Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I appreciate it but I don’t think I’ll delisted
Was good to revisit this album after a long hiatus. Classic of the genre, required listening if you like hip-hop. Lyrics are spicy to say the least, but you have to take the good with the bad to understand how complicated the world he describes is.
Better ones than this . Listenable tho
Very influential on the biggest genre of today. The worst part of hiphop from this age is the dumb skits. Really holding this album back, especially when all the skits are about women 3/5
Ten to ma potężną dykcję. Niestety pisze takie głupoty, że w sumie lepiej, gdyby jej nie miał. Kartka z pamiętnika - trochę bawi, trochę żenuje. 5/10.
This one hasn’t aged too well, production wise and in some case lyrically as well…
Greatness
It is great hearing the evolution of hip hop. Sometimes I prefer the older stuff.
This was a fun one. Way too much misogyny. Lotsa hype; a party record. The shows on this tour would have been pretty awesome I reckon.
monstrously produced, very well-rounded, hugely entertaining record during which i found myself hanging on Cube's words, wondering how sideways he'd approach the next line. the best stuff here uses that insane charisma to create a persona that still feels prescient - virulently angry, shamelessly prejudiced, a whirlwind of bad vibes that's loudly condemned and secretly revered by anything even approaching mainstream America. much has been made in the 1001albums comments of this record's misogyny, which is notable. far be it from me to be the Misogyny Arbiter, but it feels more like intentional (and poorly aged and clumsy) controversy-courting, as well as a part of Cube's general mistrust for nearly everyone. i don't blame anyone for being turned off by it, but between the man's 30-plus-year marriage and the fairly self-deprecating turn he takes on It's a Man's World, it goes down easier for me here than on other records. taken as a whole, i think this is a wonderful album of character work and a canny assessment of the place of hip-hop and Black men at the end of the American 20th century, AND it sounds good as fuck! i get what there is not to like, but also, man, what's not to like?
Love the production, the sexism has not aged well.
If you're going to tolerate all the slur, sexism and misogynism you at least need to compensated with some juicy beats. This record doesn't exactly do that. In the end it just feels dated and forgettable. Not impressed!
Ice cube has some really good songs, sadly none of them are on this album. I get what he was going for, being angry at everything. But without good beats and inspiring lyrics what you’re left with is just misogyny and foul words. His flow is usually good but that is the only good thing I’ve got to say.
Not music I can relate to. It’s sharp, stunted, blunt, and of course crude. The samples are headache inducing, as well as obvious. I think I said it in my previous Ice Cube album review but seeing how he sold out in a bad way really makes his past more corny.
Solid beats, a bit dated flows, very dated lyrics.
Beats are interesting, but ultimately sounds dated and repetitive. Tough to get through.
2.5 I really enjoyed the other Ice Cube album I got - I felt the rapping was solid and the hooks were there. This is missing some of that “memorability.” It’s fine, his rapping is fine. But there’s not much to grab onto after the songs are done. They just kinda bleed into one another. Also that one song with the female rapper is super duper misogynistic, even beyond the normal realms of 90s rap lol. Like, dude sounds like he has a personal problem with her.
Not finishing this
I like other hip hop albums of the time, not this.
Get over it. Old-school hip hop has misogyny, violence, and foul language ~>_<~ The sky is blue, I have to pay taxes, and this has a few bangers
Do you think Cube even remembers being this angry after decades of success?
i love being reminded how racist early gangsta was! and how badass cube was for it! (not really but kinda). ignorant music should be lstened 2 ignorantly
Not for me
310/1001. Can this album be fun and gangsta at the same time? I’m pretty sure Ice Cube has some real life experiences to tell, but am not sure if this eased out any possible white-black relations. And I suppose that never was the purpose of the album. Antway somehow the Public Enemy production takes the album to a whole new level. Not perhaps music I would be listening to very often or playing to my friends and and family, but that’s another reason to respect it.
3.5
This was good but not quite NWA level
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 😠🖤🏙️ Production: 🥩😲👌 Music: 🧊🕰️😩 Rating: 👻👻(👻)/5
Everyone's got a mother, grow up (and put a Johnny on)
I do think some of the themes in the album are there for dramatic purposes but still pretty rough. Production is cool though
é top mas sei laarrrrr
This guy was so good in Law & Order SVU!!
Never cared for this one. I'd just listen to NWA instead
The lyrics didn't do a lot for me, but musically I liked this better than a lot of other rap from this time period.
glad I had headphones. though did grow up more with the west side
según yo lo escuché pero no sé
422/1089 - Initially I was like "great, another West Coast Hip Hop album" and I remember being ambivalent on Ice Cube's "The Predator," but I liked the beat-variation and noisiness/energy of the samples and bars. Not a fan of skits in albums and I don't give a rat's ass about lyrics most of the time but "A Gangsta's Fairytale" reminded me of Andrew Dice Clay jokes and wouldn't you know it, it ends with a Dice sample.
I dunno, kinda boring. Ice Cube sounds the same on every song
Pretty decent
2,5
1 - Pinche Rap culero
Just awful. Cheesy and stupid lyrics. Boring beats. No interesting songs. How is this on the list??
I love the beat but the profanity and attitudes towards women are over the top for me and cloud his message. 1
At first I thought that I like this but after reading how misogynistic it is I have to change my mind.
appreciated the social commentary but not something i would listen to regularly.
Saved? ❌ Would listen again? 🤔 Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? ❌
A faixa titulo é foda, o resto é menos. A misoginia dos anos 90 é um pouco demais também.
The beats are good. Ice Cube does well to challenge the life of young black men in the projects. The machismo and sexism is a major negative. The rapping lacks variety and the words aren’t that inventive.
Repeat listen
Didn’t really want to give this the time of day based off the reviews
I don’t have strong feelings one way or the other. Some parts were pretty funny.
Ice Cube enough said !!
Classic gansta rap. This album is oozing style and skill- Ice Cube is talented and has a strong point of view. And it isnt plagued with the same degree of skits that early rap albums have. Still it isnt without flaws- it has aged a little poorly with its view towards women. The songs also started to sounde a little samey toward the end. Overall- good album. 3.5/5
After having listened and cringed to a few older rap albums as part of this project I was a bit worried about returning to this album. That said, one would never confuse it for something new and there are a few cringy moments but in all respects it’s still a decent album.
Not great
Great storyteller. Beats are amazing even after this much time
When your whole thing is "Look how cool and tough I am" but you're not buying it, it gets really dumb
I'm actually set to see Ice Cube open for Guns N Roses in three weeks, 36 years after this album came out, if I don't resell the tickets for a gazillion dollars. I hope his outlook on women has matured by now.
I was never a fan to begin with but this has aged very poorly. The lyrics just seem juvenile and very misogynistic to the point of being unlistenable.
