The Predator

I'm not a hip-hop fan but this album, like MWA's Straight Outta Compton (of which Ice Cube was part), touch me a lot. Maybe because this is so authentic and feels very genuine. The themes are hard hitting and the music fits that, I especially like the spoken samples that help a lot with this. Do they make the album sound "pleasant" - no, but that's very much not the point. As a social critical album with genuine anger, this does the job excellently (I sometimes compare this to punk for that reason). I gave NWA a 5 - I'll stick to a good 4 for this just because I don't dig it that much musically. But it's excellent at what it is.

Helt greit, finnes bedre rap fra samme era imo

Gangster rap through and through with a good selection of sampling and tone shifts at critical points throughout to keep the album flowing smoothly. The hits hold up and the songs in between are best when it comes to the political themes and social commentaries. The posturing and self aggrandizing stuff is almost always a miss for me. Feels like an album that was fueled by frustration with the world but also performative and including things because he felt like he had to in order to be considered "real". Would have no problems putting a good amount of these in a playlist for a rap vibe.

One banger after another. If not for the antisemitism this could have been a five

We must acknowledge that the beats and the flow here are very strong, right? (Regardless of the lyrics’ content and/or very ‘90s sensibility) Classic Boom-Bap!

Cohesion: 5/5 Theme & Narrative: 1/1 Sonic Identity: 1/1 Arrangement Synergy: 1/1 Genre Authenticity; 1/1 Transitions & Flow; 1/1 Production: 4.5/5 Clarity & Balance; 1/1 Vocal Delivery; 1/1 Sound Design; 1/1 Dynamic Depth; 1/1 Mastering; 0.5/1 Enjoyability: 3/5 Immediate Engagement; 1/1 Replay Value; 0.5/1 Emotional Resonance; 0.5/1 Playlist Potential; 0.5/1 Sticking Power; 0.5/1 Songwriting: 4.5/5 Lyrics; 1/1 Melody; 1/1 Structure & Contrast; 1/1 Hook; 0.5/1 Prosody & Emotional Resolution; 1/1 Favourite Songs: 3/16 - Now I Gotta Wet ‘cha - The predator - Say hi to the bad guy Final Thoughts: - I love that is talks about the discrimination black people face and brings awareness to it - Interludes make the album feel rawer, like real life

If he stuck more with the politics…

This was one of the first rap albums I ever bought, probably about 1997ish (so a little bit late to the party). I love the Predator. Some of that love is wrapped up a bit in nostalgia, for sure. But I also think this record holds up really well over time, at least for me. It’s angry Ice Cube in his prime. 9.5/10

Fun 4/5

Unsurprisingly, I dug this a lot. I’m pretty sure this is the first full-length Ice Cube album I’ve sat down and listened to. Love this dude’s energy and charisma. Most of the beats were really solid.

Pretty sick, i like a lot of the grooves and feels. Dirty mack was groovy. I like the superman lover sample.

Pretty exceptional old school gangsta rap. The lyrics, the hooks, the instrumentals, and the flow are all so firmly within that subgenre's tropes but all work without sounding dated (beyond some eyebrow-raising edgy lyrics that are funny more than anything). There's even some forward-thinking aspects that became hip-hop staples across the next few decades: patois hype men, spoken word sample intros, chopped/screwed sample flips. Only one real classic- "It Was a Good Day" (and I prefer the clean version)- but everything is pretty good overall.

The Predator is probably the best Ice i'm getting on this list. This one definitely does take after Ice Cube's prior album when it comes to lyrical themes like condemning racism and unfortunately glorifying misogyny but the beats and production have taken on far more of a 90s skin moving away from the more 80s like production of both Straight Outta Compton and AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. I do really like the beats and production because they have all that i would enjoy from this era and they don't sound too dated and there were some pretty smart lyrics on offer while also unfortunately having some bad ones too. Like i said up top, this is the best Ice on the whole list. Best Song: When Will They Shoot? Worst Song: It Was A Good Day

Ice Cube. From NWA to… Amazon propagandist? What a weird path. The Predator is raw, aggressive, and mean. It tackles racial segregation and black anger in words that should come in outdated after more than 30 years, but they are as real as ever. The usual misogyny of the hip hop from this era is, of course, here as well, stinking the good message. Musically, Ice Cube's style is kind of repetitive. He's got his flow, don't get me wrong, he knows the game, but the record is begging for more variety. The production is on a good level, with aggressive beats pairing the anger of the words, but outdated. It didn't age much well, at least to my ear.

