Reviews (page 4 of 7)
high energy and flows well. not many songs i would listen to alone but honestly pretty good
Lots of hate in this album, fuck da police all the time, we understood
I enjoyed the beats / Ice Cube's delivery and the angry pacing of the songs unfortunately I struggled with the lyrical content as I care not for what Ice Cube does with his dick -which unfortunately seems to be the focus of a lot of the songs.
It's interesting that he called on the Bomb Squad to produce this, so you get a slice of West Coast gangster rap vs the East Coast sampling and breakbeats. Most of the time The Bomb Squad's soundbeds sound like a war zone, as Ice Cube machine guns his raps over the top. However, much of the genesis of the cringeworthy sides of gangsta rap are here - rapper as king; or woman as hoe, such as 'You Can't Fade Me' where he believes he's to be a father and so he posits: "Then I thought deep about giving up the money. What I need to do is kick the bitch in the tummy". Out the blocks with force, a fiery snapshot, a pioneer - but ultimately an uninspiring ego-trip.
Interesting to listen to for historical purposes but won't be keeping in regular rotation!
Big, powerful samples, classic quotes.
Maybe every time ppl criticise gangsta rap i should take out my review for "The Chronic". in which it goes "blah blah blah misogyny misogyny misogyny. well take your fucking hands off the west coast hip hop scene and go give bikini kill 5 stars. and you are also unwilling to give them a 5 cause they sound terrible. and the only thing you know is to give these dated hip hop albums a 1. shite politics." And let me reveal a "really fun" fact: 9 out of 10 of the most called "misogyny" albums in this website are gangsta rap albums. I mean, this list is FILLED with problematic artists. so why only hate hip hop? Anyway, you know the highest upvoted review in which dude goes "sorry but women's lives matter"? in fact this dude give "Exile In Guyville", the female reaction counterpart of "Exile on Main Street", a 3, and "Fetch The Bolt Cutters", an album about female rage, a 2. Im not saying that is inappropriate, what Im saying is about double standards. In fact I hate feminists, but only a part of them, cause some of the most radical of them ruined my men-loving life. and they still think i'm a girl and i should resonate with them? sorry you wankers, it seems like i think i was a cis female back then, but i now figured it out and is actually non-binary instead. it's a 3.5 aka a high 3.
I'm a sucker for Ice Cube. Although, this isn't my favorite album but him, it's still fun.
Lotta good stuff in here, very poignant bars that still are topical here in the big 2025. Misogyny is not as bad as these reviews claim and writing and flow are great.
Lyrics provide feels, the music is slightly dated but gives a charm. The gangsta rap sentiment makes my eyes roll 🙄
Super 1990. Endangered Species is my favorite track off this one. Lots of talk about dick, pussy, and bitches. We definitely need some of this fuck authority energy in today's world.
Heavy production for 1990 and some good rapping styles but lyrically a little samey and angry.
Habe die zensierte Version gehört, die war etwa eine Viertelstunde kürzer und trotzdem ziemlich lang, am Anfang fand ich es noch richtig gut, aber mit der Zeit wurde es etwas monoton, erst Dead Homies ist dann eine spannende Abwechslung gegen Ende. Ganz gut, aber hatte hier schon Hip Hop Alben, die mich mehr gepackt haben.
Like the other NWA solo albums, it's more arrogant and less angry than the group stuff. I think Ice Cube is the best rapper of the bunch and some of the earlier tracks were decent but all the tropes are here and its tiring to listen to. I'd say 2.5 but I'll go for a 3 on account of there being minimal skits.
Really solid samples and beats. He's not bad at all, is Ice Cube. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, and It's A Man's World were strong. I quite like this 90s gangsta rap/hip hop - I'm so far removed from the lifestyle and themes that a lot of the misogyny and murder topics largely pass me by. I can enjoy the music on its own merits. He has quite a plosive style, loud and clear, aggressive but with a lot of humor and wordplay in the lyrics.
Hmm. On one hand, he can rap, I like his voice and flow, and there are some important social commentaries. I think I liked "the product". Then on the other hand, it's got the gangsta rap trifecta, that I hate, in spades too ("you can't fade me" is awful). After listening to Aesop rock recently, it's clear that you can make decent hip hop without rapping about guns, misogyny and money. Maybe ice cube should try rapping about losing his hamster, what kind of dog he has, or invasive snail species? I do still think this was decent, I just find a lot of the content dull, there are exceptions though. The last album we had of his was better, must've mellowed in those 2 years
I had low expectations coming into this album.. not my first exposure to Ice Cube (or NWA) but not a fan of the angry gangster rap genre. That being said the tracks were all pretty solid. At 71 minutes it was overlong in my opinion. 2.5/5
It’s aight
Good
Starts very strong then drops a bit then stays that way. He's got the perfect rap voice and the beats were really good
Fun, upbeat hip hop album. Enjoyed it, but it went a bit too long.
Like ice cube, but this didn't age too well with all the sexism.
Kind of stupid, kind of awesome. Good beats but minus one star for ridiculous levels of over the top sexism.
I don't think I heard anything from this album before, even though I'm generally familiar with Ice Cube's sound / look / etc. The grooves and delivery is great, but it's kind of vulgar so not really my thing.
There were some songs I really liked on this, but for every one of those, there was some random wince-worthy misogyny or homophobia. Honestly though, the parts that appealed to me the most were the parts that reminded me of Public Enemy, which isn't surprising given their heavy involvement.
While I basically listened to Lethal Injection on repeat, this album was new to me. While some of it was compelling, despite multiple listens nothing really stuck - but for the deep and dated misogyny evident on a couple of tracks. Not really the impression you want to be left with but as Malcolm X said: The most disrespected person in America, is the black woman. The most un-protected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America, is the black woman.
Ice Cube has a flow that I do like and generally delivers on the political elements, which always (for me anyway) elevates rap because there are limits to how much gangster rap bingo you can listen to. At its best it has some sharp political commentary, some genuinely funny elements and I like the use of fake/real tv clippings in the background. It’s brash but I don’t think takes itself too seriously. Has its obvious limitations but an enjoyable listen.
1. Better Off Dead - intro 2. The Nigga Ya Love to Hate - 8/10 3. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted - 7/10 4. What They Hittin' Foe? - 6.5/10 5. You Can't Fade Me/JD's Gaffilin - 7.8/10 6. Once Upon a Time in the Projects - 7/10 7. Turn Off the Radio - 8/10 8. Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside) - 7/10 9. A Gangsta's Fairytale - 8/10 10. I'm Only Out for One Thang - 8/10 11. Get Off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here - 8/10 12. The Drive-By - instru 13. Rollin' wit the Lench Mob - 7.5/10 14. Who's the Mack? - 7.5/10 15. It's a Man's World - 8/10 16. The Bomb - 6.5/10 7.5/10
Good relisten but not the most compelling Cube album, still some noticeable rough edges (3.5/5)
Definitely a seminal album but it hasn’t aged spectacularly. Especially with Ice Cube becoming a family friendly movie star.
I liked it. Good West Coast music.
I enjoyed the little songs I listened to, don’t like hip-hop much. Objectively I think it’s good might actually listen to it after a while.
3.5/5
Has it’s moments
已经对倪哥说唱无感了
“Endangered Species” is pretty excellent, mostly because of Chuck D’s contributions. The rest is decent but forgettable.
Good beats, good lyricism, terrible misogyny and homohobia.
Favorite Track: Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside)
I listened to this and liked it more for who Ice Cube seems to be vs the music. He strikes me as someone who never lies. I could be completely off base but he's so direct, maybe it's partially his flow and cadence. I'm not saying who he is or what he's saying is right, but he has something he's putting out that feels real. Feels as much a personality as a musician.
