AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Female Lives Matter. Fuck you, Ice Cube.

Not bad, but the misogyny is... a bit much. I get that this is the 'brand', but in my opinion it's hypocritical and undermines the message of the rest of the album. How can you critique the oppression of black people and at the same time promote the oppression of women? (I feel the same when it's the other way around, which also happens way too often, but that's a different story). Still gets 2 stars for the political songs.

Not my thing personally. I can see why it's so influential, but probably agree with the original Rolling Stone review - "The relentless profanity grows wearisome, the Bomb Squad beats lose steam, and Cube's attitudes toward women are simply despicable."

It does what it does well, but my patience with that level of unashamed misogyny these days is pretty much non-existent. Good delivery, sickening content.

It's not my favorite flavor of hiphop but this album is solid. I mean, Ice Cube has always been ready to get up in faces and speak hard truths. That is very much on display here. Commentary on race, violence, inequality, culture, etc. is delivered with agressive poeticism. The biggest issue is that the beats are hella dated. SUPER dated. A related issue is that every track sounds so similar to the last that that my ears are worn out by track four.

One star for excessive language & disrespect to women. The music etc was just ok for me as well. Don't get me wrong I love rap, hip-hop etc, but only if it is good. This was NOT good.

When Ice Cube split from N.W.A after the group's seminal Straight Outta Compton album changed the world forever, expectations were high, too high to ever be met by anyone but the most talented of artists, and at his most inspired. At the time Cube was just that. With AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted the rapper expanded upon Compton, making a more full-bodied album that helped boost the role of the individual in hip-hop. Save the dramatic intro where a mythical Ice Cube is fried in the electric chair, his debut is filled with eye-level views of the inner city that are always vivid, generally frightening, generally personal, and sometimes humorous in the gallows style. Ripping it quickly over a loop from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog," Cube asks the question that would be central to his early career, "Why there more niggas in the pen than in college?," while sticking with the mutual distrust and scare tactics N.W.A used to wipe away any hopes of reconciliation ("They all scared of the Ice Cube/And what I say what I portray and all that/And ain't even seen the gat"). "What I'm kicking to you won't get rotation/Nowhere in the nation" he spits on the classic "Turn Off the Radio," which when coupled with the intoxicating Bomb Squad production and Cube's cocksure delivery that's just below a shout, makes one think he's the only radio the inner city needs. The Bomb Squad's amazing work on the album proves they've been overly associated with Public Enemy, since their ability to adapt to AmeriKKKa's more violent and quick revolution is underappreciated. Their high point is the intense "Endangered Species," a "live by the trigger" song that offers "It's a shame, that niggas die young/But to the light side it don't matter none." This street knowledge venom with ultra fast funk works splendidly throughout the album, with every track hitting home, although the joyless "You Can't Fade Me" has alienated many a listener since kicking a possibly pregnant woman in the stomach is a very hard one to take. Just to be as confusing as the world he lives in, the supposedly misogynistic Cube introduces female protégé Yo-Yo with "It's a Man's World" before exiting with "The Bomb," a perfectly unforgiving and visceral closer. Save a couple Arsenio Hall disses, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted is a timeless, riveting exercise in anger, honesty, and the sociopolitical possibilities of hip-hop.

+1 stars for misogyny

Good flow, but I couldn't make it through the violent/sexist/explicit tracks. Big yikes!

