Reviews (page 4 of 8)
nicey cube
he's so cute 🥺
Absolute bump for a Leather Tuscadero reference but solid album otherwise
By a WILD coincidence I was watching the 2015 film "Straight Outta Compton" on the very self-same day that I was assigned this album. The movie was alright, but I think the synergy made me enjoy both a lot more. Love the righteous anger and the flow. This album sounds like the future (and it was, in a lot of ways). Don't love the homophobia or sexism, but I also understand that that's part of the genre/image.
"Predator" is the third studio album by American rapper Ice Cube. It followed his highly successful albums "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" and "Death Certificate." Here are some key points about the album: Release and Reception: "Predator" was released on November 17, 1992, under Priority Records. The album received positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Themes and Content: The album continued Ice Cube's socially and politically charged lyricism. He addressed topics such as racism, police brutality, and the challenges faced by African Americans in the United States. The title "Predator" reflects his perspective on the predatory nature of certain individuals and institutions. Production: The production on "Predator" was handled by several notable producers, including Dr. Dre, DJ Pooh, and Sir Jinx, among others. The beats were often characterized by their hard-hitting and funky sound, which complemented Ice Cube's aggressive delivery. Singles: The album spawned several successful singles, including "Wicked," "Check Yo Self," and "It Was a Good Day." "Check Yo Self" in particular became a major hit and featured a remix version with a guest appearance by Das EFX. Impact: "Predator" solidified Ice Cube's position as one of the leading voices in West Coast hip-hop during the early 1990s. The album's political and social commentary also contributed to the ongoing dialogue about these issues in hip-hop music. Overall, "Predator" is considered a significant and influential album in the history of hip-hop. Its combination of potent lyrics and memorable production helped establish Ice Cube as a prominent figure in the genre. If you're interested in this album, I would recommend listening to it to get a more personal sense of its content and impact. For specific reviews of the album, you can check music websites, magazines, or databases for more up-to-date information.
It was a good album.
I really like this album. It feels very much like 90’s rap (because it is). I feel like I’d have to be in the mood for it, but it’s good. 4/5
The ripple effects of the Rodney King decision come through on almost every song on here. 4/5
Pretty Solid hip hop album
this aint no tpab but there is still a message behind some/most of the songs in this album. i enjoy the way the voices in this album sound paired with the beats/background sounds. the occasional trumpets or different instruments add a little bit of spice to the songs and make this album better * It Was A Good Day * if more songs on the album would go this way in terms of vibe the album would be much better
almost half the album is skits but yeah he had bars on this one
Ik hoor gelijk in het eerste nummer "Insane in da Membrane" van Cypress Hill. En vervolgens maakt hij op het eind van het nummer een verwijzing ernaar, net als naar Rage against the Machine. Wat blijkt, heeft die gast van Cypress de boel medegeproduceerd. En dat hoor je toch terug, het is meer funky rapcore dan gangstarap. In de stijl van House of Pain en Cypress Hill. Bevalt me een stuk beter dan de kale beats van eerdere albums, de muzikale omlijsting klinkt gewoon een stuk beter samen met de harde raps van Ice Cube. Later ging Ice Cube ook samenwerken met nu metal artiesten als Korn en Deftones en dat hoor je in deze plaat al terug. Ik kan hier zeker wel van genieten.
I was expecting to get AmiKKKa's Mot Wanted here but I'm glad I discovered that one too because it's almost just as good. It's less hardcore than his last two, but there are plenty of great beats here and his delivery is just as sharp as he is on his two previous albums.
Surprises just like a couple of ice cubes in the back.
And again... The delivery of Ice Cube is perfect and insane. The beats are also very wild on this album. It's only a little too long-winded to very stand out as a huge hip-hop masterpiece, but it's an important one for sure.
This was a fun rabbit hole on racism and the race riots of 1992. Great album and political commentary.
Ice Cube is crazy as fuck! This is awesome stuff - some big hits here. It Was a Good Day, Check Yo Self. Just good stuff!
Classic 90s hip-hop. The beats are killer and while Ice Cube's lyrics have aged a bit poorly on some occasions, the flow is impeccable. It Was a Good Day is just flawless.
The production is so danceable and catchy. I really admire when he lets everything drop away and the politics shine through. Amazing. That Good Day occurs in the middle of the album is a masterclass that redeems the rest of the violent album. "Nobody I know got shot in South Central LA, I gotta say, today was a good day" strums the heartstrings just right in the middle of the rest of this warcry. Removing one star for antisemetic apologetics. There is space for this message without hurting other minorities.
Listened to it twice. It's good. A generous 4.
Powerful album with Powerful flow and lyricism. Ice cube went into this with an idea and message and executes it perfectly.
Good shit from cube. It was a good day like a top 3 song all time
Ice Cube definitely embodies the in your face gangster rap of the early 90s. Wild to listen to, since i was a baby when this came out, i recognize him more from his silly kids movies. But he's got that edge ya know
No sería la música que escuche por voluntad propia, pero me gustó, me resulta sumamente interesante y valorable cuando se usa la música con un propósito, cuando se crea con un fin, cuando busca visibilizar problemáticas que solo con voces de personas anónimas no llegarían mucho más allá, siento que puedo interpolarlo con la sensación de música de mí lugar, que aunque sean de distinto género e idiomas, buscaron lo mismo, dar voz al dolor, el enojo, el rechazo y el descontento social de los violentados
ANy album that has It's Been a Good Day is alright with me.
This album sounds a lot like Stevie Wonder got in with a bad crowd.
Oh ga ik nog eens beluisteren. it was a good day natuurlijk een klassieker maar eigenlijk heel het album wel echt top!
This record comes at you fast from the beginning and doesn't really let up. The early 90s hip-hop just hits so good.
The 90s ruled.
Da bomb
4 Probably not the best name for an album I’ve heard, but the first thing I did was see if It Was a Good Day is on this - and it is! If you haven’t seen it, there’s an interesting post somewhere online where some guy determined the exact date that Ice Cube had his good day based on clues from the song - January 20, 1992. Even though I think the rapper himself confirmed the song is hypothetical and not actually based on a real day, it’s still a fun read. Anyway, great tune, but because it’s the one that I most associate with Ice Cube’s solo career, I didn’t realize how political his music continued to be post-N.W.A. In fact, It Was a Good Day almost feels out of place compared to the subject matter of nearly every other song on the album, most of which describe the current state of black oppression in America, especially on the heels of the Rodney King beating and LA Riots. And for me, how effectively it depicts the experience is the album’s biggest strength, attacking an unjust system which still exists today (Who Got the Camera? was hauntingly prescient). Coupled with some absolutely fantastic beats throughout, this really turned out to be a great listen. There were a lot of highlights here for me, with two of my favorite tracks being When Will They Shoot? and Don’t Trust ‘Em - not only did they have two of the most infectious beats I think I’ve heard on a rap track, but they had profound lyrics to match. The Public Enemy sample on the latter was also a really cool touch, though I was pretty jazzed to hear a nod to the Beastie Boys’ The New Style on Check Yo Self as well, another fun song that I had no idea was the source of the phrase “Check yourself before you wreck yourself”. I couldn’t help but notice though that the delivery of his bars in the song feels very reminiscent of Jump Around by House of Pain - which is interesting because he also mentions the group by name in the lyrics. Maybe it’s an intentional homage, but I couldn’t find anything online about it. We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up was another track with a great beat to it, with the bass emphasis reminding me of something off of A Tribe Called Quest album, but the usage of the homophobic slur was pretty jarring, especially considering it precedes another line in which he denies claims of being anti-Semitic. On that note, I have to address the fact that he seems to be denying anti-Semitic claims on like half the songs here. I wasn’t really sure what that was about, so I looked it up and supposedly he negatively referred to his old manager with N.W.A. as a “Jew” on his prior solo release and had also endorsed a book asserting Jewish people were responsible for the slave trade. I’m not sure if the guy actually holds those beliefs or not, but I will say the constant mentioning of it was kind of weird, and when compounded with the occasional homophobic slur, I couldn’t help but feel it put a slight damper on the message of minority empowerment throughout. That all to say, I don’t think this is an outright prejudiced record by any means, and I still had a lot of fun with it - it’s a nice reminder that Ice Cube was once a king of the game before Are We There Yet? (Ok, I can’t throw shade, I love him in the Jump Street movies). Definitely see myself listening again.
