The Predator

This was good, even though it’s dated I feel like it’s aged better than a lot of rap/hip-hop of the 80s/early 90s. His voice is solid on this

Thought I would like this more than I did. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood or setting but the songs up to It Was a Good Day felt a little bland and repetitive. Maybe on a different day I’d feel different but this didn’t hit with me. 2.75

If there's one thing I want in an album it is references to Predator...2! Lol. I thought this was pretty good. A bit corny talking about triple doubles and stuff. Nice to get it the same week as The Chronic. I'd say I enjoyed the latter a bit more so I am rounding down on this one. 3.25/5

I gotta say it was a good album

As relevant now as it was 30+ years ago

284/1089 - Smart decision to create dissonance between all the layers of the beats for an angry effect. Overall, it was ok.

The Predator by Ice Cube is everything I hate about rap. Gangsta rap is dreadful. the lyrics are dated, vile and quite frankly thick! This music just does nothing for me. The music is good throughout on this album but the nature of the lyrics is off putting and not for me. Favourite track: Least favourite track: Album artwork: I dont love it!!

Surprised how much I liked this album. Sharp and political with incisive lyrics and great beats.

nicht so mein stil von hip hop .. aber trotzdem gut produziert, und sehr nahe am zeitgeschehen.

Pro-Black aber gegen alles andere. Ein Rassist auch wenn er es nicht zugeben möchte.

An interesting album. Ice Cube tackles race in the aftermath of Rodney King and the LA riots. This aspect of the album is poignant and important. He also, however, continues the misogyny that plagues rap music til this day. Overall, its a good album that is as relevant now as it was when it was made. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again

old school gangsta rap from one of the voices of NWA. this one’s a classic. highlights: “when will they shoot?” “it was a good day” “we had to tear this mothafucka up”

Ice Cube used to be so great before he sold out.

I cant understand why americans like this piece of shit! American rap is irrelevant outside the US. A shit like this on this list is rubbish. dog shitt nigga you know what i mean nigga...im need a pussy and a have a shootgun, my car is beautiful and i am criminals, careful with me in the midnight bro

How is this album 34 years old and still feels incredibly relevant and edgy? Love everything about this album

Some classics on here

Very good shit. 4*

Nice beats

Not as bad as i feared. Early 90’s rap seems a bit tame now!

Surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Great grooves. Powerful message. Would recommend.

This was good. Head nodding beats. Slightly less shock value than AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, which is the only other Ice Cube album I’m familiar with. But yeah, enjoyed this.

Hard hitting boom bap beats and verse after verse deconstructing the violence of American racism, the routine violence it engenders the lives lived amidst that violence. The sound is definitive of its time, dated but iconic. The eviseration of racial liberalism and the dominant banal ideologies of white supremacy are remarkably, tragically, timeless 30+ years later.

Ok, another hip-hop album... I'm getting tired of this genre (so much!). I understand that it has been very influential, but, for me, hip-hop is very uninteresting and repetitive, and this album is all of this too (as bland). Lyrically, it is interesting at some parts, but I can't think about it if the album is driving me to boredom.

It's hard for me to imagine what it must have been like when Cube released AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Death Certificate, and The Predator in the span of two and a half years, immediately after an acrimonious split from NWA. I imagine they were as revelatory as they were controversial. I'd heard AMW before listening to this, alongside the obvious standout singles here, but that's more or less the extent of my experience with Ice Cube's solo work. I was surprised that this hadn't aged *worse* than it has (and parts of it have aged poorly, given the homophobia and sexism that was rampant in rap at the time). The production is really solid throughout. I'm just not sure it's *essential* listening, especially when Death Certificate - by most accounts the best of the three - isn't here.

it was a good day when Ice Cube appeared on the album club

Enjoyable stuff

Really like Ice Cube and a lot of material he's put out over the years. This was really good, but a few songs towards the end dropped off in quality a bit.

Early 90s rap was different, not a fan of this album

Nope. Not my kind of music. I can appreciate that it has important social commentary but I’m well beyond listening to hard core rap.

-it was fine ig, def wouldnt relisten -it was def very politically relevant still today, very interesting -i felt like it was sorta misogynistic tho which was off putting

Someday, one of these hip hop albums will earn >2 stars from me. But it is not this day.

Hadn't heard this album since elementary school. Still hits good.

First time listening to an Ice Cube solo project and I was surprised how much I liked it! Similar to Public Enemy, Ice Cube blends incredibly groovy beats with very poignant lyrics. Might explore the rest of his catalog because of this album.

I really liked this. Ice Cube has a great voice, the beats are good. Some of the spoken tracks engage in thoughtful ways with the criticism that this kind of rap often receives, and this is the first album I've heard do that. Today Was a Good Day is excellent, and I found myself liking most of the tracks.

The predator is politcal and on the nose. Definetly an important album within America's troubled history. It's worth listening for the 'preaching integration, but practising segregration' quote only. Though musically I feel like it's one of the weaker hiphop albums in this list. It's cool, no doubt, but pales is in comparison with projects from (for instance) Public Enemy.