Classic
Favorite songs: The N***a Ya Love to Hate, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, Who's the Mack
Ice Cube's first album after leaving NWA and it's just as aggressive as you'd expect. Ice Cube was good at calling out pretty much everything, including poor Arsenio Hall, or "the message to the oreo cookies" at the beginning of Turn Off the Radio. Although I wonder what 1990 Ice Cube would think of Ice Cube today........ Individually, the theme and message of the songs is pretty good. Once Upon A Time In the Projects tells the story about how he goes to visit his girl at her house, which ends up being a crack house that is raided while he's there. He's arrested and has to sit in jail due to a warrant. Can't be too mad at the cops or anything else in this situation because of course they'll arrest everyone there......but the message is to not date women from the projects. Turn Off the radio is another good one about how radio stations just won't play "gangsta rap" or music that is popular with the people. This is the one that starts with the message to the oreos, or black on the outside white on the inside. The audio sample of "what they think of us" samples the movie Do The Right Thing by Spike Lee. A bit unfair to use a movie to make this point. That scene is specifically a bunch of different races saying racist stuff about every other race, not only targeted at black people. I liked the Tom Brokaw style news report in The Drive-By that just says "people didn't care since it didn't affect them." Such a great line and you see this attitude today as well. Who's the Mack? is another interesting one telling us to basically question the motives of people we interact with because they're not totally honest. Then he ends the song also saying "i'm also the mack........but you can totally trust me" which is intentional and pretty funny. I think this is a great album, but the music doesn't hold up super well imo. It's not horrible, but definitely old school. The messaging is on point but a lot of people are just going to hear "bitch" and focus on misogyny or "gun" and focus on violence and miss the main point of the songs. You know how it is, people focus on whatever reinforces their own stereotypes. When I look at some of the reviews, I think of how the media reacted in 1990 when this album came out: with a lot of fear. There was so much outrage about the same shit people are upset about in the reviews here. Guess what? None of those outraged white people in the 90's listened to this album or tried to understand it........and something tells me that it's the same with these reviews. Overall, it's a good album and a significant album due the cultural impact it had at the time of release. I think The Predator is a better album though.
Rap. Klingt eines wie das andere. Gefällt mir nicht.
My great grandmother who came over in 1912 fleeing the Tsar gave me two bits of information before she died when I was 8: (1) always be a good boy and try hard in school, and (2) AmeriKKa's Most Wanted fuckin' rips.
There is no hip-hop record, or album of any genre, this angry & this funky, not even Straight Outta Compton. While Dre's funk is sleek & tranquil, the Bomb Squad is as dirty as George Clinton & Isaac Hayes, & just as pull-no-punches as Bad Brains, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for Cube on his debut. 'It ain't wise to chastise and preach / Just open the eyes of each'; 'It's the American way / 'Cause I'm the G-A-N-G-S-T-A.' Ice Cube has one of the most recognizable voices in hip-hop history: like his mentor Chuck D, O'shea's vocals are clarity clarified. But what maters most here are the lyrics, and the fact that he's always assuming a persona that is no exaggeration but simply his country. I don't want to hear about the sexism.
I do not care for the misogyny. This album and this music is just TRASH. 0/5
Good hip hop album although too heavy on the expletives
some clever raps, but really wasn't my thing. definition of a 2.5
Overall a good album, very funny at times. I can't help but feel it goes on too long though. Nudges into a 4 for me, but a low 4 at that.
I don't know if this is my favorite style of rap, but Ice Cube is so good with it. His style, his flow, his substance. He's so good at storytelling, and he mastered the art of interstitial skits. For as good as the album is, it feels dated.
Favorite: It's a man's world
lyrics were creative and I could understand, although some I didn't really want to know.
dobar hiphop, šta znam, svidja mi se što mogu da ga razumem, sviđaju mi se instrumentali, i generalno je dobra priča albuma, sve se vrti oko tog nekog života u "hood-u" i tom doživalju doprinose svi isečci iz vesti koje čujemo ili svađe direktno sa ulice, plus pucnjave i tako. neverovatno je mizogen album, što nije iznenađujuće, ali samo zato što je to nekada bilo ''normalno'' ne znači da ću da to i zanemarim. mada mi se sviđa pesma its a mans world jer tu dobijamo žensku perspektivu od yo-yo, ali to ne poništava celu pesmu u kojoj priča o tome kako ga je žena prevarila da je njegovo dete pa će da je tuče ili šta već. priznajem da nisam pratila pažljivo tekst, moguće je da sam nešto propustila, ali da, to je moj utisak.
Angry, hard hitting, a statement album by a guy you wouldnt want to fuck with. This was the “escape from NWA” album. Not bad Then he did those kid movies and maybe the name Doughboy fits him better than I thought. I still support him though. He has a great mind and great opinions. The movies just remove a little bit of the serious tone and intensity from an album like this. Choice cut: You Can’t Fade Me
2+ Stars (6/15)
A solid album of gangsta rap from Ice Cube, somewhat undercut by his goofy acting career in the years that have followed. The beats are the highlight of the record, though Ice Cube's political commentary is interesting. As with NWA, it is rather unsavory in its misogyny and violence, and doesn't quite live up to the magnitude of "Straight Outta Compton." I found "It's a Man's World" to be an interesting counterbalance to the sexist themes that had permeated the album up to that point.
Sorry, Mr Cube, for what the world has done to you and your kin. However, I don't want this amount of anger in my ears.
not the worst, not the best
Not for me
Good beats, typical lyrics about gangsta’s life. Not bad, but I don’t think I’m going to return to it …
Like most albums from the 90s, this is just tooooo long. At just over 49 minutes, I feel like this could've been such a better album if about 10-15 minutes had been trimmed. This is a fine album but the good tracks feel few and far between.
Great energy but too long
Monotont. Rasshøl.
shame this is on the list due to it's violent misogynistic lyrics
Listenable gangsta rap, surprisingly!!
didn't do much for me
Felt just like another hip hop album, nothing special. Liked it’s a man’s world the best
The flow and voice were above par for the period. The content of the lyrics isn't very tasteful.
Much like the Public Enemy album I got previously, this feels a lot like a transition album from old-school to new school. It has some of the more new-school, complex rhyming and flow (Although still some of the old-school, simplistic = staccato flows). The beats are definitely on the more old-school side as well. Overall, it's solid, but not what I really look for in hip hop. A little too old-school for me.
The beats are great, but repetitive. It’s early hip hop, and it has that classic hip hop scratch and loop style that you can just bop to for an hour. But the raps are just so monotonous and the rhymes are sometimes forced. Feels like it was not yet established what it meant to have artful flow.
Nice samples and beats, real old-school sounds, and solid rapping, but extreeeemely repetitive.
I'm not a massive fan of this, but it wasn't the worst thing. Low 3/5
Sexism aside (and that’s at least somewhat dealt with by Yo-Yo), this is a solid album with fun cameos.
