or "Eat Them Up L Chill"). Yet when it comes to timeless rap music, I'm not so sure this clearly dated example of hip hop can be said to be as relevant today as it seemed to be in the early nineties, and this either lyrically/vocally or musically. Producer Marley Marl still does a more-than-decent job, I guess. For instance, he nicely mimicks the layers of apocalyptic sounds favored by Public Enemy's The Bomb Squad production team on "Murdergram". But without PE's topical or political sense of urgency, the track seems to run nowhere fast, really. As for the smoother, more "seductive" side of LL Cool J's music, it cruelly lacks the jazzy subtlety of the Native Tongues crew (bands such as A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Jungle Brothers). Hip hop amateurs already know what I'm talking about here... That said, *Mama Said Knock You Out* can still be a pleasant nostalgic listen for fans of old hip hop. Does that make the album an "essential" one, though? The jury's still out on this one... Number of albums left to review: 685 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 153 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 72 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 89
Favourite song: Around the Way Girl
Nog steeds niet mijn goto genre
I can’t call this disc a regular jam. Bonus star for the MTV Unplugged sessions stemming from this album. Damn.
One of the more popular east coast hip hop artists that I was never familiar with. Not that it's necessarily bad, Mama Said Knock You Out would be quickly overshadowed by other 90's hip hop. That being said, a few standout tracks make this more memorable, such as Murdergram and the album's title track. These hard-hitting beats combined with LL Cool J's boastful personality makes me wish the rest of the album was more like the title track. This is particularly true for the boring closer, which ends the album with more of a whimper than a bang.
It's fine hip hop, but not my favourite
Simply too long
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.
Pretty solid for a 1990 album
p649. 2 stars. Hip-hop/rap, so the wrong audience. Seems well done of its kind though.
не впечатлило
Fine, not my music
Pretty fresh and funky hip-hop, quite accessible and easier on the ears than most.
kinda boring rap album that came after 80s hippity-hop and before 90s revolution - sorta straddles old school rhyme schemes and contemporary 90s flow. lots of ATCQ aspirations, but more of an aged listen
What a staple album for hip hop. Not the pioneer but one of the OGs. Great album. Easy 4. T3B 1. Around The Way Girl 2. Mama Said Knock You Out 3. Eat Em Up L Chill
I didn’t mind this! I probably wouldn’t listen to it again but for a genre I dislike, it was pretty good.
2 this is not good
Gangsta rap may have been conquering the charts, but a few lighter efforts like this one managed to slip by. LL sounds like he’s having fun, and the beats are mostly decent, but there are too many misogynistic and clunky lyrics to call this a truly classic album.
Great LL Cool J album, almost just as good as his debut (Radio, one of the best rap albums from the 80s).
Pretty good hip-hop album. Sounded a little dated here and there, but overall solid beats and good flowing rap.
Reasonable hiphop but does not really grab me.
It’s just a really typical rap album to be honest I think it’s good but not brilliant 3/5.
5/10
It’s not really a fair review as I only managed to listen to the first three tracks but I didn’t mind what I heard....... 2*
It did grow on me a little bit from initially disliking it, but still won't be a repeater for me.
This record is fun but cheesy. I had only heard the hit from it until today. Some lyrics have not aged well. Overall this was okay.
Hip-Hop. 1/5
I've been introduced to a lot of rap thanks to this excellent initiative. Some I like; (Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar). Some I like alot; (Tribe Called Quest, Eminem, Gang Starr). Unfortunately this album I don't like much. Not much at all. Oh well, can't win 'em all. 2.5 stars
Vähän liian gangstaa mun makuun, mut paljon parempaa ku mitä odotin.
A few really good tracks, and a lot of bloat. Nothing here really astounded me, but it certainly wasn't a bad or unpleasant experience. That cereal track was so stupid, it wrapped back around to hilarious though.
More like Milquetoast Cereal
Radio friendly, movie soundtrack hip-hop that's classy and corny, with lyrics that range from cheesy to downright creepy and so very tone deaf. There were fun beats that would get you to sweaty dance in a club a la Nelly's Hot in Herre, but once again, like many albums of the genre this was longer than it should've been. Cut down some of the filler and just be sure to keep standout songs Mama Said Knock You Out & Around the Way Girl, and this would've been a wee bit better.