I don't have a lot of experience with west coast rap of this era, and look forward to this. I like a shout out to Arsenio Hall. Ice Cube has such a solid flow. A great use of syllables. He is a charisma bomb. The beats are of their time, but hold up. The lyrics are also of a time. His voice and Chuck D's make sense together. There's a bit too much here. There is a tighter album if you drop like 4 tracks.
Flows together well and avoids bloat. The production is of its time and maybe a little stale by the end of the album, but I largely enjoyed it. Cube is confident and fun to listen to, but this isn't the most dynamic rap performance I've heard on record. I'm astonished to say that I don't mind the skits. Obligatory "hey this can be pretty misogynistic" knock.
pretty solid but he's definitely still finding his footing post NWA. a lot of the content also feels more objectionable than on the predator (although I'm probably fooling myself there, considering the "Hitler without an oven" lyric) i think this is a decent album that's significant enough to recommend to someone who's immersing themselves in hip hop given the political content and as kind of a herald of the slow transition away from rap crews and towards solo acts. but as an album everyone should listen to before they die? nah, just listen to the predator
3.5, but I can't give it a 4 or higher because I dont seek it out
Solid gangsta rap from the best era of it. In my opinion he's a little bit underrated in this realm, as when I do listen I'm reminded of his solid lyrics, flow, and a great tough guy vocal tone. Great album cover with some beautiful dated image manipulation used. Matches the aesthetic perfectly.
Cube was pissed at NWA. Cube made a pretty good album.
Goes hard, what's not to like about this?
So this album was way more politically challenging than I was expecting and I really dig the no-holds-barred approach. Musically, I initially liked the old school beats but in 2025 they are quite simplistic and get pretty repetitive. Mr Cube also has quite a repetitive, one rhythm rapping flow which at times felt like a bit of a low RPM plod. The album is really about the lyrics though, which were great; moving from social observation, political protest, and entertaining obscenity. I will take a second point out the rather clumsy challenge to misogyny with "This is a man's world" but I try to take these things in context. Overall a decent album that sets the scene for they hay-day of the American rap scene in the late 90s.
While I heard the foundational elements of the next 35 years of hip-hop throughout this album, the incessant misogyny and relentlessly in-your-face production wore on me. I do think the second half was stronger than the first. I wish Dre would have been able to produce this.
honestly i think i just dont vibe as much with west coast hip hop. too bouncy. that said, favorites are endangered species and it's a man's world
Better Off Dead n/a The Nigga Ya Love to Hate 3 AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted 3 What They Hittin' Foe? 3 You Can't Fade Me/JD's Gaffilin 2.6 Once Upon a Time in the Projects 3.2 Turn Off the Radio 3.1 Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside) 3 A Gangster's Fairytale 2.8 I'm Only Out for One Thing 3 Get Off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here 2.7 The Drive-By n/a Rollin' wit the Lench Mob 2.9 Who's the Mack? 3.1 It's a Man's World 2.5 The Bomb 3 Score: 2.921428571
the music itself is good but the misogyny is stupid at this point
cool it with the misogynistic remarks
pretty good but so misogynistic. it’s not just an “aged bad” no this is awful
Good Hip-Hop, old (original) topics.
He was clearly the creative force behind NWA
Found the album pretty entertaining. Decent flow and solid beats that kept me interested
Pretty good, very 90s. I'm not big into hip hop but I generally liked this.
Strong album. Good storytelling, solid production. Sound has more in common with stuff like PE, rather than the later West Coast G Funk style. Just not a comfortable listen so I have to knock off a point as it's not a record I will reach for often. Was glad to hear it right through though.
Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted I already knew from the start I was up to something good when I started listening to this album from Ice Cube. However, this didn't age well as the other albums he has made, since this mostly talks down upon towards women, which is a dick move to do. Other than that, it's aggressive, straight to your face type of music that goes deep into the political situation that they had to endure in the US during the 90's. Overall, this is good. 1.- Better Off Dead = 6/10 2.- The N***a Ya Love To Hate = 10/10 3.- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted = 9/10 4.- What They Hittin' Foe? = 8/10 5.- You Can't Fade Me/JD's Gaffilin' = 8/10 6.- Once Upon A Time In The Projects = 9/10 7.- Turn Off The Radio = 8/10 8.- Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside) = 8/10 9.- A Gangsta's Fairytale = 8/10 10.- I'm Only Out For One Thang = 7/10 11.- Get Off My Dick And Tell Yo Bitch To Come Here = 5/10 12.- The Drive-By = 6/10 13.- Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob = 9/10 14.- Who's The Mack? = 8/10 15.- It's A Man's World = 6/10 16.- The Bomb = 9/10 FINAL SCORE: 7.7/10
Surprisingly enjoyable, even though it is NEARLY 80s rap.
Estaba listo para darle un 2 o un 1 a este álbum. Había leído que las letras son muy machistas (y lo son), y viendo la portada y la tónica superficial del álbum, no esperaba gran cosa. Pero hay que reconocer que es bastante bueno, sobre todo para su época. Es super funky, un álbum muy divertido a pesar de ser gangsta rap. Me encantan las bases y el flow en general. Así que, a pesar de todos sus defectos, creo que merece buena nota.
This wasn't so much my thing. He's a talented rapper, but it all sounded kinda samesy, and it felt really long. I appreciate the topics he addresses (minus the misogyny), but the music compositions just didn't hold my interest. Side note, loved Ice Cube in Boyz in the Hood, which came out a year after this album. They carry very similar themes!
powerful lyrics and messaging. some concerning skits/themes. feels like a super important album musically and culturally. but i dont see myself looking to listen more than a few times on repeat.
Interesting, very rhythmical, not exactly my thing but I believe it's quite good.
Ágætis rapp og bít. Hefur eflaust haft áhrif á sínum tíma, en þetta eldist ekki vel. Held að indie hljóti að vera miklu hollara fyrir óharðnaða unglinga.
The production is by PE’s The Bomb Squad and Chuck D features, so those elements are great. The lyrical content tho is an odd mix of Black empowerment and boasts about killing people and being the baddest and scariest in town. On the whole, a 3 for me.
Dig
This was way too long and very outdated.
This was The Bomb. Don’t Turn Off the Radio when this one is on.
A solid “gangsta” rap album. No standout tracks. Lots of rap from this era sounds pretty similar but Ice Cube’s voice is uniquely his own. You can hear the anger in his voice throughout. Solid, but probably won’t revisit.
Plutôt pas désagréable. Il ne faut pas trop s’aventurer à écouter les paroles incroyablement misogynes, donc on va pas trop s’attarder dessus ou alors c’est tellement exagéré que ça peut devenir drôle et supportable au 12ème degré, comme sur “I’m only out for one thang”. Du rap très oldschool avec un bon flow et des bons samples, mais on va les laisser entre bonhommes.
Hardcore gangsta rap jams, old school shit
You’re telling me this is the guy from the hit film Are We There Yet? Ice Cube’s solo debut features good production and provocative lyrics. These lyrics appear to succeed in their intent as evidenced by most of the reviews on this website. Doesn’t overstay its welcome, but I wish Mr. Cube would have changed his flows up a little more. Favorite songs were The Nigga Ya Love To Hate, You Can’t Fade Me, Endangered Species, Rollin’ Wit The Lench Mob, and The Bomb.
Good. Pretty long and starts to drag bit. Solid 3 stars. Songs feat. Public enemey and yo yo are decent.
