This was a sea change for LL Cool J (Ladies Love Cool James), from the start he was always an engaging if not slightly lightweight hip hop artist. For this album LL bulked up, revamped his image into a player with a more aggressive stance and created one of the best hip hop songs I've ever heard in the title track. Released in 1990 through Def Jam, Mother Said Knock You Out is still a seminal hip hop album and boy did he need it. Considered a bit of a boaster who was a bit flakey with songs like the poppy 'I need you', this album reinvented him as a serious player, album to switch from romance to humour to edgy beats in one album effortlessly. The ...  Read the complete review

In 1990 came LL Cool J's fourth album, "Mama Said Knock You Out". It appeared to have him move on significantly as the last album was filled with ballad raps, and hear he made a turn towards the street Rap to please his core fan base once again. This was taken even further with the album after it, so this is seen as a point where he chooses to change how people perceive him and his music. 1. "The Boomin' System" This kind of thing is on another rise, and at the time it was pretty fresh to do so as this one has him do more bragging raps which have him talk about the type of thing he is able to spend his money on, and so here he ...  Read the complete review