LL Cool J has charisma in droves. He's got some weird song topic choices here ("Milky Cereal"), and the beats are sometimes sparse, but his ability carries it. Favorite tracks: "Mama Said Knock You Out", "Around The Way Girl", "To Da Break of Dawn"
I'm not sure how I feel about this. His flow and voice overall is good, lyrics are a bit dated, and the beats are clear and crisp. It almost sounds over-produced and makes it feel a bit less genuine like LL isn't really a rapper, but someone that is pretending to be one (while still doing a good job at it). It's strange because if the music is good that should be the end of it, but that vibe just throws things off for me. I did like Murdergram, and the title track. The others were fine too not really any awful songs in there.
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anything by LL Cool J. I could say if he’s hip hop or R&B, but I feel somewhat confident that he’s one of them. They’re both genres that I don’t tend to gravitate towards, but I’m always interested in hearing something new. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Around The Way Girl, Mama Said Knock You Out There were a few good songs on this, but in general I found it to just be uninteresting. It is hip hop, and I think I do tend to prefer that over R&B, but most of this just didn’t really do anything for me. There were some quite dodgy lyrics, such as, “And I can't make you, I sure wouldn't rape you.” There was also a song where he says a lady is milky cereal. I just don’t get it. Don’t think I’ll be coming back to this despite the few good songs.
För långt, blev tråkigt efter typ 15 min
Lame lame cant organize oranges lame jake
Dope
Helt bra men för långt
Some bangers on here, overall nothing too thrilling to me though. 3.5 rounded down.
Not my vibe
Nope. I was going to be generous and give this a 2, but then "Milky Cereal" sealed its sad fate.
Good
The tune of the album was cool for nostalgic reasons, but a very poor album.
Well that was pretty poor. Who thought this was worthy of a place in the book?
Very average hip hop.
Hey, Kool Thing, are you gonna liberate us girls from male white corporate oppression? Yeah, tell it like it is! Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years! Good grief.
I like this kind of rap, just that late 80s/early 90s thing before G-funk took over the entire genre. I've never heard this album but it really ticks the box. Would be a full score except it's just that bit too long. 4/5.
This album dates from the middle of my high school days, but I was too busy listening to God knows what (although this was also my Bangles phase, which I don't regret in the slightest). So besides the title track, I hadn't heard any of this album. "Second wave" rap like this - after the early pioneers ("Rapper's Delight", anyone?) but before rap took its hard "East Coast vs. West Coast" turn later in the 90s still really shows its roots as improvised street poetry from the Bronx. I mean, you still get lines like "your rhymes are so cheesy, you found them in a mousetrap", which would be unthinkable coming from Biggie or Tupac. It didn't take itself so seriously, but at the same time being serious. So while I don't LIKE most rap, I definitely RESPECT rap as an art form - I mean, the Illiad and Beowulf were basically "rapped" for hundreds of years before they were written down in their final form - as bards improvised their lyrical rhymes to tell the story. This stuff has a LONG history. So, because the day was so busy, I ended up listening to this in the car with the kids - as Claire aptly put it, "I don't know if I like this, or hate it" - agreed. I don't think I'll be pulling this up, but like Alex said, "it make sense that this would be on the 1001 list".
Finally, some hip hop! After trying to get through fancy pants Rush for a few days, the steady beats of golden age early 90s rap is just what I needed. I’m learning some things about myself with this whole processs - namely, I don’t want my music to be some sonic journey, I want my music to be simple. Simple simple simple but you know, simple but interesting isn’t so easy! Enter rap! Give me that beat, that hook, and let’s not let go of it for four minutes! Old school rap just scoots me along, pushing me forward through the haze of tween sleepovers, dirty dishes, dog diarrhea, and unread email. Just like in the streets! So, now we see why this era of rap is the ultimate culmination of all greatest music - peak melodic perfection, boiled down and distilled into… um, peak melodic perfection. But let us now come to Ladies Love Cool J. If only I could sexually harass women the way he does and have them laugh and tell me I so crazy. If only I had the swagger to rap a song comparing women to breakfast cereal. For the entirety of the song. LL is not one finds himself at the emergency vet at 6am on a Saturday, LL probably has a perfectly calm and dangerous Rottweiler that never eats garbage and that the ladies equally love. I have emotionally neurotic belle, who growls at small children. But me and belle both have LL, and his masterful collection of pop rap gets us through. We don’t need to actively listen to innovative artistry that push’s the bounds of music, we need to listen to music. Good music that sounds even better around the way with the jinglin babies in a booming system while eating milky cereal and telling every female that my name is Mr. Good Bar.