Enjoyable. Never heard any ice cube passed. NWA would listen again.

In a lot of ways, an update of previous record on this list, Straight Outta Compton.

Pretty good. Pretty nostalgic. Nothing I will actively seek out.

This is so good. As a 2000s baby my education on 90s Hip-Hop is sorely lacking, this is going to send me down a rabbit hole.

Lyrically, thematically, and sonically powerful. Would be a five but any amount of violent sexism is too much

I was vibing, but I didn’t like it assss much as other 90’s rap

Also really good, but I do think the slower beats are worse than the faster ones which there were loads of on the last Ice Cube album I got. Obviously some of the things he said haven't aged so well, but he's definitely quite progressive socially on here, which I think he has since revoked, which I guess is sort of disappointing. He's obviously also a great rapper, I think probably one of if not the best on the West coast in this era. He has a great skill of even if what he's saying isn't lyrically the most adventurous, it all flows together so well because of his emphasis and pronunciation and stuff. Also It was a good day will always be great, no matter how popular it is, the beat is just amazing and its a very interesting formula for a song narratively. Favourite songs: when will they shoot?, wicked, the predator, it was a good day, dirty Mack, don't trust 'em, gangsta's fairytale 2, check yo self, who got the camera?, say hi to the bad guy. Overall around 7/10

It Was A Good Day is a great song. Rest are ok 3/5

Altogether pretty awful, as is the overwhelming majority of this genre, but it had some kind of redeeming quality in that the music didn't come across as obnoxious as other hip-hop. I certainly wouldn't listen to this shit again, but at least I wasn't desperate to rip out my earphones and throw them into oncoming traffic, like I was with NWA.

i was a good day!

Boh...

0/5

7/10

Angry record, funny too. It Was a Good Day will always be one of the best songs ever.

J’ai été agréablement surprise : les premières notes de la première chanson laissaient entendre que je n’aimerai pas, et au final c’était vraiment sympa!

This album makes me want to slowly remove my glasses several dozen times while staring at my computer with an astonished expression and eventually join an anti-government rebellion with my hacker son to save the planet from an alien invasion. Highlights: When Will They Shoot, The Predator, It Was a Good Day, We Had to Tear This Mothaf**ka Up, Who Got the Camera

Highlights: When Will They Shoot?, Wicked, It Was A Good Day

"today was a good day" is his second greatest achievement (after using amazon prime to save the world)

Love It Was. Good Day but all of the media clips spliced into every damn song gets old in a hurry. I’m glad he included the song that warned me about getting robbed by a big bottomed ho. I’m at high risk of that.

In his interview, Cube says he wants rap to open communication and understanding with white people. Decades of this repetitive, rather boring preachifying, while accurate, recitation has done nothing to advance that agenda - and it's no fun for me. There's not enough musicality here.

Good background music but idk if I’d listen to it otherwise. Except for ‘It was a good day’ which is an absolute banger

Did not expect this to be the Cube album in this list (Death certificate and Amerikkka’s most wanted are more lauded) but I think it might be his best. His first two solo albums felt like Cube rapping over public enemy beats, but this album (and the subsequent lethal injection and west side connection album) slow things down a bit to match his cadence and, to n my opinion, Cube finally finds a sound of his own a decade into his career. Then in the late90s he becomes more of an actor and really neuters his music career. It’s kind of fascinating to listen to the star of the “Are we there yet?” franchise delivering some of the most violent and politically charged lyrics of 90s rap. You’d never guess that in 20 years he’d be way closer to Kevin Hart than Zack de la Rocha. It sure didn’t seem like an act, did the money just make him soft? Does he still have all kinds of political opinions that he just keeps to himself? I’d love to hear a long form interview where Gerald about how he got from the Cube we hear on the album in 96 to the CEO of the Big 3 league. Anyway, I forgot how great he was, this is close to a 5. PS - I’ll bet Mits FM loved the baseline on “Tear this mutha fucker up”

4.1 When will they shoot is a burner. I would think ice cube would be a top five rapper for me. Would that be a hot take? PS the bass sample for tear this mother fucka up is pretty cool and pulled from get down by gene Russell (have a listen to that song, it rips)

This is fun G-funk stuff and everything, but can I get a little more funk with it or something? Idk, just doesn't do it for me like 2Pac/Biggie/NWA. Solid, but meh.

True story: I in fact saw the Goodyear Blimp on Sunday and said "today was a good day" to another woman looking at it, who said she just said that to someone else, and this album came up on Tuesday. Not my cup of tea but you have to give it up for a song that is inextricably tied to a delightful life event for over three decades now.

★★★½

The first half is unbelievable, it’s hard hitting and exhausting and poignant. The second half is a lot less impactful and some of the tracks don’t say much, sort of rely on tropes that haven’t aged well.

Not really the type of music I like and this is unlikely to change my mind. Can't really give it a fair rating so just sticking it in the middle.

Absolutely incredible.

Mer rap. Såå tråkigt.