For rap I mostly listen to East Cost, but Ice Cube is great. Liked the political messages of some of the songs. And the more laid-back ones are awesome! Highlights: Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, It Was A Good Day
Love the sampling on this album, and the inclusion of the talk show to make a real cutting statement is great. There's also some tracks that are just good no matter the context. I think it is just a touch too long and repetitve as you get through it though.
This is a pretty wild album. I usually don't like skits or interludes but on here they are really well done with the news segments and interviews. There's obvious bangers and some songs are just dumb like the fairy tale one. A lot of it sounds the same instrumentally but it doesn't get annoying. I think what's most wild is that Ice thought that having a camera would deter police from committing unwarranted violence. In our current time almost everyone has not just a camera but a video camera on them at all times and, well, look how much it changed things. Cops will still kill your dogs, shoot innocent people and even slowly choke people to death over the course of 8 minutes all while being filmed the entire time knowing full well the videos will be posted online. They do not care bro. That song in particular has aged so sadly. Score: 80 Art: 60
8/10 while the hits definitely hit hard, I don’t think I can give this anything higher than an 8, there’s a lot of slow moments throughout, and songs that are a bit weaker still a great album though
Really liked this one. Really enjoyed the intermissions too
Good rap music
Ice Cube at his best. Noisy. Urgent. Somewhat on the nose.
its like listening to MLK in rap
CD
NWA but better. Killer beats and lines on here. A great record.
Banger banger banger
Love Ice Cube Love the way he sounds Great album. Pretty heavy subject throughout along with one of the greatest hits in 'It Was A Good Day'
This record is unrelenting. I knew a few of the tracks already and was really impressed at how well they fit in with the rest of the record. I also had no idea that Korn had covered Wicked. I assumed it was them just messing around with their friends. Funny that Ice Cube is on the cover. Both versions are great. This is great.
This was actually quite funky ! Really enjoyed the sampled mix song
Good!
Light 4. It was a good album with a lot of good songs but got a little repetitive. Not really a bad thing though cuz what was getting repeated was still solid. Obviously heard it was a good day before but it was a nice chill song mixed in with the harder ones.
Solid album, it’s crazy he’s an actor now tho
these beats/samples are tough. I love the spooky beats they remind me of south houston horrorcore The feature on ‘wicked’ sounds like Denzel curry. OH SHIT ‘It was a good day’ LETS GO This album was surprisingly very politically charged, I dig it. I don’t listen to a lot of NWA so I mostly know ice cube from his acting…I was pleasantly surprised with this
I got into NWA when I was way too young and I loved it so much. Everyone I knew was into glam/hair metal in the 80s and while I've come to appreciate some of that stuff as I've aged, I hated it at the time (still hate most of it). NWA, Public Enemy, Ice-T, and Geto Boys were about as polar opposite as you could get. Ice Cube is one of the greatest to ever do it and I had AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and Death Certificate on repeat forever. I stopped listening to rap in favor of punk and metal and right before this album came out. Listening is nostalgic even though I've never really listened before other than the singles that were inescapable. Picks up right where Death Certificate left off and hits just as hard. Solid all the way through as well. 8/10
Good stuff. Angry and political. Bonus points for including “Today Was a Good Day”. Insane instrumental on that one.
Provides a grim and realistic portrait of the time around the LA riots and Rodney King. Powerful message, delivered in a smart manner with some good production that polished it well. Engaging and enjoyable.
Makes me feel like I'm at a super cool pool party with hot people and drugs
They killed JFK in '63 So what the fuck you think they'll do to me?
gran disco clasico de hip hop. muy entretenido
Starts of very strong l, but fades in the back half,with Check Yo Self. Not Ice Cube'best, but better than most rapper's bests.
From the start, this album doesn’t mince words about racism and street culture. It’s very, if not more, prescient 31 years on. For that it gets enormous respect. It’s not a record I would play lightly. I didn’t listen to it in 1992, but I wish I had. Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha has a genuinely catchy rhythm, not expected. It Was a Good Day is a bonafide classic, even for nerdy white kids in the burbs.
Such a great album. Ice Cube has a way to yell at his listeners without losing clarity in his delivery. He speaks from his gut, and in a way it tempers the performance vibe that many artists have, and instead promotes a realness that makes this album sound like required listening. Yes, the subject matter of the times provides plenty of material for Ice Cube here, and the album is a creative message not only for the black community, but an intellectual call for understanding at a deeper level. Without getting too much into the ideologies conveyed, there is a lot of information here that everyone should take into honest consideration. Ice Cube is clear, he is aggressive, and his writing prowess is excellent. This is well-delivered album and while its reception may be impacted by the tough talk, the hard subject matter, if the listener can move through the album with a bit of openness, they are in for a real experience on how rap was so impactful in these early years.
A rightly angry album - clever and oddly enjoyable.
Bit too much for me... It did take me back though and brought back some good memories of some good friends.
Classic Gangsta/G-Funk record here. Gotta say It Was A Good Day is a classic for a reason! 4/5
Historic powerful album.
I never really appreciated how strong of a narrative Ice Cube's tracks provide. They may not be stories you are interested in hearing, but they are well composed and executed. The standout example here being 'It Was A Good Day' but you see it throughout with tracks like 'When Will They Shoot?', the title track 'The Predator' and 'Who Got The Camera?' Underpinning these stories are beautifully crafted tracks blending jazz, funk, soul, and sound bites ranging from playful responses to Cube's lyrics to monologues that support the message of the rap itself. This is one of the clearest examples of a DJ/producer that is working in perfect harmony with the rapper, to create an album that is truly a synergy of the two's contributions. It is unfortunate that many people can't get past the dichotomy of a social justice-oriented artist that is also vulgar and openly bellicose. I appreciate that tracks like 'Fuck 'Em (Insert)' are included to attempt to bridge that divide.
Cool
Cool beats. A mixture of strong messages that are important if uncomfortable to hear with the casual misogyny sprinkled here and there. Got very repetitive but there are a couple of great songs on here. I'm hovering between 3.5 and 4 so I'll round up.
Dobar album za teretanu znala sam cak par ovih poznatih pjesama. Ne bi si to puštala baš ali ne možeš ne osjetiti kvalitetu albuma
Straightforward no-frills rap. Ice Cube’s anger is still relevant 30 years after it was recorded. I like the collection of samples, helps to deliver the message.
Nice old school hip hop album
Love this, this is what I think about when I think about 90s hiphop
Trackmania on SPEEDRUNNING-peli, jossa tavoitteena on asettaa NOPEISIIN aika raiteille HEFEST GOT THIS RUN voit ajaa voit ajaa erittäin nopeasti MICKA IS ICE GOD fullspeed, tech, speedtech MILJOONAT ihmiset kilpailevat maailmanennätyksistä ICE 360 erotetaan TUHANNESISTA toinen SPEEDDRIFT ja RIOLU oli PIONEER, joka loi SLOW MO -lohkon. Trackmania 2020 on VIIMEIN, ja siinä on paljon MILJONIA mahdollisuuksia. Trackmania on DETERMINISTINEN peli, ja kaikki voidaan LUODA UUDELLEEN TÄYDELLISELLÄ tarkkuudella unelmien maailmanennätyksellä VETÄMÄLLÄ VIRTUAALISTA WIRTUAALIA. Peli on erittäin hauska ja sillä on PARAS YHTEISÖ markkinoiden kaikista peleistä. ELCONN TEKI TÄMÄN OPKOVALIMEN. SPEEDRUN TÄMÄ PELIMEKANIIKKA UUDEN bugin NOSEBOOST BUGSLIDE TAS -työkalun avulla avustettu speedrun I LOVE TRACKMANIA ESPORTS ja punainen moottorin sammutuslohko, joka sammuttaa auton moottorin TMGL FORMAT IS PARAS when will they shoot
Certified classic
Almost perfect.