Just fantastic. Its powerful. Its visceral. Hard hitting lyrics, but also really flowy. The beats roll and its really fun to get into despite it being so aggressive in subject matter.

Great bops, some hops, sample heavy, feel cool daily, walking down the street and you are a moseying, cane in hand, tilted hat, purple coat, headed to the club.

I grew up with You Can Do It/Barbershop Ice Cube. I know I had listened to a different solo of his but I was really happy to hear the more aggressive political Ice Cube I've heard of. This ruled

Today was a good day. This record's better than yesterday's Beyoncé. Though I didn't care for the blatant misogony, At least Ice has got a great line delivery. I never really listened to this whole thing before, But I guess out of five stars Ima give it four. If I didn't, maybe they'd be getting super pissed- Something, something, gorillas in the mist. (Seriously, there's a line referencing "Gorillas in the Mist" in three out of the first four tracks.)

As a note, I listened to this in less than ideal conditions. Ice Cube is now associated with family comedies and Amazon propaganda films, but at one time he was a successful musician. With NWA and then going solo, his work took a turn. NWA was a pretty decent group. Really made some changes to hip-hop that would make waves for years after. His solo work, not so much. There’s a few good songs on here, but a majority I would say don’t do much. It’s pretty well produced, the lyrics aren’t all that, and the flow is decent. It’s an okay album, with a few songs that jump out and are really good. The content is absolutely correct. Racism is alive and well to this day. Hell, it’s been kicked into overdrive, lately. He’s right to be pissed about it, and frankly more people should be. Unfortunately, the misogyny and glorification of gang violence waters down that message.

Quintessential West Coast rap album, and probably one of Ice Cube's best during his early solo era. Racial tensions were obviously quite noteworthy in 1992, so Ice Cube is pretty charged here. Excerpts from real-life news, interviews, etc. bridge the gap between some tracks and don't feel that intrusive. That actual tracks themselves have that 90's west hip-hop panache with the production and sampling used. "It Was a Good Day" is a certified classic of course, and while I much prefer the remix of "Check Yo Self", the original still holds its own. There were a few other highlights in the first half ("When Will They Shoot?", "Wicked", and "The Predator"), but I felt the second half kind of lagged a bit in comparison. Arguably Ice Cube's best solo work, however, and still relevant in many ways.

Fett!

I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting, it kept my interest the entire time and it was obvious to me that a lot of talented people worked on this album. That being said, I deliberately did not listen too closely to the lyrics as I've heard more than enough casual misogyny and homophobia just by virtue of living in the world in 2026.

3.5

Damn

When you break it all down - it WAS a good day.

I liked this a lot. His delivery is really cool

Sorry but this predictable and ubiquitous MF'ng rubbish shouting will never draw me in.

This album was a good album

Trying very hard to be Biggie...

Great album. The thing I liked most about original Gangsta/G-Funk was the anger you could practically feel radiating from it. Ice Cube is one of the best at it.

T.b.c

Powerful album with great beats and flow.

All the cliches ✅ I’m 858 albums into this list, and am committed to listening to everything it throws up. But every time another gangsta rap album pops up it is so tempting just to skip it as I’m finding absolutely nothing new.

Ah, another Rap album, is it me or do they all sound the same? However, this one made me think of that Sly Stallone film 'Lock Up' at the start of this, visions of prisons and such like. Yes, I had totally random thoughts going on while this was playing. There in lies the problem, this crap just doesn't keep my attention for long enough, I don't care what his beef is, but it all sounds the same as any other rapper. The plus point was the soundtrack underpinning Ice Cube's boring ranting seemed to be of a better quality and originality compared to some of the others out there.

Not for me.