Hmmm...some good some bad...heavily dated, but still something there, despite pretty naffy lyricism
If you're in the mood for some rap then this is a good a place as any to listen to some
The title track is pretty good, as is the opener. Aside from that I found not a whole lot to like. I don't mind this era of the genre but it sounded quite stale. I can listen to Run DMC, Beastie Boys, De La Soul etc and it all sounds better than this. I was more impressed when he threw a lighter and blew up a shark in Deep Blue Sea. Now that's a career highlight.
Can't beat a bit of LL Cool J
Didnt listen.
LL Cool J isn't my thing sadly.
Never knew how far back in time LL had music! Old school style for sure. Pretty clean overall, beats and lyrics.
Good old school hip hop that gets kind of samey as the album unfolds.
Boring Hip-Pop with eye rolling rhymes. A whole hour of the same song? I'd prefer some repetitive Krautrock for the price, thank you.
Nice old school hiphop but not a masterpiece neither
This album is the exact definition of a 3 stars. Tracks are not bad, not solid, just enough to be good and enjoyable. Not a masterpiece, not a bad album. In fact, I have nothing to say about it, positive or negative.
Outside of the title track this album suffers from being a little corny. There are a few gems throughout this but otherwise it just doesn’t work that well.
Leuk werk met ritme. Ga nu niet nog 'ns luisteren ofzo
They don’t make hip hop like they used to…
early 90's rap had great beats and nice mixing. LL was not bad as well. good stuff
Nice listen.
Decent early rap release, but doesn't reach the heights of some of his contemporaries, like Tribe, De La Soul or Eric B & Rakim.
the name LL cool J reminded me of a C tier famous person in bad mtv shows, but this album is surprisingly good. Lyrically very nice and the beats are also creative enough.
Lyrics didnt age well, beats were cool
For maybe the first few minutes I was presently surprised. Lyrics not good but a bit Old School and the music had a Daisy Age feel. It got old fast after that. Title track is a banger though.
Slick.
Nothing spectacular. Only enjoyed it slightly more than some of the formative rap albums on this list. 1.5/5
ladies may love cool j, but i don't love this album
Pas pire, mais pas mon genre de rap… 2.85
Historical artefact this, from I guess when major labels still wanted rappers to produce MTV-friendly fodder rather than controversy. LL is an engaging enough presence, but NWA were about to blow this kind of rap completely away. Only one track with an explicit warning! Bless.
I didn't know my earphones had such good bass. The album is just OK.
Bailed out of the first listen. Came back the following day to give it another crack, and it's actually pretty smooth. I didn't like the album too much, but it isn't bad and came away with some songs saved to the playlist. Guess stuff like this is what the generator is about.
I like it, chill rap vibes decent lyrics and songs
It's interesting when you can tell something is groundbreaking, original, and a breath of fresh air in an artistic drama, yet the creator doesn't have an exciting bone in his body. That's how I feel about this record. There's nothing wrong about it per see, but it's really lacking in the way of sophistication. Also, the sexual innuendos are more than a little bit corny. In a sense, this record reminds me of Will Smith's music, though Smith has a commitment to the corniness that LL lacks. Not a bad record by any means, just not exceptional beyond its originality for the moment.
Album is pretty good, but it was good to learn about LL Cool J's early career.
Used to listen to this albums quite a bit back in the early 90’s but admittedly, it’s been at least over a decade since my last full listen of it. Great beats, dope rhymes. Still a great album all the way through. The fact that Run the Jewels took their name from a line in “Cheesy Rat Blues” tells you how influential this album was.
Rapsy, ale takie lepsze
Värsta skiten jag har hört
He sounds "hard and funny" and raps about "crass materialism" and "life's simple pleasures". Okay... (5/10) FT: Mama Said Knock You Out, Around the Way Girl
Better than I was expecting.
