Mama Said Knock You Out

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Mama Said Knock You Out
Studio album by LL Cool J
Released	August 27, 1990
Recorded	1989-1990
Genre	Hip hop
Length	60:47
Label	Def Jam/Columbia/CBS Records CK 46888
Producer	Marley Marl
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Robert Christgau (A) link Entertainment Weekly (B) link Q link New York Times (favorable) link Rolling Stone 1990 Rolling Stone 2004 Spin (9/10) link Trouser Press (favorable) link Yahoo! Music (favorable) link
LL Cool J chronology
Walking with a Panther (1989) Mama Said Knock You Out (1990) 14 Shots to the Dome (1993) Singles from Mama Said Knock You Out "To da Break of Dawn" Released: June 17, 1990 "The Boomin' System" Released: August 2, 1990 "Around the Way Girl" Released: November 8, 1990 "Mama Said Knock You Out" Released: March 26, 1991 "6 Minutes of Pleasure" Released: June 13, 1991

This article is about the LL Cool J album. For the round in Never Mind The Buzzcocks, see Mama Said 'Knock You Out'. For the song, see Mama Said Knock You Out (song).

Mama Said Knock You Out is the fourth album by hip-hop artist LL Cool J. The album was released in 1990, after the critically disappointing Walking with a Panther in 1989.

History

Mama Said Knock You Out marked the first of many self-reinventions LL Cool J would undergo to adapt to the hip-hop's changing atmosphere. Made as a comeback album after the critically-maligned Walking With a Panther, Mama Said Knock You Out revived the hardcore image of LL Cool J's early days that appeared to be damaged by his previous album. It was a critical and commercial success, and helped restore his reputation as a hip-hop icon.

The album spawned four hit singles: "The Boomin' System," "Around the Way Girl," (which sampled clips from the Mary Jane Girls song "All Night Long"), the hard-hitting title track itself (which received special notice after LL Cool J's dynamic full-live-band performance of it - unusual for rap performers/performances at the time - during an episode of MTV's Unplugged), and "6 Minutes Of Pleasure." The diss record "To Da Break Of Dawn" was named number 11 on XXL's 20 greatest diss records of all time. The album included themes of police misconduct, spirituality along with back-to-basics hip-hop party rocking. The album reached No. 16 in the U.S. charts, and eventually went on to sell over two million copies according to the RIAA. In 1998, it was listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2005, comedian Chris Rock listed it as the sixth greatest hip-hop album ever in a guest article for Rolling Stone.^[1]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Marley Marl and co-produced by LL Cool J except for "Jingling Baby (Remixed but Still Jingling)", which was produced by LL Cool J and remixed by Marley Marl.

1. "The Boomin' System"
2. "Around The Way Girl"
3. "Eat 'em Up, L Chill"
4. "Mr. Good Bar"
5. "Murdergram"
6. "Cheesy Rat Blues"
7. "Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem)"
8. "Mama Said Knock You Out"
9. "Milky Cereal"
10. "Jingling Baby (Remixed but Still Jingling)"
11. "To da Break of Dawn" (dis of MC Hammer, Ice T & Kool Moe Dee)
12. "6 Minutes of Pleasure"
13. "Illegal Search'"
14. "The Power of God"
15. "Mama Said Knock You Out (Steering Mix)"

Sampling

• "Around the Way Girl" samples from Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long," Keni Burke's "Risin' to the Top," and the Honey Drippers' "Impeach The President."
• "Eat 'em Up, L Chill" samples from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and the Five Stairsteps' "Don't Change Your Love."
• "Mr. Good Bar" samples from All The People's "Cramp Your Style," James Brown's "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved," and ESG's "UFO."
• "Murdergram (Live at Rapmania)" samples from James Brown's "My Thang," Earth, Wind & Fire's "Moment of Truth," and ESG's "UFO."
• "Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem)" samples Willie Hutch's "Brothers Gonna Work it Out" and "Mack Man," Barry White's "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Babe," and Billy Preston's "I Wrote A Simple Song."
• "Mama Said Knock You Out" samples James Brown's "Funky Drummer," the Chicago Gangsters' "Gangster Boogie," Sly & The Family Stone's "Trip to Your Heart" and "Sing a Simple Song", and Rock the Bells by LL Cool J.
• "To da Break of Dawn" samples James Brown's "Funky President," Maceo & All the King's Men's "Got to Getcha," and Pleasure's "Joyous."
• "6 Minutes of Pleasure" samples James Brown's "Funky President."
• "Illegal Search" samples from James Brown's "Mind Power" and Rufus Thomas's "The Breakdown Pt. I & II."

References