“Amerikkka’s Most Wanted” by Ice Cube (1990) I’m marginally familiar with this artist and lyrics (Ice Cube: “political hip hop” [TAR, 416]), especially “The Nigga You Love to Hate” and “This Is a Man’s World”. Most people are not consistently aware of the fact that socio-political propaganda has two dimensions. First, obviously, propaganda includes the promotion of set of views, which may or may not involve deception. But there is a second, more hidden dimension in which propaganda seeks to employ devices of socio-political power to downplay, distort, demean, or deny a voice to the views of others. The first dimension can be simply recognized as free speech (or advertising). But it is the second dimension that should be the focus of our analysis. Ice Cube’s lyrics, to state the obvious, are intentionally and self consciously angry, shocking, and offensive—entertainingly so. For this dimension of Ice Cube’s propagated views he gets five stars. Without question this album is a well executed, innovative, influential, and well performed expression of socio-political sentiment. Good poetry, vocals, production values, which still, 30 years later, have a solid fundamental appeal. Excellent listening experience. On the other hand (second dimension), these lyrics scare white people. They should. They are intended to. And apart from the fact that some racially aware white people (I’d like to think I’m one of them) feel guilty about how white people treated black people for at least the past 400 years, artists like Ice Cube have, using the second dimension referred to above, learned how to effectively tell white people to STFU. Out of unironically serious respect to the artistic integrity of this artist and album, therefore, I will. 3/5

Has aged very poorly

Good continuity, solid beats, but gets monotonous, plus increasingly misogynist and trite.

Love this album. Social commentary, great tracks from start to end, and one that deserves a listen straight through.

I’m giving this one star because of the misogynistic lyrics and general tone which has dated really badly. If we are rightly holding TV from the 50s and 60s accountable for its obvious racism then we have to also hold early rap accountable for its horrendous sexism.

I love hip-hop, but I don't generally fuck with gangsta rubbish. NWA's Straight Outta Compton is one exception, so let's see if Ice Cube's solo stuff will click.... No. It's shit. Production is pretty catchy, but repetitive, and full of irritating skits with unfunny jokes. Ice Cube's flow and delivewry are alright. Lyrics are the usual misogynistic rubbish about kicking pregnant women in the stomach and so forth. Man, he really likes talking about his dick. What artistry. Yeah, we could say it's raw and aggressive because it's the art of the disenfranchised urban poor. But let's all remember that this style of hip-hop was successful throughout the 1990s because largely white audiences lapped up increasingly extreme stereotypes of the exoticised African-American man, like a modern and aggressive version of minstrelsy. I will defend hip-hop as a genre, but this is crap. "Endangered Species" featuring Chuck D is tolerable, though it's offset by a shitty Flavor Flav appearance later. To be clear, I don't need my hip-hop to be sanitised. But it needs to have something (anything) that lifts it above the level of hateful hyper-masculine posturing. 1/5 To end on a positive note, here's a great hip-hop album from 1990 that should be on the list: Master Ace - Take A Look Around (1990)

Production and assembly is great, and it's a (rightly) angry album, but the shameless sexism is not a good look now.

J'ai trouvé le texte de l'album très riche, je vous le joins dans sa totalité ci-dessous : ♫ Boom, bap, boom, bap n-word, fuck, drugs, gang !! Boom bap bap boom, encore n-word, fuck, de nouveau le n-word !! Boom bap motherfuck et revoilà le fameux n-word accompagné du mot fuck... Encore !? Un n-word de plus mon gars et bah ouais, l'album dure une heure, fuck motherfuck bam boop, n-word comme par hasard et m-word maintenant pourquoi pas, gun, fuck ! Gang ! C'est tout pour moi je m'appelle Ice Cube !♫

Ice cube at the height of his powers in terms of lyrical content. You can literally see the birthing pains of gangsta rap. His subject is the oppression of African Americans and the weight of the system. But is also outrageously misogynistic and a bit hung ho. Would probably be quite tame by later standards and still has some meangingful politics in there. He is a splendid rapper mind and the tunes are quality bass heavy hip hop from it's golden years.