90s hip-hop is just such a vibe. I've gotta be in the mood but when I am nothing else scratches the itch. Lyrically I'm kind of lukewarm on this album by and large but his flow and the beats are on point.
Il faut laisser les gens tranquilles.
écouté d'une oreille
A few classics. Mama said knock you out is top notch.
3.5/5
Meh. Wasn't feeling it. I couldn't connect with this one as much as the other rap albums I've had so far, so this ended up being mostly just background noise.
I expected to like this but I found it kind of long and uncompelling.
LL Cool J kind of makes me giggle. I think it is something about his ?sexy? smile. Anyways, the album was fine but maybe not the most engaging. I mean, I found myself really wanting to skip to the end of some of the tracks, once I got the hang of how they sounded.
Really enjoyed the first two and a few of tracks near the end but got a bit bored in between. I like his smooth sound.
Wasn’t looking forward to more rap, but this was good! Got a little bored here and there but mostly into it. I liked the smoother jams like “Around the Way Girl” and “6 Minutes of Pleasure” a lot!
title track a banger. the rest not so much.
Not as dated as most of the early 90's hip-hop album I've heard on this list, but still a little grating after a while. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Mama Said Knock You Out Date listened: 02/06/22
Classic. This one comes with special memories
Tracks behind the vocals were ok, some good rhymes by LL
I don't really care for rap, but I do like LL Cool J. And I love the hook of the title track.
Ladies Love Cool James but I thought this was only ok. 90s rap gets pretty samey after a while. Ofc Mama Said Knock You Out is great
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!!
Fun 90s hiphop. Some good beats, some good rhymes, some total cheese, but it's all good.
Yeh, something else. 32 years old my arse. Still so fresh.
It pretty good album. I am not the biggest LL Cool J fan but this album does have his best overall song. I would definitely listen to some of the songs again
Yeah, nah. Mama Said Knock You Out is pretty iconic. Milky Cereal is a bit of fun wordplay but overall it's not for me.
C'est OK. Les beats sont nices, mais overall c'est un peu cheezy
2/5 nothing special
Only really heard the title song before. Meh. He's a better actor.
I love this album. Early 90s had more fun than a lot of modern rap. LL Cool J was a really fun rapper before he turned into a "meh" actor.
Prefer his earlier work -this isn’t very interesting to me.
Dude was hungry while writing this album. Food references dropped everywhere
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Hell yes.
This was so edgy when it came out. Now it sounds like hip hop with training wheels on. It's so innocent, it's cute. The production still sounds great, and the title track still kicks ass.
nah
Dobar je al se ne bi nikad vratila na njega. Mama said knock you out je klasik pjesma.
Nek sam se ja na MSN-u zvao LL Cool L, ah. Dosta sam njegovih albuma preslušao, nisam detaljno većinu, ali se uvijek znalo nać par pjesama koje sam si stavljo na plejliste, ali to je davno bilo kad sam ga baš slušao. Mama Said Knock You Out je izvrstan klasik, spot, uvijek slika ostaje te boje spota. Nisam očekivao da će album biti malo udaljeniji od njegove klasične r&b/love story + hip hop sheme (za kojom bome nisam lud). Album definitivno može biti kraći, pjesma-dvije definitivno ne bi falile ako bi se izrezale. Sve u svemu, drago mi je da je malo skrenuo sa svoje rute glazbe pa izbacio malo jači hip hop album što se tiče samog sebe.
Beatovi jebeni i sve to, al iskreno mi je malo dosadno bilo.
No es malo, realmente no es malo... pero yo no soy de hip hop, ni rap. Me gustó pero solo eso
Hip hop
LL Cool J is probably one of the more underrated rappers in hiphop. He did not seem to make a grab at the headlines as much as his contemporaries did, but that does not seemed to have made a negative impact on his resume. Disclosure: First exposure to LL Cool J was his song with Boyz II Men "Hey Lover". Late night radio on the local Top 40 station for the win. "Hey Lover" is on another album though, but it serves as the blueprints for how this review approaches "Mama Said Knock You Out". Rap music and the wealth of catchy phrases and quips that make it into the modern lexicon are on full display here even thirty years later with "Don't call it a comeback!" on the title track. LL Cool J has an amazing voice with near crystal clear clarity. While the lyrics are not complicated, the delivery by LL Cool J is rhythmic and on time. This is a fairly great representation of what may have been hiphop's most appealing era where it was a balanced mix of fun and inviting with stories happy, sad, and socially aware. A key example of where this album remains socially aware is "Illegal Search" where LL Cool J chides the stereotypes by which the black community is essentially punished for being successful, or even just appearing to be. Crossed T's, dotted I's notwithstanding, he laments angrily the sort of gauntlet that they have to navigate just to verify that. Interestingly enough, the following track "The Power of God" contains a message of hope, an exhortation of sorts acknowledging the struggles and temptations of his early life but documenting his commitment to stay above those things, to maintain focus on the "power of God". Overall, the album is a great listen on par with his 90s contemporaries where messaging and storytelling take precedence on the whole over the single. These days are truly missed.