Ice Cube is cool
This is if NWA’s Straight Outta Compton had better production, better rapping, and better mixing. It’s nice to see that Cube came into his own on this album, but to the point where you start to question the authenticity of the character he is portraying. But that’s the question isn’t it? How much of this album is Cube acting as an archetype of the hard individual he poised himself as? I would hate to hear a song like “You Can’t Fade Me” being a legit story, but who knows. The misogyny is as rampant as west coast hip-hop could be, and with all the values Cube poses on this record, I can see why a ‘90s parent would be against the hip-hop genre if this is all they heard. Nonetheless, this isn’t a great album, but it isn’t bad. Just edges out to be a 3 star, but the tracklist is very much a mixed bag.
A lot of it has not aged well and feels crass. There are terrific tracks on here and Ice Cube's delivery is phenomenal - it makes some tracks that come across as too silly really slay. But time hasn't been kind to this.
Absolutely classic gangsta rap. So how you feel about that will be how you feel about this. It's a never-ending parade of hoes, uzis, drive-bys, cash money, chronic and shout-outs to S Central LA. The beats and Ice's rap style are pretty functional. And gangsta's fairytales was so popular he brought it back for the next album. Painful.
Ice Cube's lyrics and flow are good here, but the production would benefit from being a bit more stripped down. Too much is going on in the background.
2.57
A history in west coast hip hop. In terms of sequence and overall feel, it's not my favorite hip hop record, but it still has its place in history and should be listened to at least once. Cube has and still is a pivotal figure in the culture.
Kæmpe gangstavibe, rigtig start 90’er, måske lidt outdated
There are two versions of this album on Spotify. I assumed it was just a clean version and an explicit version. What I did not know is that the explicit version had different songs on it. I don't think you can clean up "Get Off My D**k and Tell Yo B***h To Come Here." Anway, I really liked how this album started out. There was a lot of funk and groove to the music, and Ice Cube did some pretty good lyrics. Then came "You Can't Fade Me". It's hard to listen to songs about mistreating women, and eventually I had to skip past this one. Is it different than "She's Only 17" by Winger, or "You're 16 and You're Mine"? They're all really cringe-y now. So it makes it VERY hard to say "Sure, I'll listen to this again." But there is some good stuff in there, just hard to find it through the "ho's", "b****es," "n****s" and abandonment. Top tracks: "The N***a" You Love To Hate," "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted," "Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside)," "Rollin' With The Lench Mob"
Wow, 1990, time flies
Every song sounds the same
Another n!99a calling n!99as n199a. Not my preference in subject matter. Engaging nonetheless.
It was good. I dont think i am going to listen to it again - but I liked the old school flow.
Half an hour of this album is great, an hour is too much of a similar thing repeatedly. It's funky as hell, almost impossible not to bop along with, and really quite rousing. But yeah, there's too much of it.
This album is rightfully aggressive, angry, and conscious. Ice Cube’s performance here is full of confidence and angst. You can tell he’s giving it his all. However, a thing I can’t really excuse is the misogyny on this album. It did not age well and it is very of its time. Yo-Yo on “It’s A Man’s World” does a good job at confronting that though. Having Chuck D. and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy be featured here was unexpected and nice as well! The production from The Bomb Squad is also really good most of the time. There’s some times where it sounds a bit outdated though. There are still plenty of highlights on this album though, even if the songs can come to sound a bit repetitive. That’s not a really big problem though. The lyricism from Ice Cube is nice, despite what I already mentioned. This album is a Hip Hop classic, however its outdatedness takes a bunch of it away from me personally. I’d still recommend this if you like Hip Hop.
Some good stuff about discrimination whilst also discriminating against women. I love a bit of gangsta rap, but that side of things was a bit much.
Time for an album from another one of hip-hop's legends! Ice Cube is certainly one of the most influential names in hip-hop history, largely due to his work with N.W.A. However, his solo work, which start with this very album, has also seen a considerable amount of success, so I can understand the inclusion of an album like this. So, how do I feel about AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted? It's fine. It's far from my favorite hip-hop album, but I've definitely heard worse. There's good and bad to this album. The production is great. It's interesting to me that this was largely produced by the Bomb Squad, a group largely known for their work with Public Enemy, because they're from the East coast, while Ice Cube is from the West coast. And if you know anything about early hip-hop history, you'd know how big of a deal the coasts were. The sound is great, and Ice Cube's flow is solid. The album is also a solid length, and is paced pretty well. My problems with the album largely lie in the writing. It hasn't aged the best. It definitely leans too much into the whole "I'm killing bitches" thing that gangsta rap has been criticized for over the years. The skits are also not my thing. They're not Ready to Die levels of "almost ruining the album" for me, but they don't add much in my eyes either. Overall, while I respect this album to a degree and can understand its inclusion, I'm just not a fan of the overall package. Still, there are definitely things to like here, so I can't be too hard on this album. Light 3/5.
Enjoyed it
Not bad but each song flow sounded similar, though that might just be this era of rap. I liked how all the songs flowed into each other though
This is so angry!
Listening to the lyrics now it seems IC was anticipating 2024 in the USA.
trump mianittu
Kinda good kinda sexist
Commentary on race, violence, inequality, culture, etc. is delivered with agressive poeticism. The biggest issue is that the beats are dated. SUPER dated. A related issue is that every track sounds so similar to the last.
Most of these tracks are on "Kill At Will" or if you bought it from Sam Goody, "At Will" and they're mixed much better. Jackin' For Beats sounds much better for example. I wasn't a wannabe teenage gangster when this came out but I did find some chest thumping goodness in reciting these terrible lyrics while cruising suburban streets in my '84 Nissan Stanza. Yeah, it had rims. What an idiot.
Nice old school hip hop, I miss that gritty style nowadays
se vuelve un poco reptittiv
Not much of a rap.fan but he's got a good story to tell
Cool
Some good stuff, some not so. Solid album.
This is #day51 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's time to drop some old-school beats! Hip-hop, along with rock and electronic music was an essential genre in my formative years. In a way, artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and D12 shaped my musical landscape, especially Eminem. Later, this led me to explore nu-metal, but that's another story. When I see the '80s-'90s hip-hop, by default, it equals quality for me. The production, live instrumentation, rhythms, and delivery create a unique vibe that’s hard to find today. Although this is my first time listening to Ice Cube, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted is packed with those elements. The album does get repetitive toward the middle, but it ultimately picks up again, making it an engaging listen. As for the lyrical content mentioned by some reviewers, like with any hip-hop artist of that era, I think it's important to view it through the lens of its time rather than a modern perspective. It's a solid 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day52.
Love the beats and the overall production even if it does get a bit repetitive after a few songs. Relentless high octane delivery, very distinctive voice, with loads of long verses and only short hooks/choruses. Strong brew of anti-cop politics, violent self affirmation, and wild sexism. Hilarious that 35 years later this is still the paradigm of what rap is in the heads of American conservatives. It was self aggrandizing myth making but it came true, even if Ice Cube himself outgrew this persona into his acting career...