What a great album! Smooth, funky, danceable, emotionally-charged beats that masterfully chronicle (with effective use of news samples interspersed) racial injustice in this country. Timely in its release right after the Rodney King tragedy 30 years ago, it's actually a sad social commentary that it is still as fitting as ever in today's times. As for the music itself... "When Will They Shoot" is a strong opening track and an instant addition to my playlist...that repetitive backbeat is catchy, hypnotic and has an almost Middle Eastern quality to it. Love the fusion of genres. The "I'm Scared" insert is a good example of the audio samples being used to chronicle the themes and messages of the music. Well done. "Wicked" and "Now I Gotta Wetcha" feel like I've walked into the best dance party ever, right at the peak of its energy. "Check Yo Self" is the highlight of the album and has also made it to my playlist. Love the Steely Dan sample in "Don't Trust 'Em." "Integration" is another good use of audio samples that complement the music and message. Only so-so track is "Gangsta's Fairytale"....felt like filler to me. The rest is outstanding. Side note: Artist's prerogative, of course, but I wish the passioned and effective chronicling and commentary on racial injustice and police brutality were not coupled with repeated themes of misogyny, homophobia, and gangsta bravado, which serve to dilute and tarnish the otherwise effective message in this great work.
Iconic. Today was a good day because I listened to this.
Killer album. Amazing beats, great flow and delivery. It was a good day is an insane track.
Classic, but slow for my taste
I’ve cold
I've liked all of the Ice Cube tracks I've heard before and now after listening to this album I'm kicking myself for not doing so earlier, genuinely a great listening experience. Best tracks: When Will They Shoot?, Wicked, Who Got the Camera?, Say Hi to the Bad Guy.
Well, I never got into this album on its time, and was expecting some tired, dry gangsta stuff that has aged badly (and 'It Was A Good Day which is an all out classic). Instead it's got Ice Cube trying to hit the best bits of NWA, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill all at once, and at times coming tantalisingly close! Much more angry and political than expected, even the skits have something to say - rarely the case on a 90s hip hop album! This was really good. Not five star good, but maybe when I hear it more (because I am coming back to this one) I'll regret leaving it a star short!
Prefs: When Will They Shoot?, The Predator, It Was a Good Day, Don't Trust 'Em, Gangsta's Fairytale 2, Check Yo Self, Integration (Insert), Say Hi to the Bad Guy Moins pref: Who Got the Camera?
Apparently I liked this much more than AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. I sort of appreciated that Ice Cube addressed some of his critics in this, but I sure didn't get any answers except that he wasn't having it. There were some amazing moments reflecting the painful racial issues in 1992, and then jumping to songs about not trusting bitches, which gave me a bit of whiplash. In any case, I enjoyed listening to this, even when I wasn't comfortable. And I was mostly okay with not being comfortable. Except I really hated the ending. But above all, it had a good beat and you could really move to it.
Cube unpacks a lot here. All of it delivered with equal parts vitriol and sarcasm. Some unforgettable bars are brought to the forefront really displaying Cubes penmanship.
Nice album, although I’m not really into hip hop.
What an incredibly varied and relevant album, even decades after it’s been released
Fierce and gritty, the energy is strong and sustained, with an unmistakable style. There’s just enough variety (“It Was a Good Day”) to keep it from being a bit too one-note. Cube may have got a bit cliched, but back in the day there’s no doubting his top-doggedness. While one’s race and background prevent one from judging the authenticity of these rhymes and flows, they certainly seem credible and reflect the musical moment of LA early ‘90s. Not sure I see the “The Black Bob Dylan” angle, though Perry Farrell would be well positioned to know. “Check Yo Self” and “Tear This MF Up” and “Who Got the Camera” are the other top cuts.
7/10 some questionable lyrical content but also some really good stuff,
Nice beats, didn’t really listen to anything else. One complaint is all the songs were long. 8/10
Classic hip-hop. Not my favorite of all time, but certainly a force to be reckoned with.
Is really powerful
Proper, solid, old school hip-hop but it shows in some of the lyrics. Bit less outright misogyny and this would be awesome. As it is, I'll have to just go with excellent.
An energetic album that deals full on with the topic of racism in depth and in detail and is sadly still relevant today. Unfortunately it is laced with misogyny. It could have been a perfect 5 otherwise. 4/5
Pretty cool it was chart-topper. No doubt the controversy helped sales and Cube was afraid to dial up the posturing, though whether or not it was authentic or legit one isn’t qualified to judge. Worse was made of all the riotous energy of post-riot, post-Rodney King, LA than this record. “Good Day” and “Check Yo Self” are the highlights.
Great, but makes me feel like Michael Bolton from office space
Really liked this. Loved the social commentary. What a difference between this and Slim Shady LP. One has legitimate grievances. The other is pissy cause girlz don't like him.
Prima
I don't follow much hip-hop, but this album slaps. Practically every song was brilliant, but in some ways it's a bit of a shame that many of the socio-political issues brought up in this album are still entirely relevant 20 years later. Completely timeless. Favourite: Say Hi To The Bad Guy
Really good boom-bap 90s hip hop. Thoroughly enjoyable, although there are a few songs not as gripping as the others
For a pretty serious subject matter he had some hilarious bars in here. Production held up better than I thought it would, and it was a good day is one of the best hip hop tracks ever. Also really liked the predator and we had to tear this muthafucka up Main critique is the album runs a bit long and ice cubes flow does get repetitive at times ( still kinda hits every time though )
Really good, much better than AmeriKKKa's... Still sounds urgent, burning white hot from the LA riots and events beforehand. Not much seems to have improved in 30 years
Straight fire
This is a straight up banger! Ice Cube really hits hard with this album, putting all the racial issues of America to light in pretty much all the songs.
Rap at it’s best
Best track: It was a good day
Classic no?
Decent, paar banger
Great beats - I love that hard funk sound. The music is a great fit for his tougher-than-nails vocals and unflinching lyrics. “Wicked” stood out as a really wild one! There’s a lot I could quibble with lyrically in 90’s gangsta rap - the misogyny, the glorification of gang violence, homophobia and the use of ‘the other f-word.’ To an extent, these lyrics are dated and today’s rap has moved past some of those things (there’s still a lot of misogyny in today’s hip-hop) but I think it’s worth pointing out. But my brain goes to music first anyways and there’s an abundance of great music on a lot of albums from this era. Listen to the jazzy piano part that comes in for the last 30 seconds of “Dirty Mack.” The whole song is filled with great jazz and funk samples - there’s a real appreciation for great music in addition to tough guy gangsta posturing. Took me a second to recognize it but there’s a Steely Dan sample in the beat on “Don’t Trust ‘Em.” (“Green Earrings” is the Steely Dan song.) This one is a good example of me loving the beat while also acknowledging the deeply sexist and demeaning message of the song.
"It Was A Good Day" is one of my favorite rap songs ever, and growing up in the 90s this was probably the first rap song from a "gangsta rap" artist that I heard that wasn't a lot of stereotypical lyrical ideas like shootings, drug use, partying, etc. I thought it was cool and different. The rest of the album is good, with really good tracks in "Wicked" and "Check Yo Self". Fun fact - I think Korn covered "Wicked" or referenced it in one of their songs?
The thing that stands out the most with this album is how poignant its main points remain 30 years on from its release. I understand why each interlude track was included, but it did feel like they broke up the music too many times. That being said, the music is phenomenal. It Was A Good Day sticks out like a sore thumb because it's nothing like any of the other tracks--just a funny part about an iconic song. Favorite tracks: When Will They Shoot?, Dirty Mack
Gave his last album a low score as being derivative and repetitive but this is more like it. I like the self referential bits and the energy reminding me of Public enemy but with direct references to specific events. It's another world to me but I appreciate the vibe.