I never would have sought this album out, but I really enjoyed it. It had great flow throughout and good beats.
When it's good (Opener, title track, anywhere he's trying to start a fight) it's great, but there is a lot of filler on here. It's probably the first real attempt to make rap pop. Half the album goes from good to brilliant, but there's also some overlong attempts at romance or comedy, neither of which land particularly well. But again, at its height it's ace.
Flips between chilled, goofy old school hip-hop and 90s gangster rap so the guy's definitely got range, but none of the styles did that much for me. Bonus points awarded for that track where he shoehorns in all the cereal brands. 2.5
Just a bit shite
Meh! Other artists were doing this better in the late 80's.
This is tricky to rate... I love Around the Way Girl love the beats love the energy in general and the samples. Howeverrrr I don't like the aggressive masculinity or the fact that that was so acceptable in the 90s. Hm I'll have to go in the middle I think but it's a shame because I feel super strongly on both negative and positive sides!
I actually got really into this by the end - and I enjoyed the variations of the samples. Fun and funkayy!
Wasn't sure at first, didn't sound like anything special but I was enjoying it by the end, got some funky fresh sounds. LL Cool Jay did a rap with Elmo on Sesame Street once.
Not a big rap guy so it's always hard to judge a genre I don't really enjoy. Still this had good beats. Wasn't always a huge fan of the lyrics, but the production was good although it suffers from that 90s era run-time length. It didn't need to be 60
Historic and influential.
I like this much more than I expected. There's some filler, but the combination of beats, samples and lyrics often works extremely well.
Some songs were very powerful (title track, Illegal Search) while others were dated and did not age well (6 Minutes of Pleasure that clocked in at under 5 minutes, casual sexist mentions.) A conflicted 3/5
Most rap albums get 1 or (rarely) 2 stars from me and I only listen to about a minute of the first 4-5 songs. This album on the other hand I found absolutely decent and only skipped forward once or twice and otherwise listened to the whole album. I'm still not a fan of rap and I wouldn't actively listen to this album again. But it was totally fine and I didn't mind it at all, which is more than I can say for 95% of all rap.
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.
I'M On My Way To Tounes Taw. Work Work Work
Awesome hip hop album
Better than expected. Some good ones up front but didn’t wow me.
The title track was the only track that was familiar from Mama Said Knock You Out. In principle I respect LL Cool J's talent, but about half way through this album I was tired of what I was listening too. I can only listen to so much of "I'm so cool." The lyric content seems dated and not for me.
Tråkig jävla mjukisrap, sög verkligen
Alltså det var väl gott gung men lite generiskt och föråldrat vid det här laget kanske? Texterna gjorde mig obekväm
Åter igen. Old school hip hop är det coolaste vi har. För bra! + tänker bara på kultklassikern Kangaroo Jack när jag hör mama said knock you out. Mm helt sjukt hur bra smak jag kan ha?
Dated (to my ear) 90s hip/hop. It just doesn't mean anything to me.
I thought the album was fine, never really cared for LL but the rhymes are nice. Still has a very 80s sound of hip hop. "Around The Way Girl" is my favorite song on the album. 7/10.
Ladies Love Cool James manages to nut a commodious autonomic album full of great tracks
3.3 - A commercial breakthrough for hip hop - "Mama Said Knock You Out" and "Around the Way Girl" were on constant blast, even in my white town. LL Cool J cultivated just enough of a bad boy image to appeal to the youth without scaring our parents. Artistically, this album sounds stale. Songs revolve around two themes: "I'm a great MC and a cool guy (PS: you're neither of those things)" and "I have sex."