Kan inte tycka om detta.
Good beats, don’t love all the lyrics. Very long for a debut album. I will do points for the music though so we’ll give this a 3
Don’t like NWA so why would I like Ice Cube.
It’s rude AF, but it’s important. He doesn’t lie or sugar coat things. He will spit out misogynistic lyrics but then give Yo-Yo a chance to make her rebuttal. I appreciate Ice Cube for standing up and speaking out.
Album 47 1 bearable track off the album: Better Off Dead Nah. Important conversations about racism, violence, and the effects of growing up/being constantly subjected to those things. I understand why it's an important album. The misogyny was Much.
Temp
it's obvious that Cube wrote a number of these songs for Eazy-E. It's not a proper example of Cube's voice as a rapper, unlike his later albums. Best song: Who's the Mack?
É um álbum interessante nos Beats e Groove mas HOJE sofre como produto do seu tempo... QKZXHBB Hades.
5/10
Pretty good. I enjoyed it. But I'm not gonna pick random tracks from it and listen again. It's an album I'd probably listen to again as one piece. But not sure I will listen to it again. I enjoyed it but not sure I'll go back to it.
Great album.
-definitely liked this more than The Chronic -lots of variety between songs -he might dislike women -still a fun listen overall
Fun, bouncy, interesting even when the content is most grotesque Highlights: "What They Hittin' Foe?", "A Gangsta's Fairytale", "Rollin' Wit the Lench Mob", "The Mob"
While I certainly don't mind a sharp, witty and rough-around-the-edges rap album, this one is just really a bit too much in all directions. It's taking its anger a bit too far, using too many profane words to the point of them losing their effect. It just isn't that great to me, Ice Cube has done much better. 2/5
Cube is a very talented lyricist. He tells a story effortlessly and with charisma. It's hard not to be pumped up by him and his voice. The beats provided by The Bomb Squad are phenomenal. There's not a bad moment on the album, superb
Just horrible
Stronger first half than second half. But overall pretty decent
There is a lot of great about this record... great beats, great production, great guest spots and of course, ICE F'N CUBE bringing it hardcore the entire way through. The man had something to prove and just WENT OFF. This is one of the best gangsta rap records to come outta the 90's and ultimately, most of them were just imitating this...
Why is Ice Cube so angry?
Before I even start I do love how many one stars are like 'please express yourself in a way that I find pleasing' mother fuck you! I do believe he also addressed you on "The Predator" with the aptly titled, 'Fuck 'Em'. The only think that Ice Cube needs to apologize for or feel ashamed about is the War of the Worlds movie he made with Amazon money. That is what people should be mad about, not him expressing himself.
I enjoy listening to a couple of songs at a time, but 71 minutes straight is just painful.
The title of the album is brilliant and honestly scarily relevant today, but the music towards the end I started to think at what point did I stop caring? 3/5
Fun but it started to get a bit old by the end.
strong stuff from Ice Cube
In times of police brutality and violence, this was an apt album. Genuinely enjoyed this so much more than I thought. Could do without the f'ing and jef'ing though.
F*ck Ice
Ice Cube is not a rapper I tend to listen to often, but it's always a fun time!
Honestly, I played this album yesterday on vinyl out of pure rage about the political climax in Amerikkka right now. It felt so good. Ice Cube is always true to the game!
I liked track 2 mainly cause of the energy but this isn’t for me. Good beats and flow but the lyrics have aged poorly to say the least
noioso
While i like and appreciate a lot of early hip hop this album didn't hit for me. That happens from time to time when an album focuses a lot on lyrics and a message in a language that isn't my first language like this. It was stilla fun listen but not songs I will come back to.
Never listened to Ice Cube, actually pretty good. Got a bit repetitive after a while though.
This just isn’t the style of rap I enjoy. A lot of the beats blur together, and the angry lyrics wears you out pretty quickly. I get why it was a hit when it came out, but this hasn’t aged well.
Kind of irritating sound/vocals.
Yes i remember you It was okay
Tää oli ihan hyvää tavaraa. En ole edelleenkään mikään puhelaulut ystävä, mutta tätä kuunteluunhan mielellään.
this had so much potential but I can't see past the relentless misogyny. Like even if it is just part of the tuff guy persona it's not tuff to just horrifically hate women and constantly call them bitches and hoes. It's so ironic that one of the biggest themes of the album is how black people and communities are oppressed and then the other theme is about oppressing women. Really ruins the album
Beats are a little outdated, yes, and some of the lyrics are… shitty. But, this is an important piece of hip-hop history regardless.
Didn't age very well, sounds pretty dated
It sounded ok but I’m not sure an album can be considered great just because it sounds ok. Didn’t engage with it much but I appreciate there will be others finding this much more agreeable than I did.
I am going to start a crowdfunding campaign to create an AI tool that automatically translates words in songs to be tailored to the listener. For this album it would translate the following to make it easier to listen to: Bitches = women Ni**as = chums Guns = party poppers Ax = ask Who’s in? Just me?
Don’t mind a bit of the Cube. His political stuff is really engaging, and there are some funny lines on here. Notwithstanding the crappy misogyny. The production was interesting, felt like it had an unexpected house music feel in there but with clever samples and beats over that. Perhaps not as strong as The Predator we’ve already had on the list but still a great listen and has that effect of making you feel pumped up. Turns out he’s maybe my favourite rapper, never knew I’d have one of those, get me!
2 hip hop albums in a row. I can't be bothered with this shit anymore. A lot actually influential and relevant albums missed out on this album because of this shitty music. All he talks about is effing the police and black people getting killed. Irrelevant stuff.
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
7/10
Made it to the third song. That's more than enough for me. And no - I didn't need to listen to this - before anything! Terrible.
Super zvuk i jako zasterijela tematika/pristup
All I got is an angry middle-aged man shouting the n word as often as he can.
Not the best Ice Cube album
Ihan jees, mutta ei kuitenkaan omiin parhaisiin räppilevyihin mene. Ei tuttuja biisejä eikä uusiakaan hyviä löytynyt. Biisit siis vähän mitäänsanomattomia vaikka ihan hyvä fiilia niissä onkin. Parhaat: A Gangsta's Fairytale
Fuck yes. The perfect antidote to the blandness that is Doves. Pissed off Ice Cube before he became a parody of himself. Angry, funny and yes fairly dated rhymes, but it's SO extreme in places it becomes funny! It's easy to forget how good Ice Cube was, do yourself a favour and listen to this album again and remind yourself. Best Tracks: The Nigga Ya Love To Hate; Once Upon a Time in the Projects; Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside) (feat. Chuck D)
Social commentary.
