Mama Said Knock You Out

85年のデビュー以来、常にヒップホップ・シーンの頂点に君臨し続けた彼であったが、87年の『Bigger And Deffer(BAD)』以降プライベートのスキャンダルや事件が相次ぎ人気も低迷。全てをリセットし再出発となった作品がこの90年の4thアルバム。以外にも「Cold Chillin'」のボス、マーリー・マールとタッグを組み制作されたこのアルバムは、今までのリック・ルービン色濃いロック魂は薄れ、マーリー・マールお得意のポピュラー感溢れるソウルフルなサンプリング・ソースが支配した内容だ。後にMary J. Bligeの誕生で一躍そのサウンド/スタイルが注目を集めた、ヒップホップとヴォーカルのコラボレイト“ヒップホップ・ソウル”の原点とも言える手法をこの作品で披露している。

Rolling Stone - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...Deepens the grooves, uplifting the general tone of the proceedings without losing the humorous arrogance..." Q - 3 Stars - Good - "...They were calling him old-school when MAMA SAID came out in 1990 but `The Boomin' System' showed he was still master of the jeep jam, while `Around The Way Girl' remains the prettiest thing he's ever done..." Rolling Stone - Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's." Melody Maker - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Light on tenderness, heavy on the Jeep beats, Cool James never sounded better than on 'Tha Boomin' System'." Spin - Ranked #47 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s." New York Times - "...As L.L. Cool J. peeks behind the crass materialism his persona once took for granted, he sounds tougher and funnier..." Q - 3 stars out of 5 - "[A] comeback of Rocky Balboa proportions. Cool J's physical charms and neat way with a pop hook made killer hits..." Q - 3 stars out of 5 - "[A] comeback of Rocky Balboa proportions. Cool J's physical charms and neat way with a pop hook made killer hits..." Q - 3 stars out of 5 - "[A] comeback of Rocky Balboa proportions. Cool J's physical charms and neat way with a pop hook made killer hits..." Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.70) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's." Spin (9/99, p.142) - Ranked #47 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s." Rolling Stone (10/18/90) - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...Deepens the grooves, uplifting the general tone of the proceedings without losing the humorous arrogance..." New York Times (11/18/90) - "...As L.L. Cool J. peeks behind the crass materialism his persona once took for granted, he sounds tougher and funnier..." Q (9/95, p.134) - 3 Stars - Good - "...They were calling him old-school when MAMA SAID came out in 1990 but `The Boomin' System' showed he was still master of the jeep jam, while `Around The Way Girl' remains the prettiest thing he's ever done..." Melody Maker (5/23/00, p.57) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Light on tenderness, heavy on the Jeep beats, Cool James never sounded better than on 'Tha Boomin' System'." Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.70) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's." Spin (9/99, p.142) - Ranked #47 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s." Rolling Stone (10/18/90) - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...Deepens the grooves, uplifting the general tone of the proceedings without losing the humorous arrogance..." New York Times (11/18/90) - "...As L.L. Cool J. peeks behind the crass materialism his persona once took for granted, he sounds tougher and funnier..." Q (9/95, p.134) - 3 Stars - Good - "...They were calling him old-school when MAMA SAID came out in 1990 but `The Boomin' System' showed he was still master of the jeep jam, while `Around The Way Girl' remains the prettiest thing he's ever done..." Melody Maker (5/23/00, p.57) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Light on tenderness, heavy on the Jeep beats, Cool James never sounded better than on 'Tha Boomin' System'."

"Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years/Rockin' the mic, puttin' suckers in fear". Despite that disclaimer, MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT was indeed a resurgence--both commercial and personal--for LL, coming as it did after a long battle with substance abuse. Although the title track saw a return to the raw b-boy machismo of "Rock The Bells" after a few years of party jams and rap ballads, L was not about to abandon the tropes of sex symbol and party-emcee.
Accordingly, the testosterone level of "Boomin' System", and "Farmers Blvd". (a posse cut dedicated to the street-corner sessions which molded his style) is balanced with more seductive monologues ("Around The Way Girl", "6 Minutes Of Pleasure", "Mr. Goodbar") and straight comedy ("Cheesy Rat", "Milky Cereal"). More than adherence to any particular style, it's LL's original and articulate delivery that carries the album, which is also blessed with the production skills of Marley Marl. Marley definitely pulled out the stops for this one, dusting off a few classic beats to set next to those he'd obviously been saving specifically for a record of this scope.|