“Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years
Rocking my peers and putting suckas in fear
Making the tears rain down like a monsoon
Listen to the bass go boom
Explosion, overpowering
Over the competition, I’m towering
Wrecking shop, when I drop
These lyrics that’ll make you call the cops
Don’t you dare stare, you better move
Don’t ever compare
Me to the rest that’ll all get sliced and diced
Competition’s paying the price
I’m gonna knock you out
Mama said knock you out”
Part come back track, part diss track, all fire. I remember thinking how hard “Mama Said Knock You Out” hit when I first heard the opening verse and saw the video on MTV(It was 1990, and streaming websites didn’t exist yet). Even now, there is always someone on the dance floor shadowboxing whenever this track comes on. It’s amazing that LL Cool J was such a prolific rap prodigy that he needed to make a comeback track at the age of 22
Samples:
James Brown ~ “Funky Drummer” (Break is about 5:21 mark of the video).
There’s a couple of great drum breaks used in “Mama Said Knock You Out”, but Clyde Stubblefield’s playing on “Funky Drummer” is the granddaddy of hip hop drum breaks.
Sly and the Family Stone ~ “Trip to Your Heart”
Chicago Gangsters ~ “Gangster Boogie”
Eddie Bo ~ “Hook & Sling”
James Black’s drumming is awesome on this track.
Digital Underground ~ “Humpty Dance”
I did not know this track was sampled on “Mama Said Knock You Out” until recently.
Big Daddy Kane ~ “Raw”
LL Cool J ~ “Rock the Bells”
Divine Sounds ~ “Do or Die Bed Sty”
Spoonie Gee ~ “Spoonin’ Rap”
Kool Moe Dee ~ “How Ya Like Me Now?”