It seems like both Ice Cube and the N.W.A had trouble evolving once the split happened. While N.W.A continued on and produced a second album, it had nowhere near the impact or quality their debut had; it was missing Ice Cube as an absolutely vital ingredient. His blunt lyrics and aggressive rap style were essential to their sound. Ice Cube's solo debut, in a similar situation, has all of the trademark style that makes him an intriguing figure yet lacks the exciting and inventive production featured on 'Straight Outta Compton'. It's a classic situation of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Regardless, the question here is "is 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' a good album? It’s okay. It's not that much different from what he knew back in the late 80's. He's angry, he doesn't mince his words, and his overall theme of pointing out racial injustice is both self righteous and, quite frankly, much needed in pop culture; both back then and now. But the overall listening experience is tiring from a musical perspective. As I mentioned above it's missing the bells and whistles of early Dr. Dre production, which tended to compliment him perfectly. It results in an album that feels like it very much belongs in 1990 and hasn't aged all that well. There's also the question of some heavily outdated, and downright worrying, views on women; along with many, many instances of the glorification of the gangsta lifestyle (which ‘Straight Outta Compton’ was very much guilty of, too). Out of all the hip hop albums I have gotten on the list so far, this is by far the weakest. There's very little innovation - as if Ice Cube simply wanted to air his lyrical ability over basic beats, some callback samples, and uninventive instrumentation. The dude had talent, but I feel like rap music creatively succeeds or fails on the production table. Maybe it's a case of starting from what you know and evolving from there - because Ice Cube definitely has better material than this in his overall discography. His debut feels more like a rethread, rather than a true branching out moment. It’s a constant reminder of what came before, rather than moving forward. Maybe I’m wrong, seeing as this album was critically and commercially successful. But that’s the beauty of different opinions and tastes, I guess. 2/5

Hooray, another dose of violent misogyny. This one goes straight in the trash next to Dr. Dre.

Wow. This is just pure energy. Everything I like about hip-hop and more. Ice Cube really was at the top of his game here and the soul funk beats are just sublime. A word on the album’s misogyny. It’s a bit of a commonplace to diagnose this symptom in hip hop, but interestingly while “You Can’t Fade Me” unquestionably leaves a bad taste in the mouth, it exists in this strange tension alongside “It’s a Man’s World” towards the end of the album. That is truly the kind of confrontational paradox that this genre often avoids. In a word: masterpiece.

18. Nunca quis ser mais alto, maisrápidomaisFORTE. Vivo p'ra cair na merda, tipo Vítor Norte. MotA: Endangered Species "Was America willing to maintain order... No matter what the cost?"

One of my favorite rap albums of all time. Bangers from start to finish.

This album is basically an opener of what the hip hop of the 1990s would be like. Groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A opened the way, in the late 1980s, for rappers to take the spotlight in the next decade. In this sense, this first Ice Cube effort goes everywhere, but finds things to say in every corner it touches. Great lyrics, beats and samples overall. Songs that are more political and have social commentary are the highlights, like "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" and "Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside)", but the rawness of "The Nigga Ya Love to Hate" is also very interesting.

It's not my favourite genre in hip hop, but this album is solid. Ice Cube speaks hard truths. That's very evident here. Comments on race, violence, inequality, culture, etc. are delivered with aggressive poetry. (7/10) FT: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Solid west coast rap. The rhythm section on this album really stands out with classic soul and funk lines. Overall this album is very well balanced. My biggest issue is the portrayal of women in this album though Yo-Yo’s inclusion is a good counterbalance to his misogyny. Ice Cube’s flow is good with moments that break out of contemporary patterns and anticipate the more creative rapping to come

Ice Cube is a talent. His career is a marvel. He's part of NWA and also a children's movie icon. He can do it all. The misogamy in this genre does not age well, not that it was ok then. What Cube does though is create a persona that allows him to dip in and out of otherwise increasingly wicked ideas and statements. Performance is the key. And he is able to build up commentary on race, society, culture, and the industry. This is an incredible debut for a Ice Cube as well. His role in NWA was huge and then he was able to jump out and put this together.

After NWA, Ice Cube showed he could still deliver with a strong debut solo album. There's no doubt that The Lench Mob brings a-game production for the album, but it's Ice Cube's attitude and lyricism that really cements this as a hardcore hiphop album for all time. NWA deserves praise on their own, of course, but Ice Cube clearly did well for himself after the group. I'll say that the first half of songs are better than second half, but the whole thing is still cool af.