Today was a good day.
First album. Still holds up sonically with a bland of cruisy and hard west coast beats, and Cube’s raw and unapologetic lyrics. In regards to the focus of the lyrics of segregation, police brutality, racism and suburban hardships, they’re all relevant to the climate of today (2022).
Voici ce que j'en ai déjà dit: "Première écoute d’un album de Ice Cube. Il présente bien la réalité de l’époque qui n’a malheureusement pas tant changée. La collaboration avec DJ Muggs fonctionne vraiment bien et les beats sont vraiment intéressant. J’ajoute une étoile pour l’importance du propos."
so many swears but i dug it plus it's nice to see he's a family man
The sound clips really put you in a particular time and drove the concept of this album
I had to listen through this a few times to get in the mood to rate it. It's a solid album, couple tracks which feel like filler as expected with a 16 track album. The good tracks are fantastic though.
Great 90's hip/hop album. Several classics in here but I enjoyed the album as a whole. I don't think a cop would like this much
His acting career made me think he was corny, but this is a sick album. There are some issues with production on tracts like "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" and "We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up" which detract from the album. The album has a very political edge to it, which I enjoy. I will always be surprised that issues like the "school to prison pipeline" and "police brutality" have been talked about for decades and are still prominent problems in society. Ice Cube does a nice job of explaining these issues and breaking into the consciousness of white America. The acting career really altered his image. This album reminds me of a Kendrick Lamar album if he was from the 90s. Bangers and commentary combined. Best Songs: It Was A Good Day, Dirty Mack, Check Yo Self Worst Songs: The Predator, Don't Trust 'Em Honorable Bad Songs (Production Issues): Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up
4, wet t-Shirt contest will always have a different meaning
Sexist songs aside, this is truly an incredible album. Haunting how so many problems afflicting the Black community continue to oppress them today. Listen close: it's a warning.
Not the ice cube album I expected, but it is a great one.
One if my not so secret pleasures. I gotta be careful not to listen to this on the way to work or I'll be cussing all day.
Strong album, but cant help feel Cube spends a bit too much time obsessing over accusations of anti-semitism
4.5/5
Classic West Coast Gangster rap. Feel the anger involving hate and prejudice Ice faced during the time. Story telling and lyricism was amazing
Aggressive, in your face, 90s Gangsta Rap! It Was a Good Day is probably a top 10 all time rap song for me. Interesting and helps empathizing hearing the politically intense lyrics and different points of view of the struggles of others. Overall I think his rhyming style is a bit basic. He has fantastic delivery and has been very influential in rap. Legendary Rapper.
Pretty solid collection of Hip Hop here. Favorites: "When Will They Shoot?", "It Was A Good Day", "Check Yo Self"
One of my favourite albums in my teens. Holds up pretty well.
Pure anger. Justified anger, but anger nonetheless. It's probably too bad I only know "It Was A Good Day," but the other stuff hits hard. The interstitial tracks work, they're not just skits. I get how they tie the other tracks together. I don't know how many times I could listen to it with the language, but I still enjoyed it a lot.
It was a good album
Première écoute d’un album de Ice Cube. Il présente bien la réalité de l’époque qui n’a malheureusement pas tant changée. La collaboration avec DJ Muggs fonctionne vraiment bien et les beats sont vraiment intéressant. J’ajoute une étoile pour l’importance du propos.
Good stuff
Groundbreaking album. Fantastic through and through. It's hard to believe that we're *still* facing so many of the same issues 30 years later
Day 5: I'm a big fan of the Rap Genre but haven't listened to much old school rap. This album was very good the whole way through, loving this site for showing so many great albums Favourite Songs: It was a good day, Check Yo Self, Wicked
Det här var bra. "Now I've Gotta Wet'Cha" är en femma.
I have not listened to this since probably 1997. My sister had the CD and I can remember driving around smoking weed in her purple Chevy that she flipped over in Oklahoma. Ice cube used to be super relevant. What happened my dude?
Was not expecting to like this but really enjoyed it
What can you say about Ice Cube during this era? His lyrics were intense and on point. He's great both when he's attacking the beat and when he's following it. The samples he uses are definitely of their time, but are also uniformly excellent. The singles off of this album are all timers. The misogyny and homophobia are a bit much at times, but certainly not as bad as some of his contemporaries and those that would follow him. Overall, his is a can't miss album from the early gangsta rap era 4/5
A great commentary following the LA riots. Interesting use of news broadcasts as interludes. The fact that the messages are relevant today is striking. Musically, I enjoyed the mix of more laid-back style (It was a good day, who got the camera?) and the more aggressive style reminiscent of NWA (check yo self, don't trust em). 4/5.
Takiego picka na liscie bialego czlowieka bym sie nie spodziewal, a jednak jest, pan Ice Cube z swoim trzecim studyjnym krazkiem The Predator z 92, ktory jest klasyka westcoastowego gangsta rapu lat 90, no i klasykiem z radia los santos gdzie check yo self byl czesto na repeacie, a czemu zdziwienie, ze taka plyta pojawia sie na liscie, bo moze i gore zbyt hardcorowego na nim nie ma, ale jednak obraca sie glownie wokol napiec rasowych w LA, gdzie w 92 doszlo do rozruchow po tym jak psiarnia porobila chlopaka, ale nie sama policyjna brutalnoscia zyje pan Ice Cube, bo sporo jest odniesien do jego rzekomego antysemityzmu, pimpowania, gangowania, czyli calego dobrego zycia gettowego, album zawiera 16 trakow z czego 4 to jakosciowe skity, ktore pomagaja w rozbudowaniu narracji plyty, wiec otwierajacy pierwszy dzien szkoly sampluje milicjantow wprowadzajacych do wiezienia, swietnie pociete wywiady z panem kostka na fuck em, czy sample malcoma X z integrationowego inserta maja sens na plycie i nie sa jedynie zapychaczem jak to czesto bywa, nie tylko skity sa bogato osamplowane, bo przykladow multi lejerowego samplingu mozna tutaj wymieniac bez konca, wiec przewijaja sie filmowe wstawki, chocby z tytulowego predatora, wywiady z liderami czarnych ugrupowan, czy klasycznych teraz, a wtedy dosc swiezych trakow artystow z zachodniego wybrzeza, moim ulubionym przykladem warsztatu samplowego bedzie tutaj openingowy when will they shoot, gdzie na jednym traku zostalo upchniete szesc zasamplowanych trakow, od queena do x clanu, ciezko o tak bogate beaty gdzie sample sa wykorzystywane nie tylko do tworzenia lini melodycznej, ale wykorzystywane jako dopelnienie liryczne, za tym kawalkiem stal akurat dj pooh, wiec postac najbardziej znana ze wspolpracy ze snoopemczy kingiem tee, sam cube jest rowniez zlistowany jako wspolproducent na niektorych kawalkach czy skitach, sporo tez zrbil na plycie DJ Muggs od cypressow, chociaz to troche obraza tak podsumowac jego dyskografie gdy tyle wyprodukowal zarowno w mainstreamie jak i ostatnio w podziemiu, wiec produkcja wylosowala jakosciowa ekipe co przeklada sie na ciezkie i bogate brzmienie, o ile cube jakos nigdy nie byl w mojej rapowej topce, nawet jesli chodzi o lata 90, to plyta jako calosc ma rece i nogi, ktore nie postarzaly sie za bardzo w ciagu tych 30 lat, bo burdy na tle rasowym sa nadal, a moze nawet bardziej, aktualne, wiec 56 minut jakosciowego odsluchu, na plejce juz mialem klasyczne kawalki, wiec it was a good day i check yo self, ale z dzisiejszego odsluchu dodam jeszcze traczek z najlepszymi samplami albumu, wiec when will they shoot i zamykajacy album say hi to the bad guy featurujacy parliamentowe intro i paczkowych gliniarzy, klasyk, ciekawe czym jeszcze lista zaskoczy z kategorii czarnej muzyki
Really liked it which surprised me. Never really listened to anything like it before.
