Released: February 26, 1991

Songwriter: LL Cool J Marley Marl

Producer: Marley Marl

[Intro]
Knock 'em out
("Mama said knock")
Pump it up, Unc'
Yeah, pump it up, Unc'
Uh ("Mama said knock you")

[Verse 1]
Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years
I'm rocking my peers, putting suckers in fear
Making the tears rain down like a monsoon
Listen to the bass go boom
Explosion, uh, 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

[Chorus]
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out

[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
So why do you riff with me, the maniac psycho
And when I pull out my jammy
Get ready 'cause it might go BLAAAAOW
How ya like me now?
The ripper will not allow, uh
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]
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, do what your mama said
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out

[Verse 3]
Shadowboxing 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 you say my name
Ripping, killing
Digging and drilling a hole
Pass the Ol' Gold

[Chorus]
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock 'em on out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama, knock, knock, knock 'em out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Breakdown

[Breakdown]
Pump it up
Pump it up, Unc'
Uh, pump it up, Bob'
(Breakdown, mama said knock you out, breakdown)

[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! Oooooohh!
Listen to the way I slaaaaay, your crew
Damage UHH, damage OH, damage OH, damage OH
Destruction, terror, and mayhem
Pass me a sissy soft sucker I'll slay him
Farmers, Farmers
I'm 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 L the strength to rock hard
Knock you out

[Chorus]
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out
Do what your mama said, knock you out

[Outro]
Pump it up
Pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Uh, uh, pump it up, Unc'
Yeah (Breakdown)
1991
(Knock you out)
And to Bobcat, to Marley Marl
To Beat Blast, my cousin Mike, cousin Jeff
We in the house
Do what your mama said, knock you out
(Knock you out, breakdown)
(Mama said knock, mama said knock)
(Mama said knock, mama said knock)
(Mama said, mama said ... knock ... you out)

LL Cool J

Deriving his name from the statement “Ladies Love Cool James,” LL Cool J became a superstar rapper after his Def Jam debut in 1984. He mixed a hardcore hip-hop style from songs like “I’m Bad” with R&B style on songs like “I Need Love,” which led him to multi-platinum success and several awards. He would later venture into movies and television, write several books, and start different business ventures.

Born January 14, 1968, Queens, New York native James Todd Smith began rapping at the age of nine and started to seriously pursue rapping when he was 16 years old after his grandfather bought him music equipment, which he used to create a demo tape that was sent to numerous labels. He was signed by upstart independent label Def Jam, working with founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin to release his debut single “I Need a Beat” in 1984, which sold over 100,000 copies. This success helped Def Jam secure a distribution deal with Columbia Records.

LL released his debut album Radio in 1985, which achieved platinum status with help from the hit singles “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” and “Rock the Bells.” After working exclusively with Rick Rubin on his debut, LL worked with the West Coast production crew L.A. Posse on his second album Bigger and Deffer, released in 1987. The album featured two of LL’s signature the hard-edged “I’m Bad” and the “rap ballad” “I Need Love,” which was a Top 20 pop hit, helping the album achieve double platinum status.