No
I'm sure it's very popular for 13year old boys.
Slightly dated pop rap album
A hot slice of G-funk. Didn't expect to like this as much as I did but I got right into it.
Pretty killer rap album. Couple off tracks here and there. The title track is 10/10. Album holds up.
The album art is certainly striking and very of its time. I think the only song I'm already familiar with is the title track, so let's check it out. I like the generally chill ladies' man vibe, though the straightforward minimalist backing tracks/drum machine make it feel pretty dated. Mamma Said Knock You Out is still quite listenable (and is coincidentally? the edgiest of the album) but the rest of the songs feel a little too silly and definitely dusty.
no rap
Meh, nice beats but lyrics are just "what rhymes with (blank). No cohesion. No direction.
It's OK I guess.
So far, I've been pleasantly surprised by the classic hip hop/rap albums I've gotten, but this one was an example of one confirming my pre-1001 albums opinion that I'm not a big fan of old school hip hop. The title track wasn't bad though. Fav song: mama said knock you out
mainstream, massively successful - but not for me
just okay to me.
Far from the worst of its kind, but still: I’m not the most suitable person to push hiphop music on
Fun flows and lyricism, production got a bit repetitive for me
No. Don't make me listen to this again.
Because the opening line of the title track is "DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK!", I had assumed this album came a considerable amount of time after LL's last. It was little more than a year - and in the 80s/90s, that was short. But when gangsta rap reared its head in the late 80s and Ladies Love Cool James's loverboy schtick was looking dated, perhaps it felt like a cultural comeback. The album proved that LL could navigate the new hip hop landscape and deliver something as hard and defiant as the title track. But at the same time, he showed that he could make the ladies love him in a way that those gangsta rappers could only wish. (Case in point - when I was 15 I was OBSESSED with "Around the Way Girl" and had a dumb crush on LL. Hey, he had it!) The Mama Said album is LL Cool J in his imperial phase, showing his skill as an MC, a lyricist and his (and his producer's) ability to deftly mix rap with pop stylings.
Not too bad but not mah thang
Solid 3.5 for me
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
@runthejewels
Liked it a lot more than I thought. A couple of stand out tracks. Mr. Goodbar Murdergram
“I want a girl with extensions” (Around the Way Girl). Boy, nothing dates the album like this. (Although, to be fair, the diversity of hair clip use these days could give this line a new lease of life…) The very conservative use of samples and loops makes me realise, belatedly, that this album was pointed directly at the mainstream. Got there just in time too - The Chronic and Gangster Rap reshaped that landscape just a year or so later…) On the whole, a period piece rather than a classic. Mama Said Knock You Out is still banging, tho…
De old school vibe vind ik altijd leuk; maar het was weer iets te lang
LL Cool j is next level
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.
Not super impressed apart from one or two songs.
Pretty fun album actually, a lot better than I thought it would be. I'm probably not going to go out of my way to put it on, but I enjoyed it.
LL is the original rap star. Good album. Lyrics are a little corny for 2021 standards, but for this time LL comes off original and sells his identity well.
Personally I'm not a fan of the funky beats and light, not- so-serious lyrics but that's obviously also the time, not just this album alone
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.
Really dug it
Knockout
Some songs I wasn't a big fan of, but overall this is solid '90s hip-hop. I will say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I feel like I'm saying that about a lot of albums here, but preconceived notions are TOUGH to overcome!
It was ok
Good lyricist. Early 90s Hip Hop, but it isn't that memorable for me.
Better actor than rapper. And he is not a good actor.
Melodic tunes with a rap style that's a definite product of the 90s.
Good old skool hip-hop.
Top classic hip hop
Classic hiphop
I liked some tracks as time capsules of 1990, but the whole album got too "cheesy" for me.
Thanks to albums like this one is that I’m starting to really apreciate hip hop.
ll cool j doesn't hold back rapping over funky beats. mama said knock you out is such a great tune, if you don't like it, there's something wrong with you. bit too long though
mmm
LL is the man
Big fun 90s hip hop vibe, absolutely banging backing tracks with some tasty bass lines.
Decent instrumentals, but like a lot of the rap from this era, it feels incredibly dated now.