A powerful and angry hip-hop album that established the genre's footing in the industry. Ice Cube's debut is for sure my favorite after Death Certificate and for a very good reason. He's let out his anger at injustice and top lyrical ideas into one compact album. Ice Cube is a lyrical genius, who's storytelling skills draws you into the setting and mood, while also conveying the underlying message. This is best demonstrated in "The Nigga Ya...", "AmeriKKKa's...", and "Once Upon a Time...". I also love how he incorporates humor and imagination, as in "You Can't Fade Me" and "A Gangsta's Fairytale." And then there's the Bomb Squad production which serves to reinforce and complement the power of Ice Cube's messages. It's reminiscent of what made Public Enemy so special. I did feel the second side was weaker than the first, but still amazing tracks one after the other.

A great hip-hop album. At times the songs feel like they can blend together and that might have to do with the beat, but I have no real complaints about that. Ice Cube has some important things to say, and they're still relevant to this day.

When you think of Ice Cube over the past few years, you think of movies like Ride Along, Barbershop and other somewhat wholesome offerings. This album, and specifically the lyrics, is a bit of a contrast to that. The beats are funky. More funky than I remembered, to be honest. Most "gansta rap" of this era was a bit more raw and gritty, but is a bit more polished and, well, funky. This album also wears it's Public Enemy ties and Parliament Funkadelic influence on it's sleeve, featuring Public Enemy's production teams, The Bomb Squad/Da Lench Mob, as well as appearances from Chuck D and Flava Flav. This is most definitely a west coast rap album, with skits between songs, racial and misogynistic lyrics in full effect and a slathering of political ranting. Some of the themes still ring true today, while others are definitely from a bygone era (this album actually turns 31 in 4 days, so...yeah.) One thing is for sure...this is still a damn good record, regardless.

After the first couple of tracks I worried this would feel samey. Wrong. Deep grooves in the samples, Cube's in-your-face delivery and a dollop of humour and self-awareness made for a very enjoyable listen.

Interesting to think that this album could have been produced by Dre. I think this album benefits a lot from the East Coast style production combined with Ice Cube's West Coast rap style. Every song is good, with Cube alternating between Cube attacking the beat and smoothly following behind it. The pervasive funk samples on this album really make it a breeze to listen to 4/5

Love how this site's users constantly complain about misogyny and violence in hip-hop albums but never about misogyny and violence in rock and metal. I wonder why...

This album is more historically important than actually musically enjoyable. Ice Cube is no Dr Dre.

Too much Ice, not enough to drink. Honestly, I appreciate this album more than I like it; it’s a landmark for sure, and songs like Once Upon a Time in the Projects and It’s a Man’s World bump so fucking hard. But Ice Cubes flow get old pretty fast without the rest of NWA to back him up. The mostly unremarkable beats certainly don’t help, either. It has some great stuff, but it is too bloated for his charisma to carry it alone.

Wow. I guess I'm not a gangsta rap girl. I appreciate some diversity in the albums (finally!) but... Such profanity and tough talk mixed with some good ol' misogyny. He's angry, and probably justifiably so (there is literally a drive-by as one of the tracks) but I still did not like this.

Good beats, but much weaker than The Predator. Lyrical content is just terrible, with the social messages overshadowed by one-note misogyny

Solid early 90s gangsta rap.

Never knew I was into hip-hop, until now

FUCK YES!!!

Rap essential and Cubes best work. From full gangsta to social commentary with the influence amd help from Public Enemy. Second part of the album is absolutely insane. From song 8 and its pure fire. The PE collab is great and this set the great career for Cube who has not slowed down yet. The children song with the Andrew Dice Clay nursery ryhmes is great and funny. A real great album that all must hear.

It's ice cube. 5*****!!