(3/7) I did like the song "It Was a Good Day", which was an unexpected dose of optimism for this genre

Now, I’m never going to listen to this album again as one thing that has become apparent to me, running through these 1001 albums, is I'm not going to love 'Gangsta Rap' like others do. That said, I quite liked this album, sonically and musically at least. Lyrically it doesn’t resonate at all. A few of the interludes and mid-album tracks slow the momentum slightly but otherwise a good listen. 1 "The First Day of School (Intro)" (3/5) 2 "When Will They Shoot?" (4/5) 3 "I'm Scared (Insert)" (3/5) 4 "Wicked" (featuring Don Jagwarr) (3/5) 5 "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" (4/5) 6 "The Predator" (3/5) 7 "It Was a Good Day" (3/5) 8 "We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up" (3/5) 9 "Fuck 'Em (Insert)" (2/5) 10 "Dirty Mack" (3/5) 11 "Don't Trust 'Em" (3/5) 12 "Gangsta's Fairytale 2" (featuring Lil Russ) (3/5) 13 "Check Yo Self" (featuring Das EFX) (3/5) 14 "Who Got the Camera?" (3/5) 15 "Integration (Insert)" (3/5) 16 "Say Hi to the Bad Guy" (3/5) Total - 49 Average - 3.1 456/1001 241/456 albums reviewed were new to me.

The Good: We know we can chill our glass with this artist! The Bad: Wait... we need more than 1 ice-cube to chill this glass... The Ugly: tepid drinks... really suck... I have always like Ice Cube, not so much as a rapper, but more as an artist, a person. I think that the first time I really paid attention to him was when I watched Boys In Tha Hood, which was harsh to say the least. Anyway, I still am not one to appreciate rap... but... Today Was A Good Day! 3*

good album

There is something about 90s rap. Yes it clichéd and violent and msygonistic...but it still hits a spot! A lot of great songs and Don't Trust Em or check Yo Self were the standouts. Very close to 4. 3.5 stars

Very 92 and not in a good way

epic classic rap album with some absolute highlights. happily listen to this in my downtime too.

This album is great from this era

3.5

4/10 Exactly what I've come to expect from Gangsta rap now - the odd decent beat, looped as nauseum, violence, mysoginy, homophobia, anger.

First rap album

It was a good day. It is a good song. Resten, mmmeh blir aggressivt.

syns den sykt elektrisk forstyrra sounden i im scared e veldig kul. the nigga with the big fat trigga va jo fengende bars det. The predator var fet. E litt for stygt språk te at eg ville ha hørt på dette👼 It was a good day har eg hørt så alt for mye på. Check yo self hadde me ein koreografi te på dans:) Beste sang: It was a good day

Funky and political and awesome! I love his delivery style - the rhythmic flows and the way satisfying punchlines are set up and landed. I love the funky jazzy beats. I have my reservations about the misogyny.. But he does an incredible job of highlighting how the shock and anger he provokes could reasonably be redirected towards the racist society.

для любителей рэпа.

I'll say this: Ice Cube is taking his mandated 90s Rap Skit time to thumb his nose at white flight fears, using soundbytes to make the fears sound idiotic. Because they are. I'll also say this: as a white boy coming of age in the 90s, I always thought “Wicked” was one of the least interesting things on Korn's “Life is Peachy”. Unsurprisingly the Ice Cube original is better, if still not great. Certainly it is a weird listen to know basically exactly what comes next but not in this context. And I'll say this further: there's a certain sick pleasure about “Now I Gotta Wet Cha” taking a sample that sounds like a big summer song, something to groove down with, and yet being about shooting someone. There's a weird uncomfortable humor to the idea of drawing blood as “wetting” someone. I mean, I guess yeah, I guess it would wet you. It's almost quaint compared to rap music even 5 or so years later. This is very rooted in classic rap sounds, and music and delivery is pretty of a piece. I appreciate that Cube uses a lot of funky, danceable grooves throughout, which is rare with this sort of rap. As I said, a track like “wetcha” or “dirty mack,” which goes full on funk jazz, doesn't feel any less tough for not being dark and grimy. But while that makes it maybe a more fun listen than the normal over-serious posturing of other similar rap albums (not that Cube doesn't posture in his own way), it does feel limited in scope otherwise. But within that, there is “It Was A Good Day,” in which Cube plays basketball, does a little gambling, is excited about breakfast, has success in romance, smokes a bit. It's a good day. And that banality is heightened with the other things… the cops don't profile him, no one tries to kill him, and he does not need to protect himself, no one he knows dies. That's the thing that makes it special. Sure, that sample is warm and memorable and fits the mood, but it really works because of that tension, the listener lulled in by the pretty stereotypical day, and then realizing that this isn't just good because he has a big burger at 2am… it's good because he got to enjoy a day without having to deal with the realities of white supremacy, the realities of gang violence, the traumas that can surround the black experience in America. Cube notes that he wants the white community to “know our community more”. It's a good document of that. So I appreciate that Ice Cube is on top of the politic of the day (right down to the understanding that a camera is important when being abused by the law, something that is so important to keep in mind even today). It's an album that regularly makes a statement about race, the sort of statement that white folks have been terrified of for decades, that white folks have been desperately trying to invalidate in modern days. But the whole package ends up in the ⭐️⭐️⭐️ territory