Definitely a bit too repetitive (like most early hip hop), but it remains fast-paced the whole way through, which I like. The lyrics were fun, but the production was nothing special. Also, I’m yet to find an album where interludes aded something to the table. Fun album but not that exciting. 7/10
cubes first solo album, it was okay didnt really care for the lyricism
The Bomb Squad production is great but Ice Cube's aggressive machismo makes for a tough listen. I'd be able to tolerate it better if it wasn't constant, front and center, across basically every song. Respect to Cube for his place in hip hop history, but I'd love probably prefer an instrumental version.
Certified classic, 5.
I agree with the haters
How could say anything ill toward Mr. Ice Cube?!?
Grimy, funny, wow
Enjoyed this much more than the chronic
the lyrics here are very strong. this is very much a story telling album and that is very well executed. i agree with someone else who said the beats are aged. some rap songs you think i hope i can find the instrumental of this. this album is nothing without ice rapping. i like the dialogue added in it definitely adds to the successful story telling. one thing ill say is that the songs kind of blend together. they all kind of sound the same which helps the album maintain a theme but it is slightly tedious to listen to. the aggressiveness works, it’s like his “brand.” downloaded one song.
7/1089
I didn't think I was going to like it, but I do.
Ice Cube is down with the P.E. tha bomb mf
Ice Cube demonstrates why he was the crucial element of N.W.A.
His acting in 21 Jump Street is better than his whole discography 2 ⭐️
Production has aged notably compared to the Predator. Still good but that holds this back.
The bomb squad goes hard at least
8/10
theres a lot of great and poignant commentary on racism on here and i really like it. great production too. the misogyny obviously wack but im not surprised its 90s hiphop yall whatd you expect
Glorious beats and Ice Cube's rhymes.
You take the good with the bad with Ice Cube, the formerly ferocious and ferociously talented rapper who spends most of his time these days making crappy movies. His early solo albums are a mixed bag of blazingly great tracks and noxious misogyny (and occasional homophobia), both of which are plentiful here. You can't beat the Bomb Squad's production, though, no matter what Cube is saying. There needs to be more "Endangered Species" and "The Bomb" and less "You Can't Fade Me."
1.0 Can you shut up about your guns and dick for three fucking seconds; Jesus Christ. It feels like its trying to mature but ends up being obnoxious, vulgar, and a total slog.
Lyrics go hard. I get the message. Definitely not for me
Ice Cube's first album after leaving N.W.A and moving to the East Coast. Sometimes, Cube is ON; his delivery can be smooth, venemous, his rhymes can be clever, but he trends toward gangsta rap cliches too often for me. I thought certain songs sounded like a less sonically dense Public Enemy, and then realized that the Bomb Squad handled the bulk of production duties. The record absolutely benefits from features by Chuck D and Flava Flav, as well as, Yo-Yo, who absolutely holds her own on the track "It's a Man's World". It's a mixed bag, but rest assured the good is really good. Highlights: "The N***a Ya Love to Hate", "Amerikkka's Most Wanted", "What They Hittin' Me Foe", "Who's the Mack", "The Bomb"
Not my thing. Very repetitive in lyric and themes.
The misogynist content is so disagreeable that couldn't even think about enjoying anything else. I took the advice of a different review and listened to Masta Ace's album, Take a Look Around. I enjoyed it! (I found it on YouTube.)
I was generated this around a week after the Ice T record from the same era. While Cube is generally regarded as having the better flow and natural talent I found the misogyny on display here pretty appalling. While Ice T did use derogatory terms for women in some of the tracks, it didn't feel as gratuitous as it does here. He seems obsessed with the idea that young women want to get pregnant to trap him, completely overlooking the part of himself, the male, in the procreation process.
Clearly talented. Raw and unrelenting. A bit too raw for me but I see it.
Profanity was too much for me
7/10
Keeping her going
very interesting
This album comes at you fast and doesn’t stop really. Fast paced and in your face. Once you decide to stop pearl clutching at the gangsta rap themes, you find great beats and an aggressive iconic delivery with some good storytelling.
I’m not one to appreciate misogyny
Yes, the lyrics are problematic but I can't resist the delivery, Chuck D's cameo, the Bomb Squad's production and the political songs that do carry a message that is still relevant today. Take away the macho bravado about women and this would have been an absolute masterpiece.
Solid album with a lot of really good songs and raw energy. I enjoyed this.
This didn’t really connect with me, which was a slight surprise since I quite liked his album The Predator, and I like the Bomb Squad productions on the Public Enemy albums. I felt like this album was just a little too up and down, a little too aggressively try-hard.
2.5 It’s supposed to be in your face and uncomfortable. And Ice Cube definitely kills it if you can bear his beyond gritty and abrasive lyrics. At least you get lyrics that are clear and will challenge you and aren’t mumbling all about fuck bitches, get money, violence, drugs. While these topics are touched on, it feels more like a report of what’s going on by an angry, articulate, and very observant brother. Also gotta respect the production by the Bomb Squad.
12 year old me rocked with this album quite a bit. It's not aged well. I think the cultural and artistic implications of this album cannot be ignored because I realize a lot of the content was aimed at supporting black men. But some of the things sad about (black) women here is pretty terrible. Cubes pen game is pretty elite and feel like the attacks on women here cheapen that some 35 years later.
Know the album and the artist. I feel that Ice is not the best of this style, but credit where credit is due, and I do feel this album is good, but he has better IMO or at least the hits are better than an album as a whole.
