Song Detail | Rap Ledger

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

192

Internal

103

Multi

135

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Verse 2]

Don't you call this a regular jam

I'm gonna^✦ rock this land

I'm gonna^✦ take this itty-bitty world by storm

And I'm just getting^✦ warm

Just like Muhammad Ali, they called^✦ him Cassius

Watch me bash this beat like a skull

That you know I had beef with

Why do you riff with me? The maniac psycho^✦

And when I pull out my jammy^✦ get ready^✦ 'cause it might go blaow

How ya like me now?

The Ripper^✦ will not allow^✦

You to get with, Mr. Smith, don't riff

Listen^✦ to my gear shift

I'm blasting,^✦ outlasting^✦

Kinda^✦ like Shaft, so you could say I'm shafting

Olde English filled^✦ my mind

And I came up with a funky^✦ rhyme

[Chorus]

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh), breakdown

[Post-Chorus]

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie (Yeah)

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie (Uh)

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie (Huh)

[Verse 3]

Shadow^✦ boxing^✦ when I heard you on the radio^✦

Uh, I just don't know

What made you forget^✦ that I was raw?

But now I got a new tour

I'm going insane^✦

Starting the hurricane, releasing pain

Letting^✦ you know that you can't gain

I maintain unless ya say my name

Ripping, killing,^✦ digging and drilling^✦ a hole

Pass the ol' gold

[Chorus]

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

[Verse 4]

Shotgun blasts are heard

When I rip and kill at will

The man of the hour, tower^✦ of power^✦

I'll devour^✦

I'm gonna^✦ tie you up and let you

Understand that I'm not your average man

When I got a jammy^✦ in my hand

Damn

Ooh, listen^✦ to the way I slay

Your crew

Damage,^✦ uh, damage,^✦ uh

Damage,^✦ uh, damage^✦

Destruction, terror, and mayhem

Pass me a sissy-soft sucka,^✦ I'll slay him

Farmers^✦ (What?) Farmers^✦ (What?)

I'm ready^✦ (We ready)^✦

I think I'm gonna^✦ bomb a town (Get down)

Don't you never,^✦ ever,^✦ pull my lever^✦

'Cause I explode

And my nine is easy^✦ to load

I gotta^✦ thank God

'Cause he gave me the strength to rock hard

[Chorus]

Knock you out

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

I'm gonna^✦ knock you out (Huh)

Mama^✦ said knock you out (Huh)

[Post-Chorus]

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie (Damn)

Gangster^✦ boogie, gangster^✦ boogie

[Outro]

They all fell

They all—

The— They all fell

They all fell

I excel—^✦ They all fell

I excel^✦

Technical Breakdown

8.7

Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes8.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity5.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.69

Production

— Marley Marl, LL Cool J, DJ Bobcat

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

LL Cool J utilizes a high-intensity, aggressive vocal cadence that prioritizes percussive phonetics over complex literary abstraction, successfully mirroring the track's theme of controlled violence.

8.5

Multisyllabic

8.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

6.5

Wordplay

9.5

Delivery

Aggressive prosodyInternal rhyme stackingCultural allusion as character buildingStaccato rhythm synchronization

Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly AABB/AABB-CC couplets with heavy internal mono-rhymes (e.g., 'jam', 'land', 'storm', 'warm') that establish a driving, forward-momentum cadence.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"bash this beat like a skull / That you know I had beef with"

① Physical assault on a person the artist has a conflict with.② The metaphorical act of dismantling the musical production (the beat) which acts as a proxy opponent.

"Kinda like Shaft, so you could say I'm shafting"

① A reference to the iconic 1970s cultural figure Shaft, implying coolness and prowess.② A crude play on the name 'Shaft' used to imply the act of defeating or intimidating an opponent.

"jammy"

① Slang for a firearm (pistol/revolver).② A play on the word 'jam' used earlier in the verse, connecting the musical performance to weaponry.

Commanding, high-energy delivery perfectly suited to the instrumental

Consistent, aggressive rhythmic pocket maintained throughout

Effective use of persona-driven hyperbole

Limited lexical variety

Some metaphors (e.g., 'shafting') rely on superficial wordplay rather than deep thematic subtext

Mama Said Knock You Out

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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