The Trump administration has taken a decidedly casual tone while publicizing its contentious strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The Department of Homeland Security recently published footage of those operations set to LL Cool J’s iconic track “Mama Said Knock You Out.”
In a clip shared on X on Wednesday, Dec. 10, the rapper’s vocals are layered over scenes of U.S. forces fast-roping from helicopters onto large boats and pointing weapons at people aboard. The edited video juxtaposes the music’s aggressive energy with images of troops engaging targets at sea.
The DHS caption that accompanied the post read simply: “KNOCKOUT. If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you.”
Billboard has contacted LL Cool J’s representatives for comment.
The release comes amid mounting concern from lawmakers and human-rights groups about the strikes, which critics say have killed dozens. Advocacy organizations report that at least 87 people have died since September, according to coverage by NBC News, and some groups have filed lawsuits alleging the operations amount to unlawful killings and, in certain cases, inhumane treatment of survivors left at sea.
ACLU attorneys and other advocates have urged transparency about the legal basis for the strikes and demanded an immediate halt to actions they characterize as illegal, while calling for accountability for officials involved.
There has also been confusion over whether the administration will release footage of a Sept. 2 strike that reportedly left survivors dead; President Trump initially indicated he had no objection to making that video public but later scaled back that commitment, according to reporting by ABC News.
LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out,” released in 1990 on the album of the same name, reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the artist a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992.