Samme togtur. 90s hip hop og trolske landskap. Sterk 3'er.

Pluss for de politiske innslagene. Resten er helt uinteressant.

I will say that Ice Cube knows how to rap. He has a real talent for rhythm and his songs end up very entertaining to listen to. As for the texts... I'm torn. Some are very good, the ones about the Rodney King incident and subsequent riots especially. It's very angry, but rightfully so, and Cube drops truth bombs after truth bombs. "When will they shoot" is staggeringly good, and "We had to tear this mothafucka down" is raw and makes no compromise. Good shit. But then... Seriously, what's with rappers claiming they're not misogynistic and then proceed to be extremely misogynistic? You can't write two songs dedicated to how "you can't trust a hoe" and then claim you aren't misogynistic. It's pretty evident that Ice Cube, like many rappers, does not consider women to be equals, and it makes half of the album almost unbearable to actively listen to. It's disappointing, because there's a real intelligence in many of those songs, something I didn't find in Biggie's album for instance. Ice Cube is smart, and not just street-wise, so it's a shame that he would use that intelligence to write dogshit like "Dirty Mack" or "Don't Trust 'Em". He's even a great storyteller when he wants to ("It was a good day"). But like many others in the genre, Cube wants to be seen as this tough manly man who gets loads of pussies, and it just feels immature and insecure.

I bet techmoan loves this. Wet 'Cha and won a wet tshirt contest = getting shot HaHa. Yeah not really my thing.

My problems with this album (overly long and the almost comical, shoehorned-in misogynistic lyrics) seem to be problems many albums in this scene have. That said, Ice Cube does have a great voice for this kind of music. He’s very strong. There are some good songs on this album, but I’ve opted for three stars because I don’t see myself listening to the full thing again.

No thanks

Sh**

I appreciate how much Ice Cube hates the cops, I do, but I also kind of don’t believe him? But I’m not sure I believe in Stagger Lee or whatever either. Cube’s just a drafting student and former crypto-republican who found a role he was good at, just like Snoop and the rest, and so what if the role was a bit further from his real life - we like actors who don’t just play themselves.

Good

Yeah no

Förvånansvärt politiskt

Certainly a powerful album historically speaking. Considering it was around the time of Rodney King the anger and passion in this album is justified. Still not sure why ice cube decided to pursue a solo career but you win some you lose some

Fun beats and interesting samples, I wish he didn’t talk about women like that

Still a good record, but it pales in comparison to his first 2 albums.

3/5

Extra star alone for It was a good day

ice cube ist ice T nicht bodykiller war t c

Me and The Predator here had a good time. Mostly. Cube's on fire, spitting truth about race and power. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - When Will They Shoot? - Wicked - It Was a Good Day - Check Yo Self

Some of my favorite art happens when a talented individual gets angry.

My horizons are thoroughly broadened, I have learned a lot about myself. For example, I don't like music (maybe with an exception for my favourite genres), I'm autistic and I like crossing off arbitrary lists Yesterday I realised that we were doing this for longer than I have been on ttg. Member ttg? Oh, I've been a member When I was a kid I once cried really hard over a song about two ex-classmates that were close friends, but as the school had ended they both went their own separate ways and kinda stopped talking to each other. And here they meet 7 years later, converse awkwardly about past memories and realise that nothing bonds them anymore, they're almost strangers. I've been listening to this imagining one particular friend I had thinking how sad I'd feel if this happened in real life. Time passed, I met this friend not long ago, and although it went better than in the song I still felt like nothing connects me to this dude anymore, each of us has their own life. And *now* it doesn't feel bad, it feels natural even, but I still find this contrast between how I felt back then and now very interesting It's kinda the same thing with ttg for me, when moe shut down I felt sad, and started 1001 mostly just to cling to what was left of ttg. With time I stopped visiting the chans that came after because I realised that nothing really bonds me with the people there Still, it was a cool experience, both ttg and this DLC. My brain will erase most of the bad memories and I know for sure I will remember this period of my life with a smile. And maybe a boner