I'm in two minds about this debut from the former NWA rapper, just like the album itself, actually. Its reputation as a topical and partly groundbreaking "golden age" hip hop statement is not unwarranted, just as two strings of cuts in the record prove. There's the one starting the LP on a all-time high: "The Nigga You Love To Hate", the title-track, and "What They Hittin' Foe?". And there's the one going from "Turn Off The Radio" to "Endangered Species" (with a killer Chuck D featuring) to "A Gangster's Fairytale. Ice Cube borrowing Public Enemy's production team on the other side of the west-coast / east-coast divide was a genius move. And both that production team and he as an unforgiving storyteller create sparks on those tracks. The thing is, beyond the skits parodying the ridiculous, obviously racist reality show the album's title draws from, the rest can be tedious at times, and sometimes even awful to an extent. The misogyny is blatant on some cuts, especially "You Can't Fade Me". In that same infamous league, "I'm Only Out For One Thang" is not Flava Flav's shiniest hour as a guest performer. Interestingly that dumb song is omitted in some editions of the album found online. Guess someone (hopefully the two men themselves) realized how incredibly stupid that attempt at low-brow rap college humour sounded. Leave that sort of degrading of women to 2-Live Crew, please. Much respect to Ice Cube telling about "Black experience", but come on, Black women are at least one half on said experience, and promoting clichés about them being just hoes when you try so hard to make good points against oppression elsewhere is a bit hypocritical. Gonna pop up the same question as the one I asked for other rap albums: what's worse? A provocateur / entertainer such as Snoop Dog, whose take on that sort of subject won't be taken seriously by anyone in their right minds? Or rappers in the ilk of Cube, who want to see their takes about society taken seriously to a certain extent, here falling into the trap of stereotypical misogyny? The jury's still out on this one. Apart from that, the last leg of the album is correct, but never reaching the heights of its raucous start or equally raucous middle section. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 8/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3) Number of albums left to review: 53 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 408 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 237 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 303
i was kinda over it after 45 mins but i hate the “dated” commentary bc obv if you look it through a 21st century lens then yes that’s true but this album really pushed the hip hop game forward. it definitely encouraged other artists to up their pen game especially 7.5/10
I thought it would be better, but the songs seemed too much alike for me. Interesting combination pairing Ice Cube with Public Enemy.
A positive debut for Cube after the big split with N.W.A. Great beats, flows and overall a time capsule back to a different era in rap.
Ah yes, early 90s Ice Cube. His first album after severing ties with NWA, this brings more of the same with him at the helm for 50 minutes with only a few glancing features. This is some fine West Coast Gangsta rap oscillating between street vignettes (You Can't Fade Me), bombast (The Nigga Ya Love to Hate, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob), and comments on racial disparities in the U.S (Turn Off The Radio, Endagered Species). The production is Dre-adjacent and distinctly West Coast in the beat styling. Some standouts: The Nigga Ya Love To Hate (sneering and leaning into any hate directed in his attention with a great hop), Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob (quality posse call-out), Endangered Species, A Gangsta's Fairytale (silly concept, but the delivery, flow, and beat are great). Enjoyable enough straight through, but I definitely lost focus at points even with repeated listens. This stands somewhere on the boundary of a 3 and a 4 for me. Going high 3 here.
Long album. So much crap jammed between some jams like a lot of rap albums. 3 stars
More good flow from Ice Cube. Beats were solid as well. Feels like a 4 in the rap world, but in the multi-genre world, it doesn't quite get there. I enjoyed this more than the last Ice Cube album apparently.
Ice Cube is so funny how he pretty much is just yelling the entire time in every song. I don't normally like music to be angry, but I didn't mind this album at all. Just classic 90s west-coast hip hop. Still not my go to music at all but this album kind of ruled
A pretty good album, reckon I wouldn’t go back to it but it was provocative
An enjoyable listen, probably won't be rushing back to it as the lyrical content is a bit grating at times. Favourite songs: The Nigga Ya Love to Hate Once Upon a Time in the Projects Endangered Species A Gangsta's Fairytale (my favourite of album) Who's the Mack It's a Man's World Why are hip-hop albums so long?
It’s way too long to the point where it’s objectively important (yet kinda muddy) message gets lost somewhere in the runtime. A lot of hip hop is dated. This is even more so. Cube is certainly one of the greats, but not everything he touches is gold.
Damn, this album is amazing. Given how well I know Ice Cube, it's funny that I have heard almost none of his early stuff.
meh
It's just impossible for me to separate the nearly perfect beats and excellent flow by Cube....from the lyrics. Which are hideous. These national reviews which couch the issue by calling the songs "a mirror to America" "ugly in its observations about race" etc etc - not sorry: I call bullshit. It's an easy out and this kind of lowest-denominator rap is made even worse because of the talent that set this up to be one of the greats. It's goddamn frustrating because when I'm able to detach from the lyrics (i.e. when they're not misogynist or braggadocio-gangster - which isn't often enough) it would be enough to make this fantastic. Musically it's the kind of hip-hop I love - Bomb Squad representing! 5 for the music and actual vocal *delivery* but 1 for the horrid lyrics, I just can't.... bitch - grow tf up. 5/10 very generous 3 stars.
Crazy time. Much respect. Not really for me but still appreciate it.
6.5/10 Not a lot to say about this, I liked it but it didn’t blow my socks off. Such a distinctive voice, immediately jumps out who it is. Production supports the rap without particularly standing out. Good use of guitar. A few verses that either aged badly or are just bad. Kicking a pregnant woman to avoid child support? Sheesh. Best: Turn Off The Radio
Aika vihainen mutta toki ei lyriikat oikein kestä aikaa! 3/5
Ihan jees aikansa rap-levy vaikka naisille kyllä aika kylmää kyytiä taas.
what if we took evident, lightly worn genius... and slathered it with incredible levels of misogyny
Good album. Ice Cube's flow is aggressive and clean. There are some solid lyrical themes, but it's borderline rage and probably doesn't play so well in modern times. The beats/production by the Bomb Squad is really solid and blends the West Coast g-funk with that NY sound. ***
It’s another hit for 90s hip-hop. Production is great, the bass and beats are hard not to like and it’s generally just a good groove throughout. With the lyrics and vocals there’s plenty that’s poignant and clever but there’s also a fine line between what’s still funny and what’s a bit awkward. The majority falls on the right side but there’s a chunk of this album I’m not in a rush to listen to again. I don’t love his delivery but overall I’ve enjoyed the album.
Já, heilmikil karlremba og óþægileg, og of mikið ofbeldi fyrir minn smekk. En, ef maður horfir fram hjá þeim hluta textanna þá finnst mér þetta ganga ágætlega upp sem hljóðmynd. Góð sömpl og beat og hressilega flutt.
It's...okay, so cube has always been pretty good at spitting and isn't afraid to tackle some (sadly still current) issues, but I can't shake the fact that his beats aren't great and it does assault you a bit. I think it's a 3 from me as if I wanted to listen to his stuff I'd cherry pick songs and not an album
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted delivers powerful beats that are undeniably compelling, showcasing top-notch production. Tracks like The ... Ya Love to Hate and AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted stand out with their hard-hitting rhythms and engaging hooks. However, the album's lyrics are controversial and problematic, even for its time, often containing inflammatory and misogynistic content. Ice Cube's delivery is intense and confident, reflecting his skill as an MC. Despite its lyrical issues, the album captures the raw energy and frustration of the era. The production by The Bomb Squad elevates the overall sound, blending funk, rock, and hip-hop seamlessly. While the beats and production are exceptional, the lyrical content was a bit alienating. Overall, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted is a significant piece of hip-hop history, marked by great beats but marred by questionable lyrics. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Misogyny runs amok in this album. It cannot be denied. The influence this record has had on future hip hop cannot be denied either, but Ice Cube’s misogynistic crusades really harm this record’s ability to shine brighter.
On another day and fairly drunk I would buzz off this a lot more. It was today though and i was sober.
Great beats, just don't pay attention to the lyrics.
Some of this goes hard, but it’s too long and a lot of it is cringe.
Another successful Rapper from the 90's.
Beautiful old-school hip-hop music.