Conocía a Ice Cube, pero en esa época no tenía dinero para todo lo que me gustaba y más allá de oírlo en la radio alguna vez me lo perdí completamente. Y es un discazo, puro Rap Hip-Hop de los 90. Me han gustado: When will they shoot?, Wicked, Now I gotta wet 'cha, Check yo self, y Say hi to the bad guy. Escuchadlo.
I find hip hop to be a difficult genre: it's not easy for me to discern weather it's good or bad and there are just a few rap albums that I like. Having said that, I wasn't familiar with this one and I am really enjoying listening to it. There is an undercurrent of aggression, violence, grit, that I always appreciate in music. It also sounds a bit old school to me, which is a great thing. Also, we need to acknowledge that, 30 years on, the lyrics, and the anger with which they are delivered, are still relevant.
Was surprised how good this was, mostly thoughtful and sadly still relevant race anger
Barely controlled anger, and "today was a good day" excellent combo.
This album is raw and truthful. While you can hear that Cube is still a young man, he is a undeniable powerhouse This is not for everybody but for those who are interested in a story, Cube tells one hell of a good one. I enjoy the maturation of Cube as he continues to create and now has an expansive catalog. He is also still putting out new content. This unlike LL Cool J album belongs on this list as do other Cube music.
Could be used as a template for west coast rap. Strong delivery by Cube. Great lyrics and beats.
This is a great album and go an extent, it's sad to see how over 30 years on, the danger social issues are still at play.
A cultural touchstone. So many lines that stuck in the cultural zeitgeist and that are still relevant today. It is indeed on like Donkey Kong.
Aunque hay un par de canciones a la mitad del disco que no sorprenden demasiado y pese a que el estilo de Ice Cube puede parecer un poco desfasado a estas alturas de la película, The Predator es un disco consistente lleno de beats durísimos, versos interesantes, y puro carisma.
"And the Statue of Liberty ain't nothing but a lazy bitch!" Personalmente, de los tres primeros álbumes post-N.W.A. de Ice Cube este es, de lejos, el que menos me gusta . La misoginia es rampante y algunos beats no han envejecido muy bien 30 años después. Hasta ahí todo lo negativo que puedo decir de este álbum. Y ahora la verdadera review: Este disco es inseparable de las protestas de Los Ángeles y presenta todo lo que sabe hacer Ice Cube: ser una voz que no se puede ignorar y que dice bestialidades que se tenían que decir en 1992 y se siguen teniendo que decir hoy. Este álbum se publicó casi exactamente un mes antes que The Chronic, otro disco muy cercano a las protestas de 1992 (véase: "The Day the Ni**az Took Over") y se siente como su hermanastro violento. Los Ángeles estaba literalmente envuelta en llamas, Ice Cube estaba envuelto en controversia, y este disco solidifica su postura militante y su vuelta a California en cuanto a la producción (DJ Pooh). Escucharlo me ha recordado esta era casi punk-rap de frustración y reacción ante el racismo sistemático y la violencia policial, un momento en el que el hip-hop aún no había llegado al punto mainstream que alcanzaría en el 96-97-98 que marcaría un antes y un después. En The Predator aún estamos escuchando una especie de lenguaje cifrado, una subcultura específica, y que muchas veces es meta-textual en su reacción ante la gente (medios y políticos) que lo tildaban como "extremo" o "peligroso". Yo creo que, igual, lo peligroso es dispararle a gente indefensa y eso igual (igual) hace que la gente se enfade bastante. Pero sigamos con Cubito de Hielo. Además de mega clásicos como It Was A Good Day o Check Yo Self, The Predator tiene varios temas en los que directamente nos insertan en las calles de LA en pleno caos. Se podría decir, y ojo a la observación experta, que Ice Cube está enojado. Los samples de funk y los skits ayudan a crear esta atmósfera. Se deja a un lado el beef con Eazy y Dre más presente en los anteriores discos aunque hay una pequeña referencia a No Vaseline. (Cube ya estaba preparándose para escribir guiones junto a DJ Pooh como Friday, pasando a la siguiente fase de su carrera). Es pura violencia, fantasía de venganza en algunos momentos incluso incómoda, y la lírica de Cube puede parecer simple o repetitiva 30 años después pero es simplemente porque estamos acostumbrados a escuchar a sus descendientes: realmente sus letras están increíblemente adelantadas a su tiempo. Este es el cerebro pensante detrás de N.W.A, famoso por ser explosivo, poco más hay que decir. Es el Chuck D de la costa oeste y uno de los liricistas más influyentes en la música, no solo en el hip-hop. El subgénero de este disco, además de "gangsta rap", "west coast rap" o cualquier otra bullshit tendría que ser música protesta. Le pongo 4 estrellas porque no alcanza el status clásico que si que tienen sus dos trabajos anteriores, pero las letras de Ice Cube son importantísimas en un momento importantísimo y deprimentemente relevantes tres décadas después. (Ah, y ¿quién cojones juega al basket en un parque con amigos y lleva la puntuación como para saber que Cube fuckeó around e hizo un triple-doble?) Temas fav: When Will They Shoot?, We Had To Tear This Muthafucka Up, Who Got The Camera?, It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self (The Message Remix >>>)
Hvað er að gerast við mig? Ég er allt í einu orðinn svaka svag fyrir snemm-tíunda hipp-hoppi. Sorrý, þetta er bara ansi skemmtilegt. Spurning um að láta Hagaskóla-mig vita.
The kinetic energy on this thing is fucking incredible. Dazzling shit.
Ice Cube's early discography is inherently important due to it's political significance. The interludes (or "inserts") shine a lot of light on the issue, but here's another: this album came out mere months after the 1992 Los Angeles uprising. Ice Cube is no stranger to racial tensions in Los Angeles, so this album is all the more potent. As far as the music, it's still the hard-hitting gangster rap you could expect from early Ice Cube. There's a few rotating producers on here but the emphasis on the snare gives the album a certain punchy-ness that lends well to Ice Cube's swagger in his flow. Also features the classic "It Was A Good Day", which takes a break from the hyperviolence of Ice Cube's regular lyrics in a way that actually inverts the theme of violence to say that "nobody I know got killed in south-central LA. Today was a good day." Even weaker songs like "Gangsta's Fairytale 2" makes great use of samples. This is a consistently quality album through and through. More great hiphop for your ears.
T is my favourite Ice, but Cube is always a treat too.
Phenomenal. Didn't think I would like it cause I'm not a fan of hip hop, but man, Ice Cube proved me wrong when the beat of 'When Will They Shoot' kicked in
This was very enjoyable, I liked it a lot. It was a good day might be one of Ice Cube's most well-known songs, but I think any song on here is just as good. I also like how he addresses political topics.
Irre grooviges Teil. Hatte keine Ahnung wie melodisch und musikalisch reif Ice Cube schon so früh gewesen ist. 3.5
So. Stoked. First song in and I'm already a fan. Iconic. I'm hearing so many lyrics that have been referenced all over the place over the years. And of course, It Was A Good Day is an anthem.
Another fine hip hop / rap album. Ice Cube's sense of humor definitely shines through at times but always the underpinings of anger are present laid bare for all to see. The beats are not the most inventive but I was always drawn in and wanted to listen, so....accessible. 4 🌟
Not my favorite but still enjoyable.
Ice Cube was correct, I did need to check myself. I was just about to wreck myself. Thx Bro.
Cool!!!
Nearly 5 stars. 4.5/5. A brilliant album
bucks the worrying trend where it looked like I couldn't 'get' rap music. This one ticks the box for me as in that I will definitely want to go back to it again. Kinda passed me buy in my youth (living in SA) , but I like it.
WEST COAST, not even a contest.
Really solid Album. No real interesting take from me here. It's Cube talking about really important social issues, and maybe handling them decently? I suppose It depends on the song. Dude can rap and production is really solid.
