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.

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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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)

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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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)

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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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)

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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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)

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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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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LL Rocks Canibus' Bells - Uncle L put the nail in Canibus' coffin when he went for the kill on "Back Where I Belong." James Todd Smith showed no chill and made sure Canibus never asked to borrow his mic again when he rhymed:"As far as Canibus go, my man is hitting his ex-broad/I'm getting head from his new piece while 20 gang bangers applaud/You came up with that bulls**t/Some heads sucked it up/Then you dropped that garbage album and totally f****d it up/I coulda told ya I knew your moms from the after-hours spot/When I used to be up in Canada with the dreads on a back block/Before you d**k rode Lost Boyz for a ticket our to Jersey/But being the man I am, I tried to show ya mercy..."(Photos from left: Jerome Albertini/Corbis, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spike TV)

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LL Rocks Canibus' Bells - Uncle L put the nail in Canibus' coffin when he went for the kill on "Back Where I Belong." James Todd Smith showed no chill and made sure Canibus never asked to borrow his mic again when he rhymed:"As far as Canibus go, my man is hitting his ex-broad/I'm getting head from his new piece while 20 gang bangers applaud/You came up with that bulls**t/Some heads sucked it up/Then you dropped that garbage album and totally f****d it up/I coulda told ya I knew your moms from the after-hours spot/When I used to be up in Canada with the dreads on a back block/Before you d**k rode Lost Boyz for a ticket our to Jersey/But being the man I am, I tried to show ya mercy..."(Photos from left: Jerome Albertini/Corbis, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spike TV)

LL Rips On Kool Moe Dee - Taking orders from his Ma Dukes, LL went for Kool Moe Dee's Isaac Hayes look and flipped his nemesis' own words on "Mama Said Knock You Out" as he blasted off: "Why do you riff with me, the maniac psycho/And when I pull out my jammy get ready cause it might go BLAAAAW/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."(Photos from left: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, Paul Natkin/WireImage)

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LL Rips On Kool Moe Dee - Taking orders from his Ma Dukes, LL went for Kool Moe Dee's Isaac Hayes look and flipped his nemesis' own words on "Mama Said Knock You Out" as he blasted off: "Why do you riff with me, the maniac psycho/And when I pull out my jammy get ready cause it might go BLAAAAW/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."(Photos from left: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, Paul Natkin/WireImage)

LL Goes To Work On Kool Moe Dee - L fired another clip at Kool Moe Dee with "No Frontin' Allowed" off 1993's 14 Shots To The Dome when he eulogized their feud with:"Soul survivor of a thousand beats/Sending funeral wreaths to all y'all used-to-be chiefs."(Photo: Jive / RCA Records)

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LL Goes To Work On Kool Moe Dee - L fired another clip at Kool Moe Dee with "No Frontin' Allowed" off 1993's 14 Shots To The Dome when he eulogized their feud with:"Soul survivor of a thousand beats/Sending funeral wreaths to all y'all used-to-be chiefs."(Photo: Jive / RCA Records)

Canibus Gets Busted Open - Canibus felt a few stings during his beef with LLas the Queens great delivered an upper cut on "The Ripper Strikes Back" when he spit:"Ask Canibus, he ain't understanding this 'cause 99 percent of his fans don't exist/I'm going underground and blowing your rep down/Next time, save that s**t for the Lyricist's Lounge/Or a house party where you can battle some clown/On top of all that, I'll  beat your homeless a** down."(Photo: Christopher Kolk/Corbis)

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Canibus Gets Busted Open - Canibus felt a few stings during his beef with LLas the Queens great delivered an upper cut on "The Ripper Strikes Back" when he spit:"Ask Canibus, he ain't understanding this 'cause 99 percent of his fans don't exist/I'm going underground and blowing your rep down/Next time, save that s**t for the Lyricist's Lounge/Or a house party where you can battle some clown/On top of all that, I'll  beat your homeless a** down."(Photo: Christopher Kolk/Corbis)

Mike Tyson Feels The Rage Of Cool James - Iron Mike chose to ride with Canibus during his war with LL Cool J and provided some vivid ad libs on Canibus' "Second Round K.O." diss. LL quickly let Tyson know that he should stick to what he knows best. He knocked the boxing champ out cold on "The Ripper Strikes Back.""Heard that convicted rapist on the record too/Fresh out of jail, a** cheeks still black and blue/Tell me bout the things ear biter taught you/How to bust a nut or two? (Yeah that's butta boo)."(Photo: Ruediger Fessel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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Mike Tyson Feels The Rage Of Cool James - Iron Mike chose to ride with Canibus during his war with LL Cool J and provided some vivid ad libs on Canibus' "Second Round K.O." diss. LL quickly let Tyson know that he should stick to what he knows best. He knocked the boxing champ out cold on "The Ripper Strikes Back.""Heard that convicted rapist on the record too/Fresh out of jail, a** cheeks still black and blue/Tell me bout the things ear biter taught you/How to bust a nut or two? (Yeah that's butta boo)."(Photo: Ruediger Fessel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Ice-T Gets Melted - Uncle L fired a few heat-seeking missiles and tried to melt Ice-T on "To Da Break of Dawn." Referencing the Original Gangster's Power album cover, which featured the L.A. rhymers ex Darlene Ortiz, Todd said he spent some personal time with her picture as he flexed:"How dare you stand beside me/I'm Cool, I freeze I-c-e/On your trail and I'mma cut that bull tail/You're disobedient with the wrong ingredients/But I'mma drink you down over the rocks/While I freak on your album cover jocks/You're gonna hear a real ill paragraph soon/I took the cover right home to the bathroom."(Photo: Sire / Warner Bros. Records)

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Ice-T Gets Melted - Uncle L fired a few heat-seeking missiles and tried to melt Ice-T on "To Da Break of Dawn." Referencing the Original Gangster's Power album cover, which featured the L.A. rhymers ex Darlene Ortiz, Todd said he spent some personal time with her picture as he flexed:"How dare you stand beside me/I'm Cool, I freeze I-c-e/On your trail and I'mma cut that bull tail/You're disobedient with the wrong ingredients/But I'mma drink you down over the rocks/While I freak on your album cover jocks/You're gonna hear a real ill paragraph soon/I took the cover right home to the bathroom."(Photo: Sire / Warner Bros. Records)