2025-2026

2025 Sep- Dec

Don’t Call it a Throwback: He’s Been Here for Years!: Revisiting LL Cool J’s "Mama Said Knock You Out"

My dad was born in the early '80s, which means late '90s and early '00s music constantly played through the car radio as I grew up. Nelly, Busta Rhymes, and LL Cool J were the most prominent earworms of my childhood, which encouraged me to revisit Cool J’s fourth album.

“Mama Said Knock You Out” is one of the most iconic hip-hop albums of the '90s. Released at the turn of the 90s, Mama Said Knock You Out comprises some of LL Cool J’s most popular songs: “Mama Said Knock You Out”, “Around the Way Girl”, and “The Boomin’ System”, all of which elevated him to stardom and earned him his first Grammy. 

The 14-track album followed LL Cool J’s previous studio album, Walking With A Panther, and received higher critical acclaim. In fact, his fourth album salvaged his reputation, steering him away from the ‘rap love ballad’ niche that his audience grew tired of. In this album, Cool J curated an overarching story and the ‘authentic’ hip-hop sound, not what would automatically top charts. 

“The Boomin’ System”, as the album’s first song, paints a classic “hip-hop” picture. The beat is melodic, carrying a spoken introduction like much of the rest of the album, and emblematic of hip-hop hits from the era. Cool J describes cars with their windows rolled down blasting music, specifically his music, which instantly lightens the mood for the rest of the album’s runtime. “The Boomin’ System” introduces one of the main topics present in this album: egotism. Many songs consist of Cool J rapping about fame, about his music specifically, and his impact on the next generation of rappers. 

The second song, “Around The Way Girl”, conforms to the love ballad genre Cool J was ridiculed for in his previous album, though only four out of 14 songs are solely focused on women, how attractive they are, and how awesome sex with them is. “Around The Way Girl” happens to be the most popular of the four, describing a beautiful woman from around the way, though many of his descriptions are so idyllic that it seems like he’s imagining the perfect woman, not actually seeing her. One of this album’s shorter songs, clocking in at just over four minutes, it reads more like a pop ballad than a track on a rap album. No wonder it became one of Cool J’s most popular songs. 

The third theme I found in this album was blatant social commentary. “Mama Said Knock You Out” is by no means a political album, but some tracks act as avenues for Cool J to express his opinions more than others. “Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem)”, one of my favorite songs on the album, is a fantastic tribute to MCing and the birth of hip-hop. Pioneers of the genre, Marly Marl, Bomb, Big Money Grip, and Hi C, each have verses celebrating New York City and the roots of hip-hop, likely combating the then-prevalent shift from art to consumerist content. 

What made that track stand out to me is just how different it was from the rest of the album. Not that the other songs were bad, but many of them followed a similar structure. Spoken intro, verse, chorus, verse with the same flow, chorus, identical verse, repeated chorus as the outro. To cut Cool J some slack, this was a sign of the times: 80s-90s hip-hop songs were repetitive, and their flows were rarely complex. You cannot compare, say, Kendrick Lamar and Will Smith. They come from two different times and what might as well have been different genres. 

That being said, “Farmers Blvd. (Our Anthem)” is proof that Cool J very well could have experimented with flow a bit more to complement his fantastic lyricism. My favorite line in the entire album came from the third song, “Eat Em Up L Chill”, which falls into the “I’m the best rapper in the world” category. And deservingly so, with how clever the wordplay is. “And I be demandin’ that you’re abandoned / In the desert or a wild west town / While I’m at your crib on a cherry-go-round”. It’s vulgar and another example of the sex-heavy themes of this album, but genuinely made me laugh when I heard it for the first time. This is not Shakespeare-level writing, nor does it hold a hidden double entendre to be broken down in literature class, but it serves its purpose as a witty display of why Cool J is one of hip-hop’s most recognizable rappers.

The final song of the album, “The Power of God”, flips Cool J’s message of sex, money, and fame on its head. As the title suggests, Cool J exemplifies his successes as God’s successes, stating he continues to flourish as an artist because of His influence on his life. At the end of the day, it is God’s will that matters, not sex, money, or fame. The instrumental is dark and funky despite that. Almost foreboding as Cool J tells the listener that they’re “lucky to live in this world”. As the final song, this is the message he wants to get across: everything he has is because God gave it to him. While this isn’t a belief I subscribe to, Cool J wanted listeners to finish the album and hold onto this message in particular, either as a refraction of the other more vulgar songs or as a new way to look at the album as a whole. 

Either way, I still found “Mama Said Knock You Out” to be a fun album to blast through speakers with the windows rolled down. Better yet, to listen while sitting at a library booth while dodging campus photographers (true story: it was the most stressful moment of my life).

Analog Horror: Future of Filmmaking?

Analog horror has taken the internet by storm in the past few years. Initially starting with the onslaught of independent filmmakers on YouTube, such as the Marble Hornets series that set a precedent for indie horror filmmaking. It saw a spike during COVID with the Walten Files, Greylock, and other such projects. It capitalizes on the fuzzy images of VHS, the shaky movements and unclear image that was offered with what some can consider the OG analog horror– The Blair Witch Project. It’s a small corner of the horror community, and often overlooked for slashers or traditional creature features. 

In my time on the internet, I can’t help but notice how these series have very small, yet fiercely loyal fanbases. Having seen a few, it’s understandable as to why they’re so popular. Here’s a few notable ones for those of you who are interested in a few good scares before Halloween(and before you go searching on Netflix or Hulu– these are all free on YouTube):

The Backrooms: This one has to be on the list solely because it is the most well known and is what gave the analog horror community the spike in popularity that it desperately needed. This series is currently in production for a full-length movie (directed by the original creator, luckily). It’s a great way to introduce someone to this horror genre, and to get them well acquainted with the techniques used. 