I can appreciate Cube's skill and talent, but this album was a slog for me.
Great production, solid everything else. No real stand out tracks.
Not my favourite type of music, but overall I enjoyed this.
He’s good. But it’s a bit much.
Some good rapping & beats, though I'm not really getting into it.
Raps not really my thing. But, there are some great beats on this album.
Good old school rap album.
I don’t which one of goddamn jackasses got a problem with all the fucking “language”, but y’all can suck a dick. How can you really give a shit about cursing. Also, should be noted that the misogyny on the album is present, but in my opinion, is not overbearing. I really don’t know what to think of “It’s a Man’s World (feat. Yo-Yo). He didn’t need to feature a woman, but also why say some (most?) of that shit. Otherwise, beats are dated, but solid. Flow and writing are strong. Nothing jumps out to me honestly as being incredible, but this album still remains iconic. 3/5
Not my flavor, but I recognize good when I hear it.
Oh look it’s that nice family movie guy Ice Cube this should be a wholesome albu- oh my! A good 90’s hip hop album - angry and offensive.
I feel guilty that I liked this album as much as I did. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
This was my first time hearing any of these tracks. Most of the record has that 80s/early 90s hip-hop sound, making it seem more upbeat and encouraging than the lyrics actually portray. The lyrics are what I'd call straight-up gritty gangsta rap and while the level of violence and anger may not be shocking to rap aficionados of the 2000s, I have the sneaking suspicion that this came as a bit of a shock to the people of 1990. Lyrically, this doesn't personally connect with me, but the beats and rhymes are solid. However, my favorite tracks were 6 and 15—I straight-up enjoyed the them! Track 6 seemed to be intentionally designed to embrace the conflict between the bright, happy beat and the harsh reality expressed in the lyrics, and 15 was a great sharing of the spotlight calling out patriarchy in the industry—sounds like they had fun playing the skit of him being dense and her putting him in his place time and time again. I would not normally give something like this another listen or thought, but this was such a an unexpected combination, I think I may. It feels like it may be a landmark in the progression from early hip-hop to modern day rap.
For a rap album from 1990, this was fine.
I wouldn't ask someone to change the music if this was playing.
Ice Cube's first solo album after leaving NWA. I'm not a huge fan of Ice Cube's but I do respect it and know that this is pretty much a diss album to NWA. Enjoying it 3 tracks in so far.
I'm as broad-minded as the next guy, but this one doesn't feel like it's aged well lyrically. Sweet beats though.
Great all around classic. A little outdated now in terms of sound but for what it was at the time, awesome. A super pissed off Ice Cube after leaving NWA will always be entertaining.
Genuinely clever with a clear message and solid flow. Coming right out of Straight Out of Compton to this is impressive. Unfortunately, it's marred by some nauseating misogyny. Even for the time it's too much. Side note, I'm so white I learned today that Ice Cube and Ice T are different people. Literally just thought I couldn't remember the man's name. Looking at them next to each other they really look nothing alike either.
Rap. Ice Cube is much better than most with clever, well-crafted lyrics instead of the tiresome bombast of much of the genre. I still don't like rap.
Some no nonsense gangsta rap right here. The production is a bit rougher than straight outta Compton.
Interestingly equally sociopolitical and machismo lyrics. Ice Cube's rapping is 90's gangster rap to a tee. Skits brings listener into the projects. Beats start off well but fade toward the end of the album. Standout are "Turn Off The Radio" and "Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside).
it was good and i’m sure it was amazing when it came out but i just don’t love the 90s style of rap
3.8
Starts strong, gets repetitive toward the end. NWA without Dre and Easy and the other guy.
3 stars. Pretty good music but some problematic ideas.
I think I prefer Ice Cube's later work. This album starts off hard early on, but kinda loses me midway through. Echoing everyone here, but could've done without the misogyny too. Seems like a lot of gangsta rap from this era had similar content. Ice Cube is still one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop though.
Good flow, but the songs feel a little repetitive and the album gets monotonous.
An album addressing racial issues, violence, and politics all while shitting all over women and promoting violence. Lyrical content aside, it was raw and energetic. Great flow.
1. better off dead - 0 2. love to hate - 1.5 3. mozt uuanted - 1.5 4. hittin foe - 1 5. fade me - 1 6. projectz - 1 7. radio - 2 8. endangered - 1 9. fairytale - 1 10. one thang - 1 11. come here - 0 12. drive by - 0 13. lench mob - 1 14. the mack - 1.5 15. manz uuorld - 1 16. the bomb - 1 17. zpeciez - 1.5 18. beatz - 1 19. my dick - 1 20. the product - 1.5 21. dead homiez - 1 22. jd - 0 23. uuhat up - 1
He's an angry elf.
It’s a good time capsule album, but it sounds really, really dated. The beats are just from a completely different time, and it sounds almost quaint. When it released, however, it was the hardest hitting shit of all time. Definitely worth a listen, but it’s not going back into my current rotation. 3.5 stars.
Turhan pitkä levy ja melkoista tasapainoilua viihdyttävän ja puuduttavan välillä. Neutraali kolmonen.
Taatusti laadukasta. Ei mikään hypetyksen paikka kuitenkaan.
Ice Cube is a legend and this was a solid album. Not a big fan of this particular set of songs, but I enjoyed it.
Amazing beats Shit lyrics Of its time
3.5
gangsta rap made me doit, paitsi epä ironisesti. lyriikat kuin parodioita itsestään. en tiedä onko ice cube todellinen vai feikki nekru, minkälaista hänen päivittäiset hörhöilyt komptonissa olivat. myöhemmät cuben sooloalbumit fiksumpia mutta silti hassuilu tarianpätkinöinti säilyy, ilman myötähäpeää. tarvii silmät päästä tässä.. old school biitit kantaa the nigga you love to hate
I like the funky beats. Ice Cube always has a great delivery, it's commanding.
Loaded stuff. Sounded cool
Good, nothing too memorable. I think it would've been much better at the time.
I like classic hip hop and this sounds good. Did not pay much attention to the lyrics. What I did catch wasn't great, Ice Cube really leaning into the misogyny. It was Interesting to have a track with Yo-Yo taking it slightly to task but I self-aware misogyny isn't much to write home about. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
Not enough variety in beats or lyrical themes to leave much of an impression. A few great tracks littered throughout. The political themes within are tainted by the rampant misogyny, which is typical of this era. 2.5/5 Fav track: Endangered species
Cube is so charismatic and it's hard to resist his energy on a lot of these tracks. But it has familiar problems of being way too bloated to maintain the loud boom bap production throughout, and horrific misogyny and homophobia in the lyrics. Some powerful stuff but not one I could go back to in full. Two and a half. Fave track: It's a Man's World
This album was good but it doesn't hold up as well as other hiphop albums from the era.
Good flow and smart rhymes not really for me tho
Again, wouldn’t have fazed me like 10 years ago (the raps are good!), but the blatant fucking misogyny is just a bummer. Didn’t finish
Really appreciate this style of hip hop - considering what was happening at the time. Feels like it’s part of a big movement. A bit like punk though - gets a bit too shouty for me! 3.4
Solid, old-school hip-hop record. Tracks are good, beats range from good to great. One track had Flavor Flav, that was dope. Really strong solo debut, wonder what would have been if Dre had been allowed to produce.
v good, repetitive tho
You really have to love all the social Justice Warriors even on this app project, whatever you want to call it of all the things on this record that are absolutely deplorable by many moral standards, it's the misogyny oh, good heavens the misogyny?!?. that everyone has to point out and deduct Stars for. what about all the anti-racist anti-white, what about all the cop killing and crime glorification? This is what rap music was back then and in large part still is. get off of your high horse. You're all full of s***, the misogyny does not ruin this album. This is classic hip-hop and to be honest with you, one of the best.