Y'know, the last time I engaged with Ice Cube, he was starring in the cinematic disasterpiece that is 'War Of The Worlds'. You've probably heard plenty about it — the screenlife movie where Ice Cube spends the entire time acting like he's one of those reaction YouTubers? It's a great laugh; I honestly recommend it, as one of the new all-time stinker flicks. But did you know: he's also a rapper? And not just in N.W.A., where he made a name as one of the star performers, no. He also had a solo career, and this was his debut. As Ice Cube's first step on his own ... well, it's complicated, to say the least. Because, on the one hand (and I suppose we should get this out of the way to start), Ice Cube doesn't seem to have a particularly great attitude towards women? This mostly comes up on the song "You Can't Fade Me", where, when faced with a woman saying she's having his baby, Ice Cube's first thought is to "kick her in the tummy." Woof. Then, months later, when the kid's almost due, he's racing to find a wire clothes hanger. Like, my man, putting aside the obvious shit here, it's a little late for this **now**, don't you think? Now, myself, I'm not the kind of person who gets aghast when lyrics like these pop up on a rap record (it was, unfortunately, the style at the time), but at the same time ... goodness me, Cube. Was any of this necessary? Some part of me figures he's supposed to be playing a character here, amping up so many of his negative traits. After all, he's supposed to be "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" — the guy you love to hate, y'know? But I feel like that sort of can only carry you so far. I mean, he's not Eminem playing Slim Shady, where it's so cartoonishly over-the-top you can't even begin to take it seriously. Heck, it's not even like Dre and friends on 'The Chronic', where, yeah, it has its own share of misogynistic lyrics, but the G-funk party vibes are so strong it kind of smooths things over enough for me to enjoy it. Here, Ice Cube seems to want to be taken pretty seriously, with all of his socio-political and reality raps. So, if he's a character playing up the sexism, is he playing it up on those other songs, too? Where's the delineation here? I mean, he's a better actor here than in something like 'War Of The Worlds', but that's not exactly a high bar to cross. And this whole album seems to hinge on how much you buy into this character he might or might not be playing (and I might not), so... At least he gets a good chunk of what's coming to him on "It's A Man's World" with Yo-Yo. That's a great track. To put it in short, a lot of this is a product of its time. I don't say that to excuse anything he said here, but more just ... to better frame this album, y'know? There's nothing you can do to change what it is; you can only deal with what's there. And there's a part of me that thinks Cube had to go and muck things up with these lyrics, 'coz otherwise there's a lot I like about this album. The beat work from the Bomb Squad is fantastic as always; I love hearing how they flip and play around with samples. And as a rapper, I've always had a spot for Ice Cube. He's got a great voice for this stuff, and his flows are dead classic. Like, there's a reason he was a stand-out in N.W.A.. It's, y'know, not great that he chose to bring some of his worse traits over to this album, but still, I can't completely deny the talent. I think it's a good album, though undeniably dogged by some real rough spots. I can't say I totally blame the people whose reviews are essentially just a 1 and "MYSOGINIST!". For my money, I think it's enjoyable, but you'd absolutely hafta toss a song or two from the tracklist if you wanna play the thing in full. So, Cube, I'm glad to know you were doing better things in your youth than 'War Of The Worlds' — but maybe you still coulda done a **bit** better? Y'know? And every time I try to think of this album's title, I always think of "America's Most Blunted" first. Every time, without fail. Goodness.
Certainly a time capsule of the 90's, but the beats do elevate it a bit. 3.5 bumped down to 3.
I’m at a 3.5 that I will bump up to a 4, but barely. Definitely one I’d rather leave at a 3.5. I know, I know, “it just hasn’t aged well” is often used too much as a catch-all to try and cover all excuses without elaborating further on what’s been done to try & actually fix the parts that haven’t aged well, but in this case, I think it’s a little warranted. A big part of it is the misogyny (perhaps most exemplified by “What I need to do is kick the bitch in the tummy” on “You Can’t Fade Me”), but even still, I’m inclined to think Ice Cube is just portraying himself as a hyper-sexist here to give some proper buildup to him finally “meeting his match” on “It’s A Man’s World” (which is a great track, by the way). That said, willingly portraying yourself as a hyper-sexist is still a little too bold of a choice, even for 1990, and it’s done in a way that carries over the worst aspects of N.W.A.’s group work at the time. Ice Cube’s worst lines on “Straight Outta Compton” feel amplified here, but that’s just it: he’s amplifying EVERYTHING about himself here. Bigger, bolder callouts in his verses, more unique production (shoutout to the Bomb Squad), skits between tracks, and his vocal tone as a rapper really comes across well here. It’s a super technically sound album, & at its most compelling, it stands up pretty well with some of the other early ‘90s rap albums we’ve gotten. The issue is that it’s only compelling about 75% of the time to my ears – never outright bad, but occasionally, I just don’t really believe in the tough guy act he’s putting on. Part of that is just modern day perception of the guy as someone who was acting in War of the Worlds & doing Minecraft ads on TikTok, so I can’t take his more violent threats here seriously. That said, I’m still willing to imagine his 1990 self, & when he’s got the proper conviction in his voice, I can feel Ice Cube’s frustration boiling through in a way that you can’t fake. It’s that level of conviction that makes & breaks this album, since it’s used on some really horrid lines & some really strong ones with a point to make too. That’s why it’s only compelling to me about 75% of the time, because the horrid lines just kinda pulled me out at points, though he generally recovered well. Ultimately, I think it’s a good album that “hasn’t aged well” for a couple of big reasons, but it’s also just a product of its time that can’t be changed, and frankly, it shouldn’t be criticized on that mark. You gotta take this era as it was, for better or worse, & trying to whitewash that at all cuts out some of the edge that brought these guys their notoriety. I did like it, for the most part, but a lot of these tracks can’t really be played nowadays, at least not in full. It’s enjoyable for what it is, and probably did a good job at “modernizing” the rap album in the 1990s, given the skits & transitions & the general pacing. I just think other albums of the era do it better & without the baggage this album brings with it, hence, it’s a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, even if I’d rather leave it there.
Fairly generic gangsta rap, made somewhat better by the occasional contribution of members of Public Enemy.
Had fun with this one
Let's fucking GO this is the type of shit I'm HERE for. One of da best to ever do it bayBEE
A little long
I hated having to hear a woman sing '"this is a man's world" over and over
Still incredible after 36 years, and still very relevant. I'd put this album in with Strait Outta Compton and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back as a holy trinity of what's really going on in the late 80's and 90's. Yeah, some of the shit doesn't hold up with the insane PC world that we live in now, but overall it's a masterpiece. Also, N.W.A. sucked after Cube left.
If they spell out words to rhyme it cannot get 5
Not so much.
The amount of pearl clutching in these other reviews "muh misogyny!" you didn't actually listen to the album. It's still shit though; Hip-hop will always be shit.
Ice Cube is almost like the ultimate rock star or hip-hop. His rapping is almost like a percussion instrument and I like the heavy sound of the music. Some of the stories are pretty wild and sometimes uncomfortable but I can appreciate the crafting.
I mean, I understand why this is on the list, but I was ready to be done listening 10 minutes in. Fortunately the beats keep it interesting through the rest of the album if I kind of zoned out on Cube.
Meant to scare those in power but simultaneously places a boot on the neck of women in order to do it.
Ice Cube was a great rapper. Solid beats, good flow, good lyrical content. Most importantly a 90s rap album without skits
I never thought I would enjoy ice cube as much as I do, but I really like his music. I enjoyed this all the way through, a very easy listen.
Maybe it's nostalgia, but he sounds great on this album: I can see why the white folks were intimidated.
Seemed like he was out for several thangs, actually.
a never ending refrain of "this guy was always a weird loser!" every time people talk about cube's recent perceived right wing conspiracy heel turn
there is something that, in retrospect, is so *goofy* about this, that people were ever scared of rap, that it kinda kicked me in the stomach to hear about kicking pregnant women in the stomach. why that's more visceral to me than the murder and other stuff, i'll never know. anyway.
lot of complaining about pregnancy and STDs and fear of being the loser in a situation for a guy who could put a condom on at literally any time and keeps self owning instead Endangered Species was pretty decent but I'm relieved he moved on to acting
no.
