Trump Administration Releases Video of Disputed Boat Strike Featuring LL Cool J’s Hit Song
DHS Releases Controversial Video Featuring LL Cool J Amid Military Strikes on Drug Boats
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing scrutiny for its cavalier approach to recent military operations targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. This follows the release of a video set to LL Cool J’s hit song “Mama Said Knock You Out,” highlighting these contentious strikes.
On December 10, the DHS posted footage on X, showcasing U.S. troops descending from helicopters onto large boats while wielding machine guns. The video features LL Cool J’s lyrics, which include, “Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years/ I’m rockin’ my peers, puttin’ suckers in fear.”
The DHS captioned the post with “KNOCKOUT,” declaring, “If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you.”
Concerns over the strikes have been mounting, particularly from politicians and human rights organizations. Since September, at least 87 individuals have reportedly been killed due to these operations, as noted by NBC News. While the government asserts that the targeted vessels were transporting drugs to the U.S. on behalf of cartels, advocacy groups including the ACLU have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. They argue that these strikes qualify as murder and, more egregiously, reflect inhumane treatment toward survivors who were either killed or left to drown.
ACLU attorney Jeffrey Stein stressed the need for accountability, stating, “We think that the public deserves to know how our government is justifying the cold-blooded murder of civilians as lawful. We think that the Trump administration needs to stop these illegal and immoral strikes immediately, and that the officials who have carried them out must be held accountable, not gifted a ‘Get Out of Jail Free card.’”
In a related context, inconsistencies have emerged regarding Trump’s commitment to release footage from a September 2 strike that resulted in the deaths of survivors. Although he initially expressed openness to sharing the video, he later retracted those comments, as reported by ABC News.
Released in 1990 on LL Cool J’s album of the same name, “Mama Said Knock You Out” reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1992.