Greylock: When construction starts on Mount Greylock in Massachusetts, the residents of the town begin to experience strange home-invasions and murders. They find that the construction company and the government have unearthed a group of horrific beings who target any human they come in contact with. This one is great if you like good visuals, a great storyline, and even some impressive editing and CGI!

Vita Carnis: When a new species begins popping up across the world, humans and animals have no choice but to adapt (the creatures that are made of meat, hence “vita carnis” or “living meat”. This series is full to the brim with new worldbuilding, new creatures to discover, and lots of interesting interactions! This series tackles the question of what happens when humans are no longer at the top of the food chain? The creators utilize impressive puppetry paired with shaky handheld footage to terrify any viewer. 

The Oldest View: The oldest view is most similar to The Backrooms in its inspiration. When a man digs up the remnants of an old mall, he finds himself trapped inside with nothing but a strange, moving puppet. This series was inspired by a real-life mall and statue that was built inside of that mall, and takes a more emotional aspect to the backrooms genre. It explores themes of loss, change, and the human tendency to abandon. 

What does this spike in new media mean? Nothing bad-- it's just easier for filmmakers to have the kinds of access they were previously barred from! Many of these series' work on a very limited budget, yet are able to amass hundreds of thousands of views. In the past, it may have been harder for horror filmmakers to experiment with new styles with very little risk. Now, however, we have an unprecedented access to directing, editing, and audiences! Spend a few scary movie nights leading up to Halloween supporting Independent artists! You might discover something new, something scary, and it's easy on your wallet!

A Glimmer of Hope Amongst Purple Kiss’s Disbandment

On the 8th, I attended a concert at Penn Live Arts, a venue so embedded in the University of Pennsylvania I waited in the VIP line next to a bustling study spot. It’s a small black box theatre with a capacity of just under 1,000, so the experience felt intimate in the way small K-pop concerts always are: my sister and I chatted with the people in line, were given ‘freebies’, and someone played music for us all to dance to. While we waited for Purple Kiss to begin their pre-show activities, just waiting reminded me why I love this genre of music, the people who listen, and those who make it.

For those who don’t know, Purple Kiss is an all-female sextet under RBW, a Korean entertainment company specializing in singers, groups, and actors. Like many K-pop groups, Purple Kiss doesn’t specialize in one specific sound, but their songs include beautiful instrumentals, inventive choreography held up by Ireh and Dosie, Swan and Goeun’s clear vocals, and Chaein and Yuki’s sassy raps. Some of the K-pop groups under RBW, such as Mamamoo, Oneus, and Young Posse, are more lucrative than Purple Kiss, though their talent cannot go unnoticed. Some of my favorite songs of theirs—“Nerdy”, “BBB”, and “memeM”—are far too good for their careers to end after only five years. 

They announced their disbandment in August with no explanation as to why, which is common practice due to NDAs and detailed contracts, but gave plenty of time until they were gone for good. Before their US tour spanning the entirety of October, they travelled across Japan and will host one last South Korean concert in November. Within a month, Purple Kiss will no longer produce music as a group, but you never know what the members will do next. Some theorize that all six will move to a different company to continue activities. Some believe they’ll be separated and either join new groups or become soloists. Pessimists wonder if we’ll ever hear from them again. 

I choose to be optimistic. Based on the progression of their disbandment, I have high hopes wherever the members end up will be of their choosing, which is more important than what fans want. In most cases, small K-pop groups are not so lucky: very few have a farewell tour to give their final goodbyes.

There’s a superstition in the K-pop fandom called the “7-year curse”. Because contracts between artists and their companies span at most seven years, many groups disband after that deadline to pursue solo careers, escape toxic work environments, or because money has run dry. When acts fall victim to this curse, oftentimes their disbandment goes unreported. Many groups across the years have died quietly, leaving fans questioning the fates of their favorite singers, dancers, and rappers. 

This curse affects more groups than one can count, especially ones under small agencies with less economic wiggle-room. However, instead of leaving the world guessing, Purple Kiss released “OUR NOW”, an album composed of English versions of their most popular songs, alongside two new titles, all of which they performed at my concert. 

Despite everything, the members seemed happy. My sister and I had wonderful interactions with all six, and they spoke and joked with the crowd throughout the night. For a group so close to disbandment, I’d understand if the mood were somber or angry, but their smiles made the room that much lighter. Dosie, during a quiet moment, told the crowd she hopes the memories of this performance live on even when the show ends, and I cried because I hoped they would, too. When she noticed how emotional we all got, she elaborated that she didn’t mean to be melancholic; she just wanted us all to have a fun time. They never once mentioned disbandment specifically. We all knew this would be their last time in Philadelphia, so why bring it up and elicit unnecessary sadness?

This is how it should happen every time a group disbands. Many K-pop groups are announced and never debut, some release an album or two and delete all their social media accounts on a random Wednesday, and some idols have been spotted working part-time jobs with confusion as to whether they’re even performing anymore. In the worst case I’ve seen, Be The Next 9 Dreamers, a competition show which produced a final lineup of the top contestants, ran out of money, and their company fled the country, leaving the group out of contact indefinitely. What happened to those to-be idols? We’ll never know.

Unlike other secretive disbandments, Purple Kiss’ is a sign of new beginnings and, hopefully, exactly what each of the members wants for their careers going forward. Although I’d love to see Purple Kiss perform and release music for more time than what they were given, I will continue to root for them in whatever endeavors they accomplish, together or otherwise. Because, in the K-pop industry, the best you can hope for is idols following their dreams with as few hiccups as possible.