Classic
This is probably the first album that's grabbed my attention so quickly, I started off surprised I liked it so much. It was interesting, creative and I knew at the very least this was going to be ice cube saying insane shit for 1 hour 11 minutes (Which I absolutely got). Special shout out to 'You Can't Fade Me', memorable moments being Ice Cube kicking a pregnant woman in the belly. Honestly, so absurd and over the top it started to be funny. Saying all this, it started to lose me around what the mack? The music itself, as well as the cartoonish misogyny started to become tedious and overwhelming. (Which is something that should be brought up, but I wanted to detach from when reviewing considering thats kind of the point of the album that ice cube is this bad guy. Also he included female rapper Yo-yo which helps to combat this, and definitely makes the album feel more self aware). I'd feel bad giving this anything under a 3, considering based off the first few songs I thought I was going to give it a 4.
Ok
A solid album.
Good flow and an enjoyable listen
Solid, funny, good rap and hip hop.
Started strong but lasted too long.
An artifact of gangsta rap. Hard. Well done. Intense. I wonder if ice t,s work with law and order has diminished this? I really don’t know. But an album worth hearing even if I suspect it’s here because someone told him it should be rather than any real claim that it must.
solid 90s hip hop with good storytelling and flow, 3.5
Relentess rap, great flows, awesome lyrics, hard hitting beats
Kinda hard to rate. There is plenty to like: interesting and funky beats.. weirdly some of the drumming stood out to me. Social commentary of racism in the early 90s in America. The intensity that he raps with is really striking, some of these songs just hit harder than any modern hip-hop. I can't give this 5* because of the misogyny, for fucks sake there's a song where he muses on killing a woman he slept with because he's worried she might be pregnant with his baby. What the hell!
What the fuck is it with all these guys and the constant cuck-revenge fantasies, it's so weird and pervasive! Still comes out way better than Eminem, though; I like the Bomb Squad's production a hell of a lot more, Chuck D's presence on the album is very appreciated, and Ice Cube has a much better range of topics that he's capable of covering, compared to Mathers
A few tracks here would make for decent Gym music, but the album isn't anything spectacular.
Decent rap album. Ice cube better with NWA
This album has a great, energetic start that got me invested right away, but the next few tracks seem to repeat the same song and dance (musically) with only some tracks bringing it back into the limelight throughout. There's also great topic discussed here ruined by songs about Ice Cube getting his dick wet, and its mostly distracting. Just a very down the middle album that I give the more positive spin due to not playing itself overly long, cutting itself off at a reasonable time, which I really appreciate.
I remember this album back in the early 90s and it got a lot of attention. I probably heard some of these tracks before but I don't remember which ones. Anyway, this album's showing up in my rotation is a great reason to give it a full listen, and I'm glad I did. I was drawn in and went along for the ride. I knew the language would be rough and provocative, and it didn't let me down on that front, and the way he delivers lyrics is great -- such solid flow. The music, harmonies, and rhythms that drive the lyrics are so strong and match up so well with what the artist is going for. The samples are provocative and often fun as well.
Good but not great
I love ice cube
Tough and kinetic, often humorous. Continually performative. Samey in terms of tempo and repetitive in the vocal styles. Not all that interesting in the end. Best cut is "Who's the Mack" because of a track with varied instrumentation.
Mid
Another Ice Cube album... would prefer some more diversity from the random album generator. Pretty sure this is the his 1st post NWA solo album. Definitely hear the influence and classic Ice. Not his best but decent.
I love how much 90s rap references the Arsenio Hall show. It's a shame we don't have a contemporary equivalent. This is fun but a bit long. Couldnt pay as much attention to the lyrics as I would have liked today, some of it problematic but not as egregious as some others at the time?
Tough to give this a good rating given the sexism and violence in the lyrics. Ice cube is a decent story teller and there are obviously important messages here about racism and black life in Los Angeles. I know this is album is influential, but it doesn’t hold a candle to some of the more talented rappers of today that have just as much if not more social commentary in their lyrics.
Well this did not age well! The incisive racial commentary is just so overshadowed by the misogyny and violence that this was hard to get through. Fortunately he was a bit aware of this and the Man's world track with Yo-Yo gives at least one woman a response on the album. The sampling was decent but I missed the other members of NWA.
Ice cube n est pas qu'un acteur lol
Holy shit. Bombastic rage and pathos, Ice Cube rips the veil off the elusive American dream. 3.5
I think Ice Cube is a good rapper, and I think he's great as a part of N.W.A. This album just isn't doing it for me, though. It's okay. Nothing really special. There are definitely better rap albums on this list.
Loved this album when I was a kid but it's hard to take seriously now.
Okay
Ice Cube says alot on this album, and for the most part it's fun to listen to.
Him wanting to kill a pregnant woman so he wouldnt pay child support kinda ruined it
HL: "The Nigga Ya Love to Hate", "Once Upon a Time in the Projects", "It's a Man's World" Lyrically, it has much of what I didn't like about N.W.A., but sonically has much of what I like about Public Enemy. Also I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy Ice Cube's verses in this or Straight Outta Compton. It's not described as such on the linked Wiki page, but it's a decent example of G-funk, and leaves me looking forward to the last P.E. record on this list, Fear of a Black Planet September 22, 2023 P.S. Trying something new today, pairing a movie with the daily album. Today it's A̶r̶e̶ ̶W̶e̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶Y̶e̶t̶?̶ Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Ice Cube's closer to N.W.A. here; The Bomb Squad production offers useful foil. The rapper's excesses are his own. The image of the old group's there, but in the words of a soloist with enough sides himself.
Certainly an explicit album lol... but overall I'm digging this 90s hip hop. Haven't ever really listened to Ice Cube before but he seems to be at the top of the list in terms of hip hop.
Sounds a bit dated now. I enjoyed parts of it but I switched off after a while, there was other much better hip hop in the early 90s in my opinion
nice flow. aime le côté aggressif. un peu trop répétitif. les paroles ont plus ou moins bien veilli mettons. 6.5/10
It ''twas the nineties. You could get away with shit like this.
Big, brash, loud, early hip hop. Can definitely see why it caused such a stir, but also it wasn't the beginning of that stir, so you can hear the reaction to the reaction, of sorts.
A classic rap album that hasn’t dated well in terms of misogyny and also the beats sound a bit dated now too. Deserves to be on the list, but won’t be rushing back.
It’s decent. I’ve heard better rapping but it’s better than the contemporaries of it’s time but still… Fav tracks: the N**** You Love To Hate, Title Track, The Drive-By Least fave: Better of Dead 3/5
You can hear the production team is same as for Public Enemy, this sounds awesome. "The Nigga Ya Love to Hate" e.g. sounds like PE's Louder Than A Bomb. But but much less forceful than e.g. the Nations of Millions PE album. But do not hate it either, so not to quote the man himself: "Fuck you Ice Cube". 3 stars.
Always so weird hearing Ice cube rap like this given what he’s been up to these days
Je suis toujours fascinée par la mise en scène qui entoure les albums hip-hop de cette période, leur théâtralité. J’aime le son dépouillé aussi. Contente qu’il prenne acte de la misogynie du hip hop par sa collaboration avec Yo-Yo.