I was underwhelmed by Fear Of A Black Planet yesterday, and I gotta admit, I’m not in the mood for another hour long early 90’s hip hop album, but I’ll try to give it an honest effort. And…same takeaway as Public Enemy. Definitely some good stuff, and my rating reflects that, but it just drags on way too long. I think it would be a much stronger record with 3 or 4 tracks cut out. 4/5 Highlights: When Will They Shoot? Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha It Was A Good Day Check Yo Self Say Hi To The Bad Guy

Would buy

Classic

World politics. Love. Self reflection. Be hard in a crazy world. He's got everything in this album. Something was bound to stick. 2 out 15 ain't bad.

Great album

Thought this album was a good switch up in genre from the previous albums we have had. The overall vibe was chill and enjoyable to listen to. I actually liked the samples/played in between songs. It Was a Good Day - Classic song and most best part of the album.

-it’s so cool to see the star of war of the worlds 2025 giving music a try <3 -a lot of mixed feelings on this one -I never listen to lyrics so I really made an effort to, obviously very culturally significant and maybe even more so today (weeeee) - it was a good day a classic for a reason, but the rest was so so so repetitive and boring at times -I like some rap but am super picky with what I like and I just can’t help but feel like most is just slam poetry set to hooks from the 50’s they didn’t even write so sue me!!!! Best wishes, the whitest person alive

man i LOVE ice cube! one of my fave 90s rappers - had real shit to say and was a real champion for his people in both culture and politics. "it was a good day is bound to guarantee exactly that. as a full album i'm struggling with what to give it. it's good but a bit long and some tracks sound pretty much the same. also i wish "you can do it put your back into it" were on here i would have added a star just for that song i love it so much! i would play this while gang banging around california and you can interpret that however you wish homie

I've always liked Ice Cube's music. Though I haven't listened to him in a while. Shout out to Fire Marshall Bill. Also loved that he talks about his dick several times a song and then implores others to stop thinking with their dick, two sentences later another dick reference. Angry, proud, 90s rap. Several classics including It was a good day and ... Check yo self. It's a wonder that he went from this, and No Vaseline, to Are We There Yet? I guess we live in a round world and a Cubes gotta eat.

Very dope and creative

Listened to this a few years ago, gonna enjoy this rewind 6.8/10

Very good protest album, thought a lot of the songs and the inserts were really powerful. Some of the tracks weren’t my thing, but there were some I really enjoyed. Wikipedia says it samples Predator 2 which I haven’t seen - would be interesting to relisten having seen that. Fav song: When Will They Shoot? Least fav: Don’t Trust ‘Em

Not a huge fan of the interludes but some bangers of songs in there. Specific rating - 4.5 Fav song- it was a good day Least fav-wicked

Incredibly powerful first half about police brutality and racism. Actually thought the inserts were used really well- especially compared to how they have been on a lot of other hip hop albums. Became a little hard to remember how good and moving I found it when the focus seemed to detour into misogyny. There are a few songs I could cut out of the album to make it something I really enjoyed but as it is I cant help but feel he let complaining about women ruin what could have been a great album. Favourite song: Who Got The Camera? Least: Don't Trust 'Em

Gangsta rap isn’t my preferred sub-genre, but when it’s this good, this important, I get it! The back half of this album is especially solid - catchy, funny, creative, painting incredible stories. Enjoyed myself immensely listening to this.

An angry album with heavy things on its mind. Cube isn’t my favourite MC, but these beats are untouchable. As the bad behaviour policy requires: cha-ch-ch-check yo’self before…

Some of the delivery is a bit dated, but the beats and general content are still fckn awesome. Driving round stoned with your mates music

Today was a good day for a loud album, quite happy with the way this one panned out. I'm not the biggest fan of that 80s rap style where you yell but enunciate as well as you can and kind of box up your words so they punch/match with the beat, but that's what this is and— it's still pretty good.— There's strong social messages and extremist ideas. You can really hear Ice Cube's youth and pain, hence the loud vocals, beats, and generationally learned misogyny. It's a documented moment in time, and it's sad that a lot of it the record is still relateable decades later in 2025. Everything is well produced, well mixed, well executed. The skits aren't chores, they fit with the vibe of the music. Dated, hard hitting hip-hop. I see how it's still an influence. Put this one on to fuck shit up. 3.6/5

You can imagine the sense of dread which set onto me after receiving this album, as hip hop is largely not my thing. Overuse of N-bombs, muthafuckaz, drug/gangland themes, too lengthy and lacking in variety are all criticisms you could level towards this one as well. However, there are actually some very enjoyable funky, groovy beats and dirty bass to be had here if you're able to dissociate from what he's rapping about, and he has a very tidy flow/delivery. It's got that "smoked out" type of vibe going on. I'm really not qualified to go into much more depth on this sort of stuff, and I'm highly unlikely to consciously return to this, but I'd imagine there's far worse out there.

This is basically your typical early 90s East Coast gangsta rap with a message, which isn't really any different from other albums like it. I guess what makes this one stand out is Ice Cube's pretty