Mama Said Knock You Out
The Boomin' System
LL Cool J
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
19
End
136
Internal
62
Multi
212
Slant
4
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦ (All up at dawn)
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦ (Just frontin')✦
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦
[Verse 2]
Girlies✦ wanna✦ ride with a brother like me
'Cause they be hear me gettin'✦ funky✦ frequently
They tell me don't drink and drive, I say, "What is this?
Mind your business"
Then pass it around✦
Laid back, hypnotized by the funky✦ sound
People in the street see me bobbin'✦ my head
While I'm checkin' out the rapper✦ and the rhyme that he said
I'm frontin'✦ and I don't care if you know
The back seat of my car is like a disco✦ show
You would think I was a good friend of Al Capone✦
Crazy✦ air freshener, who needs cologne?
Bottom✦ to the bottom✦ to the top to the top
Cruise, it's three o'clock
The girlies,✦ they smile, they see me comin'✦
I'm steady✦ hummin',✦ I got the "Funky✦ Drummer" drummin'
My trunk be shakin',✦ vibratin'✦ and rattlin'
Pumpin'✦ so loud, all the shorties✦ be babblin'
My right-hand man's here without the swing
Every✦ chance I get I'm showin'✦ off my rings
I can keep it up until the break of dawn
'Cause I'm frontin'✦ in my ride and my word is bond
[Chorus]
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦ (Frontin',✦ you know what I mean?)
Cars ride by—
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦
Cars ride by—
[Verse 3]
Sunroof open✦ so I can feel the wind blow
I don't give a damn if it cracks my back window✦
C to the O to the O to the L to the I to the N
To the F to the R to the O to the N to the T to the I to the N
That means I'm chillin'
Like Spoonie Gee said, my seats are soft like a bed
They recline way back, so I can get real cozy✦
I got the gangster tapes in the place
Like a basehead would say, I want bass
I want a hit, I want a dose
You're rollin'✦ up smilin',✦ but you can't come close
'Cause my system is pumpin'✦ loud
Like Rakim said, I wanna✦ move the crowd
I warm it up with Kane, fight the power✦ with PE
Tell the cops, "You gots to chill" with EPMD
This is something devastatin'✦ that'll break your trunk
And remember,✦ Uncle L is like the future✦ of the funk
[Chorus]
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦ (Yeah, that's frontin')✦
Cars ride by—
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦ (You know what I'm sayin'?)
Cars ride by— (So next time you're in your ride pumpin'✦ it up)
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦ (Just remember)✦
Cars ride by— (It's cool)
Cars ride by with the boomin'✦ systems✦
Cars ride by— (Peace)
Technical Breakdown
6.9
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres5.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm6.5
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control7.0
Performance and control
Computed Score6.93
Production
— Marley Marl, LL Cool JBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
LL Cool J leverages the era-specific 'swagger-rap' aesthetic to prioritize rhythmic pocket-locking and persona projection over complex lyrical layering.
B
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
6.5
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
5
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Internal Rhyme chainingOnomatopoeic mimicryRhythmic syncopationDirect address
Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly AABB and AAAA couplets characterized by heavy internal rhyme clusters designed to lock into the 4/4 boom-bap pulse.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"The back seat of my car is like a disco show"
① The back seat is a place for social gathering or entertainment.② The high-end audio equipment installed in the vehicle creates a visual and auditory environment comparable to a nightclub.
"I got the 'Funky Drummer' drummin'"
① He is literally listening to the James Brown breakbeat 'Funky Drummer'.② He is referencing the historical significance of the sample, positioning himself as a purist within the Golden Era context.
Exceptional rhythmic placement of multis
Strong command of vocal charisma and persona
Effective use of repetitive structures to mimic the 'boom' of the sound system
Low metaphorical density
Over-reliance on simple 'frontin'' tropes common to the era
Lack of sustained complex narrative development