I’m k I’m learning that I don’t love ice cube. I definitely don’t hate or dislike him, I just feel somewhere between like and love. This album was definitely not as solid as The Predator album, but it had its moments. I haven’t listened to his whole discography so I can only compare it to The predator and NWA’s debut album, which obviously are both better than this album. But that’s not saying much cause those two albums are probably his greatest achievements (or at least as far as I know). But at the end of the day it wasn’t bad or offensively bad, it was just meh. I’ll concede that like most rap music there’s a chance that this will grow on me and I’ll feel differently in a few years once I actually get to know it, but that’s IF I ever get to know it. I could for-see this album being very forgettable.
This album is an explosion. A combustible combination of The Bomb Squad's production and Ice Cube's trajectory. He's through the crucible of N.W.A. — exiting that gauntlet successful, still angry, and having learned a few things about being rewarded for your rage and expressing it. This is the sharper, riskier, and more politically volatile Ice Cube before the edges melted away and he became the cuddly post-Friday Cube. It was a different time. And yet, some might find it weighed down by the tendency of late 80s / early 90s rap to throw a skit or bit into the mix, and by just about every other rap cliche of the era. It might just be that this album is so thoroughly of its time that it defined it. So, if you can lay to rest whatever your personal preferences about how music and Ice Cube "should be," you might appreciate this classic of the genre (and maybe recognize that some of your taste might also just be prejudice).
If I review a rap album using the word bloviating, will they finally give me my "Whitest Man Ever" award? The beats in this album are incredibly sick. The rhymes are... fine? They go hard enough, they're just not interesting.
6 so 2/5
What do you do when you’re forced to leave one of the most influential groups of the early genre of Rap? You do what Ice Cube did, go all the way to the opposite coast and work with some truly established producers and set a new high water mark for your peers to try and chase.
Not my rap-style, but gave two stars since I’ve managed to finish the entire album
I listened to the original release (16 tracks). This seems good for a hip hop album, and has a lot of energy. It’s difficult for me to relate to the messages here and the 90’s urban black lifestyle, however (lots of violence).
Good album cover; I'd read your 'zine, Ice Cube. But I won't listen to your album again, even though the tracks are perfectly serviceable... minus the lyrics, which to be fair, is at least half of this whole rap thing, surely? Not just the form (slur count = 113) but also the content is pretty offensive. It's too bad that all the "America is racist" tracks are so often combined with what feels like mandatory misogyny. The genre has evolved on this front (a little bit) since 1990, at least. The track with Yo-Yo ('It's a Man's World') almost makes things worse because it's like, yes, Cube is self-aware and happy about it. Apropos of nothing, he really like S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G things! Non-slur lowlight: the high frequency hearing test noises throughout 'Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside)' !! Linguistic intrigue: the line "if I look and see another brother/On the video trying to out-dance each other"; I always wondered where "mack" came from so I finally looked it up after hearing 'Who's the mack?', and it's a clipping of "mackerel" (meaning "pimp", not "fish")! Vocal intrigue: the outro of 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (the song) and the Ricky Harris(?) bit on 'Turn Off the Radio' (which was supposed to be an "obvious imitation of Arsenio Hall" per some guy online) sound so much like the "Invocation For Judgement Against And Destruction of Rock Music"! Code-switching to the "laughable white declaration" voice??
It kinda shocks me how the "OG Gansta" rappers really don't have that many streams on Spotify.. Anyways, the lyrical talent on display here is undeniable. The social commentary hits hard and feels urgent, but why any misogyny at all? It hasn't aged well. The production feels a bit repetitive and it definitely drags in the back half. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - The Nigga Ya Love To Hate - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted - Jackin' For Beats
Just too many songs.....not his best.
Really? So annoying to hear, vulgar language and misogynistic. Would give it -1 if I could.
Not my thing. Didn't enjoy it.
I preferred Doughboy in Boyz n the Hood!
Old school Ice Cube was epic... I was all about that era of gangsta rap.
Lots of on point humour and some very well-produced beats to sit behind the lyrical delivery. It gets just a little repetitive, and some of the lyrics maybe haven't aged too well. Ice Cube is practically an entire industry on his own, acting and producing many films, also making many more solo albums. It's interesting to hear what was essentially his second notable album, back near the start of his career. I would think four stars is fair, but a strong four.
90s rap always hits
Dope storytelling. I love Cube for his unabashed aggressiveness. It's A Man's World is actually a hilarious song. High quality front to back. 4.7 outta 5
Boring gangsta rap
How?
What a poet, a true wordsmith of our era. Regaling us with tales of shooting people, hostility towards law enforcement, peppered with some naughty words, even samples of children doing it. Edgy. But he can do romance too, the everlasting dilemma of getting a young lady pregnant and then debating whether to kick her in the stomach or reaching for a 'hanger'. Second rap offering on my list. It's better than Nas because it's better produced and seems less serious in its approach. Plenty of samples from films. But yeah, not my bag.
Not really my thing. I just don't like rap all that much, though I can appreciate their appeal for some.
There's deffo better IceCube around
Hhard hitting hip hop
Since I don't consider rap as being music, I don't even bother listening to it.
2.5 meh
I don’t think he believes what he says.
Classic old school rap that doesn’t get old.
Great debut by Cube. Obviously this album would have received a lot more backlash if it were released today, with the misogyny that lingers throughout, but this album also speaks to issues of race which still hold strong today. Its not a party album, and it was not meant to be. It paints a picture of Cube in the culture he was immersed in, what he was exposed to and grew up around.
Solid beats, good flow, phenomenal production.
While being a very decent hip-hop record, with great flows, nice beats and ability in storytelling, the more times I listen to it, the less I want to return to it. Feels like I reached a point where the album doesn't offer me anything more (and I just listened it bout 5 times..) and it ends up dragging. As I said, not a bad album. Ice Cube's attitude and flow really makes this stand out among other hip-hop projects, but I'm not that invested in the sound of this particular project.
Probably my favorite Cube cassette back in the day.
Ok
Great early hip hop sound. Damn he hates women. Like, he might as well've been gay with views like that.
No private session used for Spotify. I did enjoy this music; however the use of the n word, misogyny, and homophobia makes it uncomfortable to listen to. I get it, it's not for me.
Surprisingly good, especially the song with Flavor Flav.
Good. I knew some of it in passing. But full of words and hard to take a lot of it in one sitting. It could be that it's because I'm in my 50s.
Oh no. Soooo bad
At best, this album is okay. There were a couple cuts where his attitude and voice grated on me. But I guess if you like this stuff, I suppose you'd find it interesting and compelling. I am just not in that clique. 3 stars.