Liked this more than the NWA album from a few back -I think it was partly the inserts/interludes on this, which I think are really well done and always pertinent. Certified Suburban White Boy Moment: anytime I went over to my friend's house in high school to play Call of Duty he would put on music, and he, without fail, always played It Was A Good Day. Every single time Already Saved: It Was A Good Day Saved After Listening: When Will They Shoot?*, Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, Check Yo Self
Ice Cube is easily my favorite member of NWA and this is the album of his that I remember the most. I like his voice and I think the beats hold up really well.
Soft 4 stars. Hold pretty strong through the whole album
This album is like a pure distillation of the early 90s. Best track: Check Yo Self
A classic
A great album with good energy. It really shines a light on what good rap can be.
A fun, interesting contribution by Cube. The use of samples on this was cool, and the production in general was my favorite aspect of this album!
// Favs: It Was A Good Day / Check Yo Self Score: Decent to Strong 4
No Go a lot of swing. Another one with a debt to Public Enemy even has the of sample thrown in. Sad that 30 years later many of the themes about segregation are still current
Ice was trying to tell us even back in '92...
hey! this isnt The Predator soundtrack??? wtf!
I liked it plenty, although a little suspicious of how often he felt the need to deny being anti-semitic.
3.5
Kinda dope. Ice cube has some brilliantly written lyrics, and combines the use of audio clips from other media to tell a story. I can see how this inspired Kendrick Lamar
Incredibly relevant to the social climate of today. I can’t believe this came out in 1992.
When will they shoot was a great first song. Loved the interlude of clips of white people talking about being scared of black people. So far I'm really digging the music on this one. It's fun to listen to. Lol he raps about having a laptop computer. The music in these songs is just super fun to listen to. This is a very creative album. Check Yo Self has such a dope sample of \"Shoop.\" Love this. Yeah overall this is one of my favorite listens so far. Gonna listen to his first solo album now.
Classic. Wtf happend to rap?
"It Was a Good Day" is obviously a legendary song that's definitely a five out of five. However, this should not discredit the rest of the album. This is a consistent and very hard-hitting collection of hip hop tracks, with good beats and good lyrical flow, which is something every hip hop album should have. 4/5
Right in the nutsack
nice!
good gangster rap album
Old style, baby. Un álbum sobre la identidad, carajo. Ritmos simples, rimas contundentes, mensajes constantes de reivindicación social y lucha contra el sistema.
I had listened to this album before. Loved it!
Today was a good day
Good high-quality rap album.
Raw, timeless, brilliant
Classic hip-hop. Cube takes on all comers. Just fucking brilliant. BT: When Will They Shoot?, It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self
Weer geen grote hiphop verrassing, dit album, maar toch best wel goed!
Niet helemaal afgeluisterd, maar wat blijft dit een te gekke rapper. Goeie flow en coole beats.
Perfect for a Sunday morning before church
Gritty. Music was great and we know ice cube is a talent when writing about a life he relates to. Not a life I relate to but was nice too be brought into that world.
LG. Hotpoint. BOSCH! This album is a welcome smash in the chops from the get go and I was locked into it from start to finish. It's notable that a lot of the issues that Ice Cube puts out here are right back in the news at the moment with the BLM movement. And it feels like, really, fuck all progress has been made on many of them in the two decades or so since this was released. I particularly cringed at the angry black man put downs that were brought to light and sought to de-intellectualise the real issues at hand. Politically charged, irreverent, insightful and funny, what I love about this album is that it's so soulful, too. The production has lashings of love poured all over it and I just loved the loops and beats. In short, it's a banger. Ice Cubes used to only feature as part of my Martini preparation, but now they might also have a place in my record collection too. Also, I do like the bit about Ice Cube having his way with a wee lassie, dropping her off home and then grabbing a fat burger for himself at 2am. A good day indeed.
Good, old-school-y Hip Hop.
"It Was a Good Day" obviously the best song on the album but the rest was pretty typical aggressive Ice Cube. Lots of social injustice all throughout the album. 7/10.
It was a good day.
I like it
Great album with a very relevant message. Socially conscious and a good listen
🧊🧊🧊🧊/🧊🧊🧊🧊🧊
Really great from start to finish. Certainly has a dated sound, but it's almost 30 years old so to be expected.
false
So much aggression and passion. The voice of disenfranchised youth, a time capsule for a specific cultural moment.
Love me some cube and some fantastic hits on this one
Groovy beat hard rap love it
Gut in Bezug auf Rassismus, meh in Bezug auf Sexismus
classic
Album med attitude. Meget energi og vrede. Lidt langt men flere gode numre 3.5 stjerne
Ice Cube is spitting and flowing on this. One of my favorite rappers ever. When Will They Shoot is hard af. Pretty hard beats.
Epitome of aggressive early hip hop, it’s crazy to see his rebrand (top 3 with snoop and ice t). No matter how shitty my day is “It Was a Good Day” will always hit
wicked
Ice Cube started recording this album in early 1992. Then on April 29th, four police officers were acquitted for the videotaped beating of Rodney King, Los Angeles erupted into six days of riots, and Ice Cube scrapped a significant portion of what he had already recorded and started over. The album that came out in November was a fundamentally different record than the one he had planned to make. Sometimes history rewrites your album for you and there is nothing to do but get in the studio and respond. It Was a Good Day is a national holiday and I will not be taking questions on this. The genius of the song is not just the groove, which is built on an Isley Brothers sample so smooth it should be illegal, but the fact that Ice Cube treats the complete absence of violence and harassment as cause for celebration. Nobody he knew got killed. He did not need his AK. These are the criteria for a perfect day in South Central in 1992. The song ends with the music cutting out abruptly and Cube muttering to himself before the album lurches immediately into We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up, which is about the Rodney King verdict, which is either the most jarring album sequencing decision of the decade or the most honest one. Probably both. The album also coined the phrase "It's on like Donkey Kong." Nintendo later trademarked this phrase in 2010 to promote a Wii game, which is the most 2010 sentence ever written and Ice Cube deserves royalties he will never see. The second half bogs down somewhat, which is the honest critical consensus and also my honest experience. A 4 was within reach and the back half let it slip. 3 out of 5. One star for It Was a Good Day. One for the production, which hits like a freight train with good taste in samples. One for the historical document this album represents, angry and specific and completely unwilling to make anyone comfortable.
This definitely felt pretty bloated at almost an hour. There were only a couple songs that actually left an impression, and only one that I really really like (Good Day) so this feels pretty overrated but still not bad enough to get any less than a 3/5.
Easy to harp on the omnipresent violence but this is also a wildly smooth, comfortable album. It also seems to have a more mature view of that violence than most from its era. He is THE predator Highlights: "When Will They Shoot?", "It Was a Good Day"
It’s got that one good IceCube song a bunch of other songs that are cool but not special
Highlights: Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha, Check Yourself, I’m Scared (Insert), It Was A Good Fay, When Will They Shoot? In a nutshell: take a walk in Ice Cube's big black boots. First thought: "great. Another hip hop album (eyeroll)." Looked at Wikipedia article: "okay, this album could have some substance" First track (intro): “shit, this is a stark way to begin an album.” Completed the album: wow. Intense is an understatement. It's not an album I enjoyed per se, it's more of an album that I will be thinking about for a long time. The inserts served a purpose instead of being self-indulgent skits. Good beats. The recording of The Predator coincided with the Los Angeles riots of 1992. There is no doubt that these events inspired Ice Cube’s lyrics. Overall: 6/10
Hmm, this is one of the better rap offerings on here. I like the overall sound and the interludes are interesting and different. He gets his point across well and it’s not as juvenile as so much of the genre. Misogyny does rear its ugly head once more though so that’s a thumbs down. 3.5 rounding down
“It was a good day” and a few album skits I actually enjoyed vs having them feel like filler. Still think I like public enemy more but happy to get deeper into the early 90s rap scene.
It Was A Good Day is the obvious standout here. That said the album was full of strong messaging relevant to then and unfortunately now.
Концепт выдержан, но данный рэп слишком постарел
It's not as good as lethal injection, but it's still a great album that put him on the map.