Like most gangsta rap of the time, musically this is very interesting and effective; lyrically it becomes a bit wearing. Braggadocio and the glorification of violence -regardless of where it comes from - gets boring after a while. Still, better than 2Pac etc
3.5, one of the better ice cube albums, but pretty average for 90s hip hop/rap
juste l'impression d'avoir deja entendu ca 60 fois mais sinon c'est ok
As far as hip hop goes it's pretty good. Not really my thing, but 3 stars for the effort.
It's good for what it is. But every song seems to sound the same. And I'm still not impressed with gangsta' rap.
Was unknown to me before this journey of discovery. In the 1990 I was into a very different scene, a million miles away from the world that IC was describing. I was aware of NWA and Public Enemy as a mate from work played it to me. Listening to this the thing that strikes me is how lyrically dated it now sounds. The world has moved on from misogyny, sexism and the faux male boasting. But musically I can hear why this record is included, it’s one of the best examples of Hip Hop from the time. The Public Enemy contribution adds the gold dust and sets this apart.
Not appropriate for children.
3.5
He was better with nwa, also with da lynch mob. Not bad, nott great.
Solid, but kinda unimpressive to me. I do like many of the individual songs alone, but listening to this as an album felt a little same-y after a while--each track doesn't do a massive amount to differentiate itself from the last. This album has also NOT aged well in the slightest--all the criticism towards the album's misogyny is extremely valid. Far from bad, though, and "Turn Off the Radio" reminds me that I desperately need to re-watch Do The Right Thing! (Favorite Tracks: Once Upon a Time in the Projects, Endangered Species, Who's the Mack?, The Bomb)
Glad to be getting another Ice Cube album! I enjoyed it about as much as his other one too. Has some good tracks and others that feel like skits/skippables.
I think this is our second from Cube, probably more influential than the other but it's a bit more dated for sure. Starts very strong with "Dude You Love to Hate," and the energy stays high all album. Unfortunately here I feel like Cube isn't someone I want to hear a whole album length from, at least if we're talking this proto-hip hop style. He certainly evolved from here, but at this time I think his sound worked better as a member of a group like NWA. Personally don't love this album, but I completely understand the inclusion because he's a very important historical figure in hip hop. Favorite tracks: Dude You Love to Hate, You Can't Fade Me, Rollin' Wit the Lench Mob. Album art: Definitely a classic, love the hand clasped pose, as well as the small army of dudes backing him up. Even though this is my first time hearing it, I've seen this album cover many times over the years. 3/5
Ice Cube is good but I don’t like the beats on this.
Occasionally inspired, frequently tiresome, this may have been a huge seller for Cube but it has aged terribly - the beats are really lousy, lacking any complexity or sonic depth. Undoubtedly, Cube has a lot of important things to say - and his straight-from-the-streets content and delivery is certainly urgent and essential. But the message is lost in the presentation. Cube's game would step up by his third solo album, Predator.
Not as good as The Predator, but it took Dre 15 years to put out two good albums. It took Ice Cube two years to put out this good one and an all timer. Clearly history has come away with the wrong idea of who the brains of NWA was.
It's hard to decide how to rate this one. The intensity of Ice Cube's voice and the political commentary on institutional racism clearly give his album an important place in the history of rap music. The mysogyny however is uncomfortable. To his credit, "It's a Man's World" addresses sexism head on. However, it only highlights that sexism exists without any particular challenge to it. It also suggests a moral equivalence between sexism directed at both men and women. Even that limited response may have seemed revolutionary for a rap album released in 1990, but today it seems more like an empty gesture. Especially when the same album has a track called "Get Off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here". In that context, "It's a Man's World" feels more like an excuse than an apology. The message it sends is not "Let's challenge sexism" but "Sexism exists everywhere, so get over it." Overall, it's a great album, especially put into the context of the time it was released. Unfortunately, parts of it haven't aged well.
I’m mixed on this one. On the one hand, the beats are actually really good, and in some ways it’s not cookie cutter gangster rap. But on the other hand, it is. I wish we could give half star ratings!
Above average beats for the 90s but still repetitive. I like Ice Cube's voice but the music does not age all that well. 3.5/5
Got bored.
It's no 'Straight Outta Compton", but this album is still pretty solid. I have a shortlist of rap albums that I would place above this one, but I don't have any significant complaints about it. Looks like this was Ice's first solo album since leaving NWA, and he definitely retains listen-worthy status. Good rhymes, provocative lyrics, and some decent beats to back it up. Not incredible, but solid. Fave tracks: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Once Upon a Time in The Projects, A Gangsta's Fairytale
7/10
Ice Cube's talent is undeniable, but I've just never been a big fan. Long album, kind of gets same-y after a while. Very hard to keep up this intensity for long. Favorite track: "Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob"
Enjoyed this, but really love his Everythang's Corrupt album.
I'm not a big rap fan. This was just run of the mill sweary rap. Nothing good about it at all, background music at best.
Not the best rap I've ever heard, but for some reason people will say this is the golden era.
For some reason it was very weird to learn that Public Enemy associates did a lot of producing this album because them and Ice Cube occupy such different areas of hip hop in my mind even though they were contemporaries. Anyway, this was a lot like the Ice-T album because the production and flow is great but the lyrics really really haven't aged well. You can't fade me and its a mans world are great examples of this but its also hard to hate on because it sounds so good. Once upon a time in the hood is one that was just good all around though. Very high 3
I am loving the rap/ hiphop education I'm getting through this project, but I definitely feel there are some exemplary albums from the genre that have aged a bit better than this one. 3/5
весь этот гангста реп либо уже не понять мне, либо надо намного больше слушать
I’ve always enjoyed Ice Cube. Pairing him with the BombSquad leads to some great sounds, even if this does get repetitive quickly. Cube’s rants against the sell-outs are amusing, coming from the guy who starred in Are We There Yet, but it is of its time.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, Some nice themes/messages that are conveyed through interludes but can’t help but feel with I’ve cube that once you’ve heard a couple of songs from this that you’ve heard them all? Favourite song: Track 7 - Turn Off The Radio
Hard beats. Good flows. Misogynistic af lol
Not my favorite Ice Cube record ever, but this one still has some classic old school 90s Gangsta raps.
A very hit and miss album, with some great wordplay, delivery, and politically-charged rhymes, and also some fire production- a lot of the other reviews say it's dated, which I get when compared to some more revolutionary early 90s releases like Low End Theory and The Chronic, but as a bookend to the 80s style production The Bomb Squad were renowned for it's still really impressively put together. Some tracks are very forgettable though, and others like It's a Man's World make me wish I could forget them
Super aggressive 90s hip hop, but better than I thought Ice Cube would be
I admire the Arsenio Hall selling out diss, even though I'm sure many accused Cube of the same after he started making all of those "Are We There Yet?" movies. Somewhat related and definitely worth mentioning: Cube is the only Raider's fan I respect.
Fun. Felt like a movie.
Hearing this album in 1990 must have been wild. Production is usually on-point, Ice Cube is charismatic as hell, and there are some genuinely harrowing, darkly comedic tales on this thing. It’s an important record with themes that still resonate today. But in a post-TPAB world, this just feels outdated. No part of this blew me away, other than maybe the song about Ice Cube wanting to murder a pregnant woman so he wouldn’t have to pay child support. That blew me away, but not in a good way.
Ok
Pretty mid
Not Cubes strongest release. Still he’s full vitriol here and that’s really what we want from Cube. That said it hits hard at times and has several great features. Sadly it isn’t enough to really grab me like his two follow ups do.