Production bumped this up 2 stars
Funky shit. The beats had my head nodding for sure. The lyrics aren't telling me anything too deep or meaningful but they're probably not trying to. With modern ears, the attitude to women here is a problem. I can't deny the power and quality of the music but it has dated badly
It’s got quite an interesting sound to it. It has elements of 80’s rap and hip hop, as well as some of the sound that became more prominent in the 90’s. I’m surprised at how funky it is, and I’m actually pretty down with most of it. I’m guessing this was at the earlier end of having skits on records, and of course, they remain painfully unfunny. There’s a strong feeling of Public Enemy about this (and actually after writing this I re-read the intro and realised it was the same production crew) – and the more politically charged tracks do work well - but it’s kind of undermined when he also starts rapping about going at a hoe with a coat hanger. I made the mistake of actively looking at the lyrics for one of the songs and…. eeeeesh. I made a concerted effort to ignore them as much as possible after that point.
Der er sange som er fine. Men orker det bare ikke som et album..
Mere jeg-har-en-stor-pistol-og-en-endnu-større-pik rap
Awful.
Firstly, I don't care about what people deem offensive or not. Giving something a 1 because of offensive lyrics is silly. In Ice Cube you have a proven fake gangster who ditched rapping and started acting the second he got a chance and didn't look back. Having listened to some of the most important 'gangsta rap' albums I'm finding 95% of these guys are cardboard gangsters and they seem to end up harming their communities more than helping. The 'gansta rap' genre is a joke and this album is super dated and cringey. 2/5.
I'm not in the mood to deal with the misogyny man
Really not my thing, just don't get it. 😕
Fantastic album by a fantastic rapper, I love old school gangsta rap and Ice cube is one of the greats!
Strap in, boys. This one's gonna be rough. ...Yep. The lyrics are blatantly sexist ("Women, they're good for nothing, no maybe one thing / To serve needs to my ding-a-ling", among countless others). Per another reviewer: "How can you critique the oppression of black people and at the same time promote the oppression of women?" That's exactly my thought when listening to the majority of 90s hip-hop/rap entries on this list. Of course, Ice Cube is just following the trend of whatever sells the most in the moment – which is fair, I guess – so I guess the onus is on the audiences to avoid listening to and promoting Ice Cube and artists like him. Can audiences please stop rewarding this genuinely harmful and hypocritical music under the pretence of "haha rebellion fun"? At least with harmful rock music (e.g.), a lot of listeners misinterpret the lyrics to mean something more innocent. That isn't possible here. And I have no problem with this music existing. I just have a problem with it being touted as "important" in album compilations like this one. The opening track, The Nerd Ya Love To Hate, leaves little to pay attention to aside from the lyrics. So congrats, Ice Cube. You've forced me to do something I don't usually do. Let's look at your poetry, eh? "That's from the nerd ya love to hate / Fuck you, Ice Cube" Yeah. Thats pretty much the central message of the song. Other people hate you, and... you wear it as a badge of pride? (He does it again in Turn Off The Radio, and various other songs.) Why? Is there something enticing about being an unlikeable villain ("shooting out the window of a drop-top Brougham", "peace, don't make me laugh... I'm a nerd, gotta live by the trigger")? No. Glorifying violence is not the answer, nor is supporting artists who do. I get the anti-racism sentiment, especially for the police-brutality-ridden times of the early 90s, but there are much better ways of expressing it. The backbeat in You Can't Fade Me is pretty sweet. Just tune out the vocals, and you encounter a sick bassline with some well-placed brass/synth fills. The following song, Once Upon A Time In The Projects is also surprisingly groovy. The interludes also aren't as terrible as they could be, and a lot of them blur the line between interlude and full-length track. In that regard, Ice Cube's doing pretty well. There just isn't enough melody, good lyricism, chord progressions, or good instrument combos in the album to make it worth ever listening again. 1/5 Key tracks: You Can't Fade Me, Once Upon A Time In The Projects, Who's The Mack?
Sexist, Racist, Crude, and all the other things. How did this guy build a network TV acting career?
Good album, definitely took hip hop in a good direction.
Aaaah yes hahaaaaaa yes. The Chief baby. Aaaah yes
# In-Depth Review: *AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted* by Ice Cube (1990) Released in May 1990, *AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted* marked Ice Cube’s explosive solo debut after his departure from N.W.A. The album is a landmark in hip-hop history, blending West Coast street narratives with the aggressive, sample-heavy production of Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad. It’s a politically charged, musically innovative, and often controversial record that helped redefine the possibilities of rap music in the 1990s. --- ## 🎤 **Lyrics: Anger, Insight, and Provocation** Ice Cube’s lyrical performance on this album is nothing short of incendiary. He channels his frustration with systemic racism, police brutality, and economic inequality into vivid, often shocking storytelling. Tracks like **“Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside)”** and **“The Nigga Ya Love to Hate”** are scathing critiques of American society, delivered with Cube’s signature blend of humor, rage, and streetwise intellect. However, the album also contains **blatant misogyny and violent imagery**, particularly in songs like **“You Can’t Fade Me”** and **“It’s a Man’s World”**, which have drawn significant criticism. These moments complicate the album’s legacy, as they often overshadow its more insightful commentary. > **Verdict:** Lyrically, Cube is at his peak—raw, intelligent, and unfiltered. But the album’s more problematic content is hard to ignore. --- ## 🎧 **Music & Production: East Coast Meets West Coast** The production is a **tour de force**, primarily handled by the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy’s production team), with contributions from Ice Cube’s longtime collaborator **Sir Jinx**. This East Coast/West Coast fusion created a sound that was both **frenetic and funky**, layering dense samples, sirens, and chaotic rhythms under Cube’s booming voice. Tracks like **“AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted”** and **“What They Hittin’ Foe?”** showcase the Bomb Squad’s signature style—**noisy, layered, and urgent**—while **“Who’s the Mack?”** and **“Once Upon a Time in the Projects”** lean into smoother, soulful grooves, showing the album’s range. > **Verdict:** The production is groundbreaking. It’s a sonic assault that mirrors the album’s themes of chaos and resistance. --- ## 🧠 **Themes: Social Commentary and Street Realism** The album is steeped in **political and social commentary**, tackling issues like: - **Institutional racism** - **Police violence** - **Poverty and systemic oppression** - **Media misrepresentation** Cube doesn’t just rant—he **storytells**, offering grounded, often grim portraits of life in South Central LA. The album’s title itself is a play on the TV show *America’s Most Wanted*, suggesting that **America views young Black men as criminals by default**. Yet, the album also indulges in **gangsta bravado and hyper-masculinity**, which, while emblematic of the era, can feel **regressive and alienating** today. > **Verdict:** Thematically rich and still relevant, though some of its more reactionary elements have aged poorly. --- ## 🌍 **Influence: A Blueprint for Political Hip-Hop** *AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted* is widely regarded as **one of the most influential hip-hop albums ever**. It helped **pave the way for politically conscious rap** in the 1990s and beyond. Artists like **2Pac, Kendrick Lamar, and Killer Mike** have all cited Cube’s debut as a major influence. The album also **set the template for solo rap careers**, showing that an artist could thrive outside of a group and maintain creative control. Its **blend of activism and aggression** became a model for future generations of rappers looking to balance street credibility with social critique. > **Verdict:** A cornerstone of hip-hop history. Its impact is still felt in modern rap. --- ## ✅ **Pros** - **Lyrical Powerhouse:** Ice Cube delivers some of his most memorable and impactful verses. - **Innovative Production:** The Bomb Squad’s East Coast style perfectly complements Cube’s West Coast perspective. - **Cultural Impact:** Helped shape the sound and direction of 1990s hip-hop. - **Social Relevance:** Themes of racism, police brutality, and inequality remain urgent today. - **Cohesive Vision:** Despite its chaos, the album feels unified in tone and message. --- ## ❌ **Cons** - **Misogyny:** Several tracks contain deeply sexist and violent lyrics that detract from the album’s message. - **Pacing Issues:** A few tracks and skits feel like filler, slightly bloating the album. - **Shock Value Over Substance:** At times, the album leans on provocation rather than deeper analysis. --- ## 🏁 **Final Thoughts** *AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted* is a **flawed masterpiece**. It’s a blistering, intelligent, and musically adventurous album that captured the anger and energy of a generation. While some of its content is **undeniably problematic**, its **cultural significance and artistic ambition** are undeniable. For better and worse, it’s a **defining document of American hip-hop**—a raw, unfiltered scream from the margins that still echoes today. Essential listening for any hip-hop fan, but not without its baggage.