Once upon a time in the projects, yo I damn near had to wreck a ho I knocked on the door It's Ice Cube come to pay a little visit to ya And what's up with the niggas in the parking lot She said, Fuck em cause they get sparked a lot I sat on the couch but it wasn't stable And then I put my Nike's on the coffee table Her brother came in, he's into gang-bangin Cause he walked up and said What set you claimin I don't bang, I write the good rhymes The whole scenery reminded me of Good Times I don't like to feel that I'm put in a rut By a young nigga that needs to pull his pants up He threw up a set and then he was gone I'm thinkin' to myself, won't this bitch bring her ass on? Her mother came in with a joint in her mouth And fired up the sess, it was sess no doubt She said, "Please excuse my house, " and all that I said, "Yeah" 'cause I was buzzed from the contact Lookin' at a fucked up black and white Her mom's bitchin' cause the county check wasn't right She had another brother that was three years old And had a bad case of the runny nose He asked me who I was, then I had to pause It smelled like he took a shit in his little drawers I saw her sister who really needs her ass kicked Only 13 and already pregnant I grabbed my 40 out the bag and took a swig 'Cause I was getting overwhelmed by BeBe Kids They was runnin' and yellin' and playin' and cussin' and tellin' And look at this young punk bailin' I heard a knock on the door without the password And her mom's got the 12 gauge Mossberg The nigga said, Yo, what's for sale? And the bitch came out with a bag of yayo She made the drop and got the 20 dollars From a smoked-out fool with ring around the collar The girl I was waiting for came out I said, "Bitch, I didn't know this was a crack house" I got my coat, and suddenly The cop busted in and had a Mac-10 pointed at my dome And I said to myself, "Once again, it's on" He threw me on the carpet and wasn't cuttin' no slack Jumped on my head and put his knee in my back First he tried to slap me up, wrap me up, rough me up They couldn't do it so they cuffed me up I said, "fuck, how much abuse can a nigga take" Hey yo, officer, you're making a big mistake Since I had on a shirt that said I was dope He thought I was selling base and couldn't hear my case He said, "Get out my face" and musta had a grudge His reply, "Tell that bullshit to the judge" The girl I was with wasn't sayin' nothin' I said, "Aiyyo bitch, you better tell 'em somethin'" She started draggin' and all of a sudden We all got tossed in the paddy wagon Now I beat the rap but that ain't the point I had a warrant, so I spent two weeks in the joint Now the story you heard has one little object Don't fuck with a bitch from the projects Yo man, motherfucking project with a name kinda chill Tell 'em Especially motherfucking ones in Walton South of New LA, boy Don't fuck around with 'em projects boy Rats will whoop your ass Quit that hoe man, I'll buss out and wild Straight up You can criticize that this album is misogynistic or dated and all that damn sure applies, but all that said it also tells one HELL of a story. 5/5

Amazing flow, awesome beats, rough lyrics. There were points I laughed out loud where I felt really bad for laughing (esp. You Can't Fade Me). But that's also one of the things that makes this album great - Ice Cube is genuinely funny when rapping about serious topics (police brutality, white supremacy, jail, gun violence - "Outside the South Central area...Few cared about the violence because... it didn't affect them." - teenage pregnancy, etc.). Plus, the album just rocks - it was a great listen in my headphones while rocking out cleaning my office. As I say with a lot of rap - THIS IS NOT WRITTEN FOR ME - so I'd never listen to it out loud where anyone else could hear. But I can't deny this is probably one of the best rap albums I've listened to on the 1001 so far and that's why I'm going with the 5.

Quite a fun album! I liked the production and really enjoyed Ice Cube's rapping. The content of the lyrics is controversial, but it felt raw and uncompromising. 'You Can't Fade Me/JD's Gaffilin'' was my fave.

i actually listened to The Predator album (1992) instead. which i loved.

The delivery is so sure of it self, and the beats are so smooth. A very angry dude, with opinions have maybe not aged all that well in all areas, but the album is an absolute classic, and for good reason.

The albums rules.

5/5. Hard to argue here, these songs flow so well and the scene by scene style creates a near perfect album. Each song talks about similar themes but has great beats, a little old school, but his anger and lines hit hard enough to make up for it. I understand that there is definitely misogyny that has not aged well here but to discredit the whole album is pretty confusing because you are paying attention to the problem that exists within the "projects" as a black man. Ice Cube, whether playing a character or as himself, this album has only aged well because Ice Cube is not someone to root for yet we just heard his trouble as living as a black man in America. He finds the need to have power over women because he has no power anywhere else, the irony of the title of "It's A Man's World." It is not an excuse to write or rap songs like that, I do not condone these morals, but as an album, it makes Ice Cube a confusing and complicated character, which shows that he views himself as the main character despite his many, many flaws. It's art honestly. Best Song: You Can't Fade Me, Endangered Species, Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob

An album that was probably great in its time, but the themes in the record have aged well. Aged in the sense that the issues Ice Cube discusses is so much more real to us as a society and a country.

