Mama Said Knock You Out: 25 Years Of LL Cool J Battle Raps
A look at some of LL Cool J's hardest battle barbs.
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I'm Bad - LL released his classic fourth album Mama Said Knock You Out in 1990, 25 years ago (Aug. 27). The comeback project pulls no punches, featuring plenty of heat aimed at some of his rivals. In honor of this classic release, let's take a look at some of Uncle L's hardest disses over the years. --Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA) (Photo: Def Jam / Columbia / CBS Records)
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LL Shows Jay Z Who's Bigger and Deffer - LL was one of the first to call out Jay Z during his tenure as President of Def Jam, questioning Hov's ability to run the company. He called President Carter to the carpet on "Queens": "I ain't a fronting a** coward, I don't rape Soundscans/I wish Rick and Russell was back, I miss tha old Def Jam/'Cause them new monkies act like they don't know who I am/The promotion and marketing wasn't worth a damn/Now they on the balls again 'cause 50 my man/It's a Queens thing, doofy/ This is how we do/We rep our hood, goofy/How 'bout you?"(Photos from left: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images, Rich Schultz/Getty Images for Roc Nation Sports)
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Mr. Smith Shows Kool Moe Dee Who's Bad - Kool Moe Dee felt The G.O.A.T.'s wrath when the Def Jam MC let him have it on the scathing diss "Jack The Ripper" and told the "Wild Wild West" MC that he was done:"Prince of the growl is on the prowl/How You Like Me Now?/ You living foul/Here's what my game is/Kill is what my aim is/A washed up rapper needs a washer, my name is..."(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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Hammer Gets Caught In LL's Mix - Jack The Ripper touched MC Hammer on "To Da Break Of Dawn" and checked the Oakland MC with a barrage of bars off Mama Said Knock You Out. "To that amateur swinging a hammer.../ I'm the wrong brother to dance with.../ Shut your old mouth when young folks is talking/ "Cause my old gym teacher ain't supposed to rap."(Photo: AP Photo/Olga Shalygin)
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Uncle L Shoots Down The Competition - If anyone ever wondered about Mr. Smith's battling track record, the Queens MC didn't have a problem giving his rundown on 1995's "I Shot Ya.""What the f**k, I thought I conquered the whole world/Crushed Moe Dee, Hammer and Ice-T's curl/But still, n****s want to instigate s**t/I'll battle any n***a in the rap game quick/Name the spot, I make it hot for you b*****s/Female rappers too, I don't give a f**k boo/Word, I'm here to crush all my peers/Rhymes of the month in The Source for twenty years."(Photos from left: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, AP Photo/Reed Saxon, AP Photo/Sam Jones)
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