>Finally finishing the accursed 1089 album list Today was a good day. While I never doubted that we would make it back when we started right there in january of 2023, I actually never stopped to think about how it would feel to finally do so, nor imagined it actually ever ending. It's been a long time coming and I did burn out very hard like twice or more but eventually we got there. I am glad we did and I am glad you stuck it out because I don't think I would've were it not for having you here alongside with me. I had initially planned on going on my one year long no-music detox back in May, when the project was scheduled to end — and I still do intend to do so — but I have been living on borrowed time since then, trying to force as much listening in as possible. Much like you say, I have come to the conclusion that I probably don't like music that much (anymore, after 8+ Beatles or Beatles affiliated albums, 5 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds albums etcetc.) but I do think I will miss it a bit. Roughly this time come a year from now, I will probably go back to listening to the old shit I used to listen to before this project began, because you cannot fix what isn't broken, but at least I will know that if I do feel an itch, I have found 21 albums — yes, only TWENTY ONE ALBUMS OUT OF 1089 — that I might feel like giving a listen to. I did listen through all of them a few days ago in order to decide on which one I want to pick as my favourite one, but that will remain to be seen soon. I will miss both .moe, what ttg was to me and this project and, like you said, I will erase all of the memories of listening to British punk and perhaps think back on the good times once every now and then. As for my review of this album, I thought it was mid. Fun drinking game for the whole family is to go through all my reviews and drink for every time I wrote the word "mid." 32 times, including this post. There were many many more albums that were mid than that, but perhaps I am more kind in my writing than in my ratings.

2/10 Extraordinarily political "gangsta" rap from the early 90s that is closely tied to the Rodney King riots of the time. My big issue with this album is how violent, misogynistic, antisemitic, homophobic, and racist it is. While Ice Cube even addresses these allegations in the interstitial track/skit "Fuck 'Em," his conclusion is basically "So what? Black people have been done dirty forever, so all my problematic lyrics shouldn't be considered negative because everyone else deserves it." That doesn't answer for his truly reprehensible lyrics, but I guess I appreciate that they are genuine examples of his specific socio-historical context, so that's cool. I just can't get past them (or how painfully loooong and perpetually mid-tempo this album is).

Yeah this was p good, looking forward to Straight Outta Compton popping up on here, never heard it in full Appreciated all the political interludey stuff, the Fuck 'Em interview bit in particular stood out. First album I think I've ever heard directly reference the Rodney King LA riot stuff, and it was like 6 months after they happened that this came out (I would know, I googled it!) Did NOT appreciate all the beats on some of the songs (Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha particularly stood out) sounding vaguely like children crying, to my trained ear listening out for my kids waking up in the middle of the night. Praise be to the dad gods I was uninterrupted though The idea that this album is partly inspired by the film Predator 2 is utterly hilarious

Today was a good day gets this at least a 3.5 for being probably a top 10 hip hop song ever None of the rest of this was bad but just didn’t really stand out much I feel like the inserts were very political but then none of the lyrics in the actual songs were that political? Maybe I wasn’t listening close enough to some of the lyrics idk 3.5

2.5

Fine, generic. Ice cube has like 3 very good songs in his entire career.

It’s fine, generic boombap gangsta rap. Nothing particularly interesting about it. Good Day is a timeless track, however.

4/5. Even more than most 90’s west coast hip-hop albums, this one feels like a response to the 1992 LA riots with its focused take-downs of police brutality and the systematic oppression of black Americans. There’s of course massive hits here like “Check Yo Self” or “It was a good day” which I still believe has one of the best hip-hop beats of all time though a lot of the deeper cuts here are also solid like “When will they shoot? or “Dirty Mack.” Only major issue I have with the album is the same that many 90’s rap albums suffer from which is the harsh misogyny of some tracks.