Definitely of its time in the production and lyrics, but still a great album overall. 5 stars for me

30 years of awesome gangster rap

classic Ice Cube = 5*

It is still amazing. Great production and incredible rap that stands the time

Very powerful

Old sKKKool, five star.

Old-school rap, although chockoblock with language not suitable for tender ears. It packs a mighty punch, unrelenting. But it is fantastic.

So so

CRAZY MF CALLED ICE CUBE

Favourite songs: The Product, A Gangsta's Fairytale, The Bomb, The Nigga Ya Love To Hate, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob, Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside), I'm Only Out For One Thang, Get Off My Dick And Tell Yo Bitch To Come Here, What They Hittin' Foe?, Once Upon A Time In The Projects Least favourite songs: Better Off Dead, The Drive-By, JD's Gaffilin' (Part 2) (fuck skits) 5/5

Great album. The features are fantastic. I feel like Ice Cube doesn’t get enough credit.

I love ice cube

Ice Cube was the best rapper in N.W.A., and this album proves it. The lyrics are brutally honest, with emphasis on brutality, punctuated with brilliant observations and turns of phrase. What really sets off the album is the production by Public Enemy's Bomb Squad. The poet laureate of West Coast gangster rap paired with the Bomb Squad 's intense, clattering sample-scapes make for rich, rewarding, but not casual listening experience.

So much funk! What I love about the Wikipedia page is every(?) sample is listed by each song - absolute treasure trove of funk. Maybe there's 1001 albums to listen to on this album. I mean yeah, full of gangsta shit and far too close to the bone at times, I can't listen to much of this around my daughter for example because I'm not a cunt. But this is sheer quality. Just checked back my review of The Predator and I didn't mention that issue with the lyrics, there's more righteous anger in that (though it's far from absent here) whereas the focus here is stories of rolling around and being an absolute dickhead. That said, this is probably almost as good, just in a different way. The Public Enemy influence shines through on several tracks. Mind you, there's nothing here quite as absolutely shining genius as It was a Good Day, or When Will They Shoot? So yeah the predator is better, but this is very good. Early 90s rap is stuff I criminally ignored as a pre-teen (and since, aside from Public Enemy) so dead glad this project has forced me to check a lot out. Hardly any has disappointed. So much funk!

+1 star for rap album on this challenge +1 star for NWA member +1 star for album cover +1 star for KKK in title +1 star for mysogyny in lyrics summary - 5 stars ------------------- without jokes album is also cool. it have solid beats and hardcore flow. truly old school hiphop and gangsta rap classic. tracks added: 8 fav track: endangered species 9.5/10

ICE CUUUBE!

One of my fav rap albums, better than Straight Outta Compton. Awesome production, full of tasty early 90s sampling, great flow, just how I like it. Not too much else to say, just an outright classic. 5/5.

Thumping old school hip hop

Ice Cube leaves NWA and follows up with a great album and then influenced the genre again. I had not heard this full album before just a couple of songs. Not all the songs are Ice Cube rapping at a faster pace and being angry. A couple of the songs have a mellower beat. It is a different change of pace. Lyrically Ice Cube continues to address social and political issues in his unique way. Also the skits are unnecessary but those are on most rap albums. i enjoyed the album and I would listen to it again.

Another long overdue introduction to a hip hop legend. This album has aged beautifully. Ice Cube is not trying to be cute or too clever with the lyrics. It’s straight ahead hip hop that’s well produced with good lyrics. It’s really a wonderful album to listen to. It’s a man’s world is an interesting subversion and dismissal of the misogyny trope, I’m here for it.

it’s a legendary album for a reason. it does have some of the misogyny 90s hip hop is famous for, but it’s also the best album from one of the best artists of all time.