Because of this list I have listened to more rap than I'd ever choose. It seems to me the genre is mostly black men preaching about politics and society to their community and a bunch of white, suburban wannabes. I totally feel that - but I find a great irony in that four of the five most successful (black) rappers I know of leaned into the racist stereotypes employed against them, and all five, once successful enough, signed big contracts with corporate film/TV producers and hardly rapped another word. Two, in fact, are now big right wingers. What money can do, eh? So, enough about the genre - this album, for me, is repetitive, boring junk - Cube's a pretty good actor, though!
I liked this more than I expected to! A story, along the lines of Solange and Lauryn Hill.
I'm not easily offended. Drew the line at You Can't Fade Me.
Не хочу переслушивать.
As a woman I am against anything mysognistic, and unfortunately in a lot of gangsta rap there is excessive mysogny like in this album. The beats were okay, though not as good as many other hip hop albums I listened before. It's a very angry album, and I get the importance of the political messages but I can't rate this album higher than 1 star.
There is much to criticize and the album really doesn't deserve to write it all down.
This was okay but not really my type of hip hop.
Some songs are still relevant today as they were in the early nineties but the ones about women are awful and misogynistic I’m afraid
Feeling proud that I listened to the whole thing. This is not my preferred genre and while I recognize the talent, the violent misogynistic lyrics are really hard to take.
Misogyny aside, this album is very tiresome. Unlike Death Certificate, the denseness of the rapping became overwhelming. It’s a far cry from It Was s Good Day.
It's pretty theatrical. Hard to believe how seriously people took the gangster rap panic. Also a reminder of how much G-Funk changed things a couple of years later. It's fine, but Public Enemy exists.
= The Beatles
Gangsta!!!
Dude, you're not a victim. In fact, you're the opposite of one.
Lyrical genius
Another album to cement my opinion that west coast >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> east coast rap
The beats and delivery are so exciting that it's easy to vibe along with even the sketchiest lyrics
Wow extremely misogynistic, fresh beats though. Three stars
I must say I miss NWA. The Ice Cube sound is one-note, mechanical, repetitive. To me boring. I find little engaging here.
Good beats but I can’t get on with this too well.
Monotonous and boring
Is it fair to say this came out when rap was still finding its voice? There is a lot on this record I genuinely liked—samples and beats and Ice Cube's rhymes and rapping were really great in spots. I did find it a little "one-note" with the rap, and I wonder if he were at it today, whether there would be a bit more variety. I guess that's what keeps this at a 3-star.
The beats are great, but the misogyny takes me out every time.
I liked this more than I anticipated.
Irrationally angry and violent
Another classic hip hop album. Not the best though. 4/5
It's definitely not Ice Cube's best work. The flow is good, but after 20 minutes, it starts to get boring. The lyrics are awful and haven't aged well. But it's still enjoyable as background music for a gym workout. I just need to forget that I understand English. 3 stars.
Solid ass album
I’m more of an Ice T dude I guess.
I don’t mind this musically, although for most of the record it’s a bit shouty and repetitive. But I’d rather listen to pretty hard hip hop like this than something a bit more arty. Obviously the problem is the misogyny in the lyrics, although I think there are worse albums with the same problem on here. The political edge helps balance that, and I found Gangsta’s Fairytale quite amusing. But it does get a bit much over the whole album. So it’s a clear 2.5. The misogyny came close to bringing this down to 2, but I can just get to 3 in the end.
I liked some of the beats at the start but that trailed off. Lyrics didn’t do anything for me. I’m not the target audience here Rating: 2.1
Just too one dimensional and samey for me.
I guess this was pretty iconic back in the day, but it is a strage listen more than thirty years later, particularly in light of Ice Cube's career trajectory after the fact. Sonically, it's got it's moments, although it's difficult to tell if this was something really new or the sounds of the times. Aside from NWA, I would be curious if removing Ice Cube from the music industry really would have changed much. Also, the repugnant, clumsy sexism is really grating, and I feel like an album half as long would've made the same point. One extra point for grooving pretty hard, but otherwise, replaceable.
Yes, some of the lyrics and themes are dated, but this is still pretty good.
Ice Cube breaks off from N.W.A. and just goes off. Props for jetting from LA to New York to link up with the Bomb Squad and their wall-of-sound chaos. It’s powerful and furious, more mission than melody, and opposite of subtle.
A los blancos nos da miedo escucharlo, es aburrido sin las letras.
It’s really good, just that it was a little long
Way too long
Les prods te téléportent dans les 90's mais visiblement c'est bien d'être français et de pas comprendre les paroles haha
Not my jam
It's hard to offend me but this record did it. Ice Cube never sounds cool or clever in my opinion. The lyrics about fucking bitches and discarding them or wanting to hurt them are delivered with seemingly no tongue in cheek or even creativity. There's no turn of phrase or metaphor going on and I didn't catch an overall message. All of these hyperbolic stories seem to be there to make you think Ice Cube is cool, but it mostly just makes me disgusted. And seeing as he is now the star of shitty movies and procedural crime dramas, the stories also just ring very false. It really could be that I'm missing some implicit storytelling or commentary but I don't think I care to listen more to catch it. Also NWA had way cooler beats on their tracks.