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
Classic
good, especially the title track
3.5/5 alright, good but not amazing
Funky hip-hop humour.
This is terrific. Classic beats (praise to Marley Marl), entertaining lyrics, smooth delivery from the one and only LL. The influence of this album on hip hop was massive - you hear beats and lyrics later ‘borrowed’ by other artists but also the style and swagger. LL raps about anything, broadening rap’s horizons. Such an enjoyable, fun album. Groundbreaking. Loved it. Stand outs - Mama Said Knock You Out, Around the Way Girl, Mr. Good Bar
I knocked out Bald Bull during his bull charge in Mike Tyson's punch out right after "Don't call it a comeback"
Beats were ok but by the end it felt repetitive. Not a fan of the lyrics.
Great old school hiphop
This album was more fun to listen to than I was expecting and I really liked finding a rap album that didn’t overly rely on cussing throughout each song.
The title track and Jingling Baby still go hard but meh.
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.
Not usually on my radar, but decent album
Pretty good
Love me some 90s hip hop complete with hilariously cheesy lyrics. Wicked.
Okie doke
Not as good as I expected it to be.
Good
It leaves no doubt that Mama Said Knock You Out was intended to be a tour de force, to regain LL Cool J's credibility while proving that he was still one of rap's most singular talents. It succeeded mightily, making him an across-the-board superstar and cementing his status as a rap icon beyond any doubt.
Favourite Songs: Jingling Baby & The Power of God
Not my favourite kind of music or even style of hip hop. Ok, beats and delivery are ok. Cool James is cool.
90s
A couple of stand out tracks buried amongst a lot of tracks where I struggled to connect with or even process the lyrics. The Power of God is a great song though and just about pulls up the album up to 3 stars.
Bit of a struggle to get through the whole of this whopper. Enjoyed some of the tracks, beats and the odd line but it didn't grab me.
Admittedly had this playing as more of a background album so didn't really take in many of the lyrics. Some solid early 90s hip-hop sounds, though. Best track: Around the Way Girl
Classic Hip-hop. Uncle L's flow is unmatched in today's era of rap where you can barely discern the lyrics, LL enunciates every line beautifully. A man before his time, this album doesn't sound like it was made in 1990. Best songs = Mama said knock you out & Round the Way Girl.
First hip hop listen and I still only gave it a 3 🤣
20 minutes too long. Might have squeezed a 3 star out if it weren't for that.
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.
Great MC with very average lyrics and music - very dated even in 1990
(C)rap
Good fun, I appreciate the lighthearted style
It's all right -- catchy, good sound and rhythms. Can't say I really relate to the lyrics. Probably a 3; we'll see if there are more songs that jump out at me besides "Around The Way Girl" and "Mama Said..." It was pretty good. 3 is fine.
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
I’ve never liked LL Cool J’s persona, too much, “c’mon girl,” too cool for school swagger. But, I can’t deny this album, solid samples, great production, only a few songs dated and LL’s glow isn’t too bad. Quite a few catchy songs. I would say this album isn’t really my cup of tea, pretty straight forward and it was way too long. I found my ears creeping away and listening to other things. I would’ve cut out a couple of songs, the more dated ones, from the end. Overall I was impressed but not floored.
Ladies love Cool James, but Josh isn't the biggest fan. Some catchy tracks, but a little too sexy for my sexless sensibilities.
Actually not bad
Ja ne gibt deutlich besseres aus der Era
ll cool j oder j rocs kuseng. nowateimsäin. Das Album schiebt den Hosenbund zurück auf den Hüftäquator. Olde schule, ziemlich fly und cool, j. Abseits des geglückten Inhalts spricht mich auch das Cover an. Können diese Lippen küssen? One can only dream.
Tja, niet echt stoer, beetje Will Smith-achtig. Ik was er snel klaar mee
Niet voor mij; behalve het refrein van zijn hitje vind ik er weinig aan.
Cool! Mama said knock you out! Dat is echt nostalgie. Rest van de plaat wel ok.
De titel-track is echt een geweldige classic. Maasr de rest van het album vond ik ook nog best te pruimen. Beetje gedateerd, maar niet zo schreeuwerig en van die stoerdoenerij als bij veel andere rap uit die tijd.