This album is such a great listen and can continually listen to over and over.

Classic

This is my definition of perfect hip hop production. Punchy, funky to the point and very quick. Obligatory problematic content disclaimer that is common of (almost) all 90s releases.

Han har oändlig karisma på denna skiva... ett av de aggressivaste, smartaste och roliga hiphop-albumen någonsin.

A classic, perfect for riding with the top down. Public Enemy production with a Chronic feel. Ice Cube is a legend

Unreal how good this is

He's a badass, and so is this album

I loved this album. However, it was really disheartening to hear how little progress we've made in the country with the same issues from this album in '90 still being very prevalent today.

pretty damn good this is real rap

This website is so biased against hip hip, it's insane. This music is everything Eminem wanted to be. Transgressive and thoughtful but with an energetic, catchy flow. Has this album's lyrics aged well? No, obviously. But that's not really the point here. The point is that this album influenced a ludicrous amount of music since it's release over 3 decades ago. The Bomb Squad is the real star here, imo.

I’ve discussed my thoughts on Ice Cube previously with The Predator, and I won’t recount them again here. I like Ice Cube as a rapper, and that’s largely thanks to this record. For a few months in my early 20s, I would go to bat for this album as one of the Top 10 greatest hip-hop albums ever made. And then, for some reason, I let this album fall into the background, never really revisiting it, even for a song or two. Relistening to it now, I get why I was so passionate about this record, but I also get why I haven’t revisited it much after it first came into my life. First and foremost, the production on AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted is flawless. The Bomb Squad are phenomenal in general, but there’s an argument to be made that this is where they peaked, even considering Fear of a Black Planet. This chaotic style of hip-hop production is always fascinating to hear. It’s always fun to catch the samples. Plus, it flows really well on this particular album. The fact that it’s varied and not just constantly running at 100 miles an hour and smacking you in the face, and does allow for chiller moments like “You Can’t Fade Me” and “Who’s The Mack?” showcase why this is a high-water mark of hip-hop production. And, once again, Cube is an incredibly strong rapper and lyricist. His pen is maybe not as strong as it will become over the next 4ish years, but it’s a huge leap forward compared to his work with NWA. The fact that he can make “Ya Love to Hate” catchy while also talking about how much society hates him proves his abilities as a writer. That said, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted is a product of its time, and that may be its biggest shortcoming. For one, while Cube is a strong writer, his flow is so obviously of the time, and screams 1990. It is stiff– maybe the most stiff of any rap album included on this list. Once you get past the magic of the production, his flow stands out as the most glaring issue, and starts to ruin a lot of these songs. His rhyme scheme is basic, his rhythm is pretty standard for the era, and his lack of internal rhymes or flow switch-ups just make it start to feel repetitive. The fact that this problem is “solved” by his next record, Death Certificate, is a testament to the fact that Cube is/was one of the GOATs, but it is a real issue here. Even worse is his….lyrical topics. I think people who complain about problematic views on hip-hop records are real Tipper Gore losers, but like….you can’t ignore that Cube *really* seems to hate women on this record, along with other non-black people, although as a white women, I’m not going to get into that one much. I always used to say “It’s a Man’s World” does enough to balance out the misogyny, and Yo Yo brings some much needed levity to the issue, but today, it feels more like tokenism than legitimate self-critique. This issue does seem more nuanced on Death Certificate as it’s used as a storytelling device, and less of a focus on The Predator, but each of those albums then go ahead and underline the racism against Asians and some equally gross antisemitism, which is like taking two steps forward and three steps back in my opinion. Typically, I’m of the belief that these attitudes are par for the course in hip-hop’s complex history and you kind of need to just move past them while rolling your eyes if you’re ever going to enjoy the genre, especially because they’re rarely that deep, but the way Ice Cube presents it here, I think it may actually be that deep. Still, I can ignore it more than most, and even then, it brings this record down a notch for me. I still think overall, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted is a great album. I think it’s an important record, and I still love the majority of the songs on here. It’s outdated, but sometimes, that’s part of its charm. I think if Death Certificate was also on this list, I’d be more forgiving of its two flaws. That said, as I’ve suggested, that album also isn’t without critique, and listening to Ice Cube because of this challenge has really made me reconsider whether he ever made anything perfect. But given what we’ve got, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted is still a great hip-hop album that showcases Cube’s skills over amazing production at a time when the genre was making a transition, plus, it contains plenty of songs you could still put on at a party. It deserves its critiques, but it also deserves its flowers.