I really like a lot of tracks on this album but I find it a bit uneven.
Not bad at all in the context of early 90s Southern California. Infinitly influential and actually kind of holds up. My big problem with Ice Cube is the same with flavor flav, you dipped out and chose hollywood. The skits are so uniquely 90's, and the samples and beats are quite repetitive and simplistic. But I can't ding Ice on all that. It was of the time. 3 stars on merit, hard to rate it higher in the big 26.
This is an album of it's time. Caught somewhere between the very real issues with American society, particularly relating to the Rodney King incident and the LA riots of 92' and calling every woman a bitch or a ho. The king stuff is incendiary and this coming from a white guy who lives thousands of miles from where this all happened. A really interesting album and a great soundtrack to the riots. Ice Cube will come up again on this journey and rightfully so.
At first I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm not a big fan of gangsta rap, often because of the lyrical content rather than the music. The Preditor starts off strong though, with a powerful political message. It does sadly descend into misogyny and homophobia towards the end of the album. Ice Cube also keeps saying that he's not anti semetic or anti Korean but I'm not sure why. Perhaps his previous albums had some similarly unpleasant references to those about "bitches" and "faggots". It's a shame as I thought the album was good otherwise and, while it's not as egreously offensive as Ready to Die or Smack My Bitch Up I'm still knocking off a star.
This was a nice visit from the past. I like the melodic rap of the 90s, and the lyrics felt like I was being sat down to hear someone talk about things that matter.
This album has a couple of real classics, but I couldn't keep myself interested for the entire 56 minutes. About three and a half stars.
This was never meant for me, but I feel like it still holds up.
It was a good day for old school West coast rap.
The beginning was funny my bad. I think old hip-hop is just a bit too repetitive and boring for me. I like music with clear melodies. Def an important listen, since it speaks a lot on the racism and social tensions of the time, but I wouldn't listen to it again. 3/5
When Will They Shoot - 4/5 I’m Scared (Insert) - 3.5/5 Wicked - 3/5 Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha - 3/5 The Predator - 3/5 It Was A Good Day - 2.5/5 We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up - 2.5/5 Fuck ‘Em (Insert) - 2.5/5 Dirty Mack - 2.5/5 Don’t Trust ‘Em - 2/5 Gangsta’s Fairytale 2 - 2.5/5 Check Yo Self - 3/5 Who Got The Camera? - 2.5/5 Say Hi To The Bad Guy - 2.5/5
Pretty good
Preferred it to the previous Ice Cube album. Didn't need two Cube albums though. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
This album comes in strong with the social commentary and the beats are on point. Wild that it came out around the time of the 1992 L.A. protests.
It was a good day was the highlight
Overall Rating - 2.69/5 (5.38/10). Not my usual preference, but it's well done and topical.
At times, the lyrics poignantly captures the anger of black people vs cops. At other times, I found the lyrics cringy.
This was very good. I wasn’t able to pay attention to the whole thing but what I really appreciated is how the music was secondary to the lyrics. Ice cube has something to say and he wants you to hear it. He speaks clearly and confidently and sounds almost effortless to the point of not trying until you look at the lyrics and see how they line up. Guy is a poet. I would like to go back and listen better.
No es de los que mas me gusta Dos temas muy miticos
not really that original but I liked some of it.
Had never listened to Ice Cube before...
The feeling of dropping a quarter down a drain before finding a silver dollar in the park. Not as everyday by any means but got its moments. As someone who’s not a rap fan like at all Twas pleasantly amused with this one. Also loving the social commentary we gettin. 1992 rarely looked better on itself. Solid 7.4/10. Still not crazy high cause it’s rap but that just my bias. Drink: gimme a horchata with too much cinammon. Also too many ice cubes.(hah get it?!) still good flavor tho with the right meal.
This a pretty political album, there's no doubt about it. So giving my thoughts on the songs themselves feels a bit inappropriate. It can't be helped though.🙏 The intro built anticipation, and When Will They Shoot did not disappoint! The best song!!! Wicked wasn't as strong, but Don Jagwarr definitely made it exciting. The Predator must have influenced the horrocore genre, at least a little bit. I recognized It Was A Good Day the moment it started playing. I don't like this song very much, but I appreciate it's positivity because I did start feeling a little sad. Dirty Mack was pretty meh, but "Who framed Cube? Mothafuck Roger Rabbit." 😂😂😂 You still can't trust no ho 🤷♀️ My favorite songs happen to the be first and last ones 💭 After listening to this album I respect Ice Cube even more. He is cool🧊haha get it
Kan hier weinig mee eerlijk gezegd, maar ook weer niet slecht
Niet heel hard maar niet heel bad.
A lot of the songs were really solid, and I really dig the aggressive, high energy rap, but there were also some reeeeeal corny songs.
cool, the staple style of the time
Ma swoje momenty, bywa dowcipny, spostrzegawczy. Ale do wybitnych raperów mu brakuje jakiejś iskry bożej. 6/10
That was OK.
Immer noch nicht meine Zeit und meine Musik.
A statement of the anger of black Los Angeles around the time of the 1992 Rodney King riots, with a heavy focus on policing as you might expect. Some of the clips interspersed with the songs really make this a document of the emotions and debates around them, including the moral panic around rap’s alleged influence on the violence. Musically, more of a mixed bag. Sonically it’s mostly in the wheelhouse of the Public Enemy ‘wall of noise’ approach, including some samples from Flavor Flav’. But it lacks, perhaps understandably, some of the levity of PE, with lyrics often misogynistic and violent. There might be historical reasons for that focus, but it did lessen my enjoyment of the album.
As an album that captures the anger of black America in 1992, it works really well, and is worth a listen on that basis. It is tarnished by some of the more misogynist lyrics on some tracks.
Sonically, this is a really strong album; the sampling is excellent and the beats are always varied and interesting. Judged on that basis, it’s one of the best hip-hop albums I’ve had so far. Unfortunately, the lyrics often detract significantly from my enjoyment, hence a slightly lowered score. The material about police brutality, racism, etc. is great (e.g. ‘We Had to Tear This Motherfucka Up’, though the real standout is ‘It Was a Good Day’, a fantastic and really quite tragic classic). However, there is far too much sexually aggressive, violent, homophobic and misogynistic stuff here for my liking.
3.3 5x
No soy experto en Rap y menos aún en Ice T o Ice cube, aunque prefiero a este último, su música me gusta más. Si en este listado ya están NWA (con el fundamental Straight Outta Compton) u otros discos del propio Cube como AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted este The Predator podría estar de más pero claro la cosa cambia al escuchar It was a good day (con ese sample de Footsteps in the dark de nada menos que los Isley Bros. y la inestimable ayuda de los Cypress Hill). Es el único rayo de luz en todo el disco, pero menudo temazo. El resto es heavy-rap. Rimas con contenido crítico sobre los problemas y disturbios raciales a principios de los 90 (los RHCP también escribieron Under the bridge sobre ellos) y mucha fuerza, pero no es para ní. Yo prefiero a los De La Soul, Digable Planets, Balck Sheep, Native Tongues o los Disposable Heroes...
Quite enjoyed this, funnily enough I thought I heard some similarities with Korn
3.33
I like this album but there are a lot of prison rape references that don’t sit well
Ice Cube seems like an entertainment and sports franchise at this point, but the album <bleep> does <bleep> groove <bleep><bleep>.
Solid.
Get to the chopper!
The unbelievable has happened. Sound the horns, hear the peal of the bell tower. WE have a decent West Coast rap record. More than decent in fact. Despite the overplayed garbage song that this record is most famous for, where Ice Cube outs himself as a recreational basketball stats counter? Ice Cube is out here counting rebounds at the park??? Probably the lamest moment in rap history. Also, most of the people listen to that song as a "chill feel-good vibez" song without even quickly examining the context in which it exists. It has become so ubiquitous in the moron zeitgeist, that it is disqualified from artistic merit in the obnoxious douchebag community (I am lead chair). Remove the assist counter anthem and the weird sex parts and you've got a viscerally angry and outspoken rap record that is leagues beyond most anything coming out of California. Remove the drop-top cars and the parties, and you have righteous hatred of white supremacist systems and a killer set of beats to match. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Is this about my cube?