This is a tough review. At face value, this album is life on the street storytelling with profanity on top of hip hop beats. Objectively, I’m not sure who would enjoy this today, and it’s staying power I question. When Ice Cube fans are in their 70’s, are they going to be humming along to these golden oldies? Will this album bring back good memories? Or is this album an artifact meant to be preserved, a rare explicit example (at the time) of the language and anger of an underground, angry, misunderstood, oppressed urban youth? I will likely never revisit this album, as it’s anger and wide stream profanity eliminate a soft listen. But I certainly know that’s not a shared opinion. I’m many ways, it’s a foreign language album, when most other albums on this journey are more easily approached. But I have a feeling Ice Cube’s motive was just this- putting up his middle finger to the crusty establishment. By that definition, it’s a masterpiece.
I think I need a second listen on this one - it was background noise at the time and as much as I was trying to pay attention I'm not sure it stuck. I did like what I heard, but there was stuff that washed over me - not sure if that was me or the album, but on an initial opinion 3 stars
Gangsta rap isn't really my favorite rap genre, but a few of the unique-sounding songs did stand out that I liked.
I'm a much bigger fan of East Coast rap. Never really got the huge fascination with Ice Cube, I think Dre is the real genius behind NWA. The one thing I can point to is that Ice Cube was always very outspoken about social injustices, so props for that. But as far as something I want to listen to, this album is good not great.
Didn't like every song but overall solid gangster.
Ice Cube has a unique way of seeming friendly through the tough talk. Enjoyed parts, but it was too long and I have a little trouble with the violence and misogyny.
I generally like Ice Cube's voice and the Bomb Squad production but I find this one fairly exhausting.
Iconic ganstarap but there are few areas where it's a bit sexist and casting doubt on some black people's identities by calling them "Oreo cookies". It was a different time for sure and ironically I bet Ice Cube of the 90s would absolutely hate the Ice Cube of today. Regardless it's good for the genre, for sure. But for me I'd rather listen to other rap.
Un rap noventero agradable que a veces casi le tira a soul o funk pero sin atascarse. No le puse toda la atención a la letra, pero siendo de Ice Cube y con el título, no creo que tenga mucha profundidad o innovación. Se gana su tercera estrella y punto.
Allemaal aardig hoor. Maar Spotify laat vervolgens Public Enemy horen. Klinkt toch echt een stuk sterker.
Dit is toch meer een beetje ghetto'tje spelen. Zou KKK dan ook voor kaaskopkut staan? Voor Roel: dit zijn Osdorp Posse referenties :-P
Solid and classy, not my fav tho.
Urban wrap makes me uncomfortable. While raw and honest, I have WP guilt about the n-word usage. It is essential to the context though. Relaxing a bit and listening to it as the poet intends, I find the storytelling aspect intriguing. Mechanically sound.
Far from my favourite Ice Cube album. It's not terrible though, although some of it hasn't aged well.
The Predator came up only about a week before this one, and I have to say I prefer The Predator, personally. This seemed a bit less varied and generally less interesting to me, and I just don't think it really aged well, in terms of both the beats and the subject matter. I suppose it was a product of its time though. I think Yo-Yo may have been the star of the show to be honest, because what a debut she made on It's A Man's World. Favourite: It's A Man's World
Pretty good hip hop. I like Ice Cube's style, but nothing really jumped out at me after the first few songs. Standouts: The N*gga Ya Love To Hate, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside)
This was my first Ice Cube album and I wanted to like it. I dig hip-hop, and most of the beats and samples were right in the pocket for me. Unfortunately, the lyrical content for many of the tracks was too violent towards women for me to love.
I really loved some of this and really hated some of this.
Never listened to an Ice Cube album before. Wasn’t really looking forward to changing that. After the opening skit, the second track started, blew my hair back, and Ice Cube had my full attention. I really dug that first song with all its samples. The album did start to wear on me halfway through, though, and I found myself getting a little impatient with all the misogyny. In some ways this was better than I expected. In other ways, a lot like I expected.
liked it, a classic i guess, ice cube's first album after his split from NWA. just didnt give me the wow factor 3.5 rounded down
Dynamic and engaging, but one is worn out by the constant "n"-ing and subject matter (admittedly not just the album here, which gets repetitive, but also the 30 years since). Feels a litlte put-on and trite today, but there's no denying it's got more than a few teeth.
Though i give him credit for strong lyrical content pretty much across the board, i feel like the musical aspects of it are non very interesting... it seems like sound effects are the only differentiating feature, otherwise the beat seems the same. Interesting, particularly the unexpected gansta's fairytale.
Didn't give this one quite the in depth listen I feel it deserves but it was definitely a fun time. It feels significant for it's time and an inspiration for what was to come. Definitely makes me want to dive more into classic hip hop.
I remember as a kid when N.W.A. blew up. "Fuck tha Police" was a BIG DEAL, and the white politicians and news commentators all seemed to think that rap music was vile and dangerous. All the parents I knew either agreed or had opinions that were a variation of "You call that music? It just sounds like noise to me!" This of course made all the white kids want to listen to it. I never listened to rap or hip hop myself, and I was too young to have friends who were into NWA, but I certainly remember Ice Cube being huge. I don't recognize anything on this record specifically, but it has that perfect 90s hip hop sound and was way more nostalgic and fun to listen to than I expected. That said, this is just not for me. I suppose that gansta rap is not supposed to be easy to listen to, but the constant swearing and especially the misogyny makes this impossible for me to really get into. It's a pretty powerful record though. It's political and angry and he certainly does not shy away from saying exactly what he thinks. Ice-T clearly doesn't give a shit if me or anyone else approves.
Aggressive, outraged (and rightly so), elements of misogyny. The usual...
It's good. I like the production and the story. It aged well for an album released in 1990.
the bars are good but Im not a huge fan of the beats from this era
Boxy production but still pretty great.
Kogo jak kogo ale pana Cube sie kolejny raz nie spodziewalem na liscie, znowu z solowym materialem, tym razem debiutanckim albumem AmeriKKKas Most Wanted z 90, pokazal co umie zarowno jako tworca tekstow i czlowiek interesu potrafiacy znalezc odpowiednich ludzi do roboty, mowie tutaj o produkcji plyty ktora jest glownie zasluga the bomb squad, ekipy ktora juz w tamtych czasach tworzyla dla slick ricka, ll cool ja, czy public enemy, ktorzy sa featurami na dwoch trakach jeszcze jednym gosciem na plycie jest pani yo yo, w pewnym sensie artystka wypromowana przez niego, co do samego kontentu plyty to jest tematycznie podobny do tego co juz bylo grane na predatorze, wiec obok gangsterskiego zycia gettowego i lekcji szancuku dla kobiet znajdzie sie takze miejsce na pokazna doze rasizmu, czasem wymierzonego rowniez w czarnych, na ktorych uzywa ciekawego okreslenia jak oreo, ale nie jest to jeszcze tak doszlifowany material, jesli porownywac go z jego nastepnymi albumami, wiec teksty sa o wiele bardziej bezposrednie i proste, tak samo jest z technika rymowania, ktora nadal jest w powijakach, tym razem plyte ratuja instrumentale, ktore jak przystalo na lata 90 bazuja na bogatym samplowaniu zarowno klasycznych funkowych czarnych artystow lat 70 i 80, ale takze swiezych trakow rapowej sceny, czy nawet materialu od ex grupy, wiec nawet jesli to nie byl to najlepszy krazek jaki slyszalem od tego pana, to i tak szanuje za solidna dyskografie, na plejke leci whos the mack i the nigga you love to hate
Been a while since I listened to this one
I like Public Enemy better and this sounds pretty similar to me and came later. What makes me laugh are those that are blowing up this whole thing like he's Shakespeare born again. It's ok but only if you're in an angry mood.