Surprisingly enjoyed the more old school style and the cleverness in the lyrics.

With a few exceptions (basically just Wu Tang Clan now that I think about it), west coast hip hop tends to click nicer for me than east coast. I find that it tends to have funkier bass lines which never fails to catch my attention. This album generally follows suit here, making for a fun listen with some definitely questionable lyrics. I’ll admit that A Gangsta’s Fairytale got some chuckles out of me though. There are other tracks with much more thought provoking lyrics, but my dingus brain remembers that one most fondly. That might make it sound shallow, but it’s still a good listen.

Very much enjoyed it! I do love old skool hiphop & intelligent rap.

Little long, it couldve been tighter but the anger boils over.

i kind of get the feeling that Ice Cube was being held back by NWA, because he really demonstrates a lot more of his personality now that he's the main focus. of course, he does sometimes get a little too crude for his own good -- "I'm Only Out for One Thang" and the following track really are the pinnacle of that whole "hip-hop is misogynist" thing (and aren't as good as the tracks surrounding it), more so than "You Can't Fade Me" and its pregnancy story. Ice has a knack for storytelling and getting you invested in whatever he's stuck doing, and the interludes/skit type things are mostly pretty funny. it really is no wonder he got into acting. this, alongside both Sir Jinx and the Bomb Squad basically doing production magic over as many choppy, crushed little samples as possible makes the whole record jitter with such energy, like a fly under a bottlecap. i wasn't in the mood for something that felt "old school" today, but as it turns out, it's as forward thinking as you could possibly get with the technology. some bars here never age, and neither does the production.

Ice Cube shows off his mastery with this album. I’m not a fan but it’s potentially the best in the genre. You may not like what he says, but given today’s political climate, it’s wise to listen. As far as social commentary goes, it doesn’t get more real.

I only listened to half of it. Not really my style. I don’t want to give it a low rating though because it’s probably a really well made ground breaking album but….

Not as solid as NWA but still one of the best hip hop solo projects to emerge from NWA

Solid

"Few cared about the violence, because it didn't affect them." -- there's alot to unpack with regard to the lyrics content and context and I'd prefer to let the music speak for itself with all of that. Musically speaking, this is some of the best rap music I've heard.

3.5

As hard as they come

Lo he dicho muchas veces en esta lista. ¡Me encanta como suena el rap/hiphop de los 90. Me guardo: "The Nigga Ya Love to Hate", "The Nigga Ya Love to Hate", "You Can't Fade Me/JD's Gaffilin", "A Gangsta's Fairytale" (featuring Lil Russ) y otra más que no estaba originalmente "Endangered species" con Chuck D.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted showcases Ice Cube's talent following his departure from N.W.A. This album is the first and the best of Cube's solo career, delivering pure hip-hop and hard-hitting gangsta rap. His lyrical prowess takes centre stage, with narratives beyond the cliché street themes. The album opens with the bold line, “Fuck You Ice Cube!”, setting a self-reflective tone, while tracks like “You Can’t Fade Me” inject humour into his brash storytelling. It was downhill from here.

First time listening to OG gangsta rap. Really great insight into racism and Black struggles in the early 90s. Favourite track: The n**** you love to hate

Solid

It's funny that the bad reviews for this album all cite some sort of misogyny as the problem, yet they don't seem phased by the racism, classism and what not. If you're not against all forms of oppression you need to need to relisten to this album because Cube's talking about you. You may not like the truth he's spewing but you need to hear it. Not Cube's best solo effort, but what he has to say is important. 4/5