Regardless of the artist, I’m generally not a fan of interludes and skits, even when they come from someone as iconic as Ice Cube. That said, the inserts on The Predator feel thematically appropriate and fit the overall tone of the album. On a nostalgic level, this is a fun record to revisit. Certain tracks—especially It Was a Good Day—immediately transport me back to high school and to the countless hours I spent watching MTV. On a personal level, though, this album lands in the “good, but not a favorite” category. Hip-hop and rap—particularly gangsta rap—are genres I tend to enjoy most in small doses. That may be why I connected with this music more as a teenager, when Ice Cube’s biggest singles filtered into the mainstream and were easier to appreciate one track at a time. Sitting down and listening to the full hour of The Predator while working feels a bit taxing for me. Not because the album isn’t good, but because it’s a lot to take in all at once. If music were an annual holiday potluck with rock, jazz, country, pop, and hip-hop all laid out on the table, The Predator would definitely earn a spot on my plate—but only in a modest serving. No one wants a plate piled entirely with creamed corn. At least, I don’t.
Every time I see skits and interludes on an album it lowers expectations immediately. Outside of those unnecessary moments, the sound is what you'd expect from this era of rap. The beats are inventive, but can get old pretty quick for me on some tracks. I generally ignore lyrics, so I assume they're all about self-posturing, bitches, guns, violence, and money. Still, today was a good day for a journey in the 64'.
I liked this better than America’s most wanted, but still not amazing.
There's a couple songs I quite like on this but the rest aren't as good
This is fine, a couple good, many mediocre. Heard worse rap albums by far
Day 268 Gonna start calling my family ‘devils’ Highlights When will they shoot? It was a good day Who got the camera?
Going from 80's country to this is enough to give anyone whiplash. Good beats, I like Ice Cube's delivery, plus there's a lot of Public Enemy on here.
Mid
The things that Ice Cube rapped about in the early 90s is still on-going today. Using this album as a symbol of race relations, social issues, and areas of difficulty is an art form. However, I think the actual music struggles at times with repetitiveness.
mucho rap pocas buenas melodias. no es de mi agrado
Angry and I respect that even if this wasn’t my favourite thing to listen to.
Okay, I know Ice Cube is super important to hip-hop history and I do like this album, but that War of the Worlds remake from last year makes it harder for me to take Ice Cube seriously than when I got AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted for the project in 2024. I hear the music and a small but vocal part of me just thinks about Ice Cube's befuddled expressions from what little I've seen of that apparent atrocity. Man, what were they thinking? Okay, onto the album. I like this. As stated earlier, I have heard Ice Cube's debut solo album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, and I thought it was alright. I do think that The Predator is better though. I don't know. There are things that interest me more here. I like the production more. It feels a bit closer to modern, whereas AMW was still clearly continuation of the 80s stuff he had done with NWA. The album still feels like an early 90s release, but it's more interesting. The writing is also more interesting. As per usual, there are parts that haven't aged well, but the album has a stronger focus on politics and the 1992 LA Riots in particular that I really appreciate. As far as songs go, there are some good ones here, but there's really only one that's worth discussing prominently, that of course being "Today Was a Good Day." Oh, this song is so good. The production is the best on the entire album and the writing takes the basic idea of "Ice Cube having a good day" and makes it more interesting than it has any right to be. The fact that the song highlights things like the lack of murders and cop cars on the titular "good day" does a great job of reminding the listener that Ice Cube's life typically had those things in them, though the other songs on the album also remind you of that. It's an excellent song, though it does make the rest of the album seem kinda weak by comparison. Overall, The Predator is a solid time, but not the best of what hip-hop has to offer. Aside from the one outstanding track, the album at large is solid, but not super impressive. The pacing's also a little weird. High 3/5.
This seemed good to me! This kind of street-rap is not really my thing but I was happy for a listen today.
Notable for being the album with "It Was a Good Day" and "Check Yo Self", The Predator is more of what we've come to expect from Ice Cube; tales of police brutality, hood life, and his sexual prowess. This time around production duties are handled by a few DJ's including DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill. Overall the album isn't much new. Cube spends a few songs addressing antisemitism accusations, and slows things down on a song or two, but otherwise it's the same ol' Cube.
Much better than his other album on here. I like the message, and it’s cool that it brings these audio samples to people who may have never heard them, and pique people’s curiosity.
Still relevant lyrically but also has heavy on the misogyny, homophobia that makes it uncomfortable to listen to in 2026
The star of the hit film War of the Worlds (2025) is a pretty good rapper
Surprisingly nice
Pretty chill album I liked most the songs and seems like a nice 90s rap album
I was waffling between an 2 and 3, leaning heavily towards a 2 due to the repetition and no real distinction between other hip hop acts of the time. Further reflecting this evening, and you know what? It was a good day. I wouldn’t have had that depth of thought without having listened this earlier in the day.
the most i know of this guy before this album is war of the worlds. he’s good at rapping, he should’ve stuck with that lmao. the album’s alright. i’m a little distracted, there’s a lot going on today and i don’t have time to really get into it unfortunately. 3
I'm pretty torn about this album. Although I definitely agree it belongs in the collection, and Ice Cube almost rises to Public Enemy's level of social criticism--albeit without any of PE's musical or lyrical creativity--it's also hard to ignore Ice Cube's troubling blind spots on this album that became more and more obvious as time went on. "Wicked" is probably the worst of the lot, a well-done song whose video (and lyrics) sadly conflates the real and deep-seated anger triggered by the Rodney King trial and police violence with (literal) imagery of Korean store owners robbing Black bystanders at gunpoint, and Red Hot Chili Peppers gleefully participating in local store looting and demolition. It's hard to avoid feeling (especially with his previous and future excursions into antisemitism and anti-Asian rhetoric and conspiracy theories) that Ice Cube isn't just channeling the rage that fueled the Rodney King riots, but is instead mired in a sad and largely self-destructive perspective that takes aim at entirely the wrong targets, a sort of transferred aggression that dogs can't help doing, but humans *should* have more self-control than that. It would be easier to temper (or perhaps just ignore) Ice Cube's dubious politics if there was more music on this album than there is. As it stands, though, you're pretty much left with his messages, which doesn't do as well for him overall as he probably thought it did (although his blistering critique of law enforcement's embedded racism and violence remains sadly relevant 35 years later). I'm also annoyed at myself for having such a negative response to this album.
Typical 80s 90s hip hop copywrite steal from NWA or older bands
On one hand, I really like political rap. On the other, I really dislike gangster rap. Enough of the misogyny and f slurs, please. Very hit and miss album for me.
Странно, как бы я ни любил рэп, но как-то не в меня. Хотя с удовольствием переслушал нетленку It Was a Good Day, и еще Don't Trust 'Em неплохая. И вообще для актера он неплохо читает.
Лучший трек: It was a good day Худший: Gangsta's Fairytale Ожидал большего. Большинство треков монотонны, минуса незапоминающиеся. Check Yo Self в ремиксе звучит поприкольнее
3, it was not such a good day...
I was previously familiar with Ice Cube but not really any material. This isn't the sort of music I would normally listen to, but this album was pretty good actually. The beats are interesting enough and while I typically don't like rap vocals, this did not seem too bad for me. I doubt I would listen to it again, but I am fine to have heard it once.
I liked a few songs. Prefer other rap records.
Solid old school album
Nicht sonderlich nennenswert.
It's a good album, a bit dated, but the energy radiates through the speakers. I feel like I'll be not returning to this one, because I'm too white and European though.
Hard heavy instrumentals and some smooth flow. One of the best hip hop albums I've had so far.
Quite good, easily recognisable. indisputably good music with a great flow. But just don't see myself listening to this on the regular.