Сара 4 Марко 5

C'mon man, why the misogyny? 1/5

Great heavy beats. Really direct delivery and plenty of groove underneath it. Good album.

Album was decent, recognized "It was a good day" which is a classic. Seemed good for its time, but I'm not the biggest fan honestly. Probably in the middle for me, 3.25?

Ugh no. Do we need every west coast rap album from the early 90s on this list? This is just obnoxious at this point. So much sexism and homophobia, all from a future MAGA fan. Fuck off, Ice Cube.

Rap ist nicht meine Musikrichtung, aber das Album ließ sich gut hören 2/5

Clearly a lot to unpack in this album. Quite disappointing that it’s so relevant today 34 years later. However as a genre I am not a frequent listener.

This album came out in 1992, the same year Rage Against the Machine's self titled album. As a ten year old, there is no way I would have been allowed to listen to either of these. Rage Against the Machine did enter my orbit over the next five years but Ice Cube never did. I wish it had have, this album is relentless.

Again, this is not bad (although was very surprised how low energy some of the songs were), but it's definitely not for me.

Bon, heu, Bob Dimery commence un peu à me pomper avec ses choix douteux. Il y a grosso modo deux types de trucs désagréables à écouter : - les mauvais albums, - les albums faits par des gens douteux. Au début, j'ai trouvé cet album assez énorme, au niveau de la prod, de l'agressivité, c'était très bien. Beaucoup de paroles contre le racisme, contre les violences policières qui touchent de façon disproportionnées les Noirs, bref, pendant un bon moment, tout va bien. Puis j'entends une phrase "He said black I said jew" (un truc du genre, la flemme de revérifier). Donc méfiant, je vais voir la fiche Wikipédia du gars et tiens, qu'est-ce que j'apprends ? Le mec a régulièrement des sorties antisémites. Et il se défend très mal, quand on lui en parle. D'ailleurs, il a même le culot de mettre un sample d'une interview où on lui pose la question (en comprenant au passage les mots misogynes qu'il emploie) et il ne répond même pas vraiment. Donc il sait, hein, il sait qu'il a des propos douteux. Ce genre de choses, j'en veux pas. Non merci de m'avoir fait écouter ça.

Cool. For hiphop, there is a lot of bounce. I liked that. I wouldn’t play it again though.

Icon. Absolutely loved the first few songs. After that it felt a bit repetitive to me and like each song sounded the same, but he’s still an icon.

Another 3 star rap album.

I tried...not earnestly.... But I tried. Misogynistic lyrics are a nope for me. It was different 'then' but this is no longer that time & place.

I have no time for more misogyny.

Amazing album aggressive which i like hard delivery after the first 2 albums dissing nwa and shit. A beauty and more mature he concentrated in better music and turned the page love this album

fire stuff not many tracks his as much as the opener or it was a good day unfortunately 7.5/10 best song - it was a good day

Decent album w/ social justice message.

Hip hop isn't a genre I usually reach for, so take this for what it is. What got me was the anger. "It Was a Good Day" works precisely because nothing happens in it. Solid, and I'm glad I heard it, but not a record I'll return to often.

90s rap essential, even if you look past the obvious classic It Was a Good Day. While I'm not always super crazy about older West Coast rap, this album is one that stands up well over time. Maybe it's the smooth, banging production or maybe Ice Cube's timeless writing. Maybe, just maybe it's a combination of both. The album is not really on the G-Funk side, doesn't sound like classic N.W.A. either, it's just really hard drums, sampled loops and classic boom bap grooves. Ice Cube goes hard asf over them, proving his legend status doesn't come from nowhere. It's a very entertaining listen, even if a bit frontloaded.

The Predator is a major rap album because Ice Cube turns anger into atmosphere, personality, and unforgettable music. It contains one of the greatest rap songs ever recorded, several outstanding political tracks, and a performance style that remains intimidating decades later. But it is not flawless. The album is overextended, occasionally repetitive, and sometimes too dependent on confrontation without enough variation or reflection. Still, its best moments are undeniable. “It Was a Good Day,” “When Will They Shoot?,” “The Predator,” and “Wicked” alone make this essential listening. It is not quite as tightly constructed as Death Certificate, but it is more accessible, more varied in places, and arguably more influential as a mainstream statement. A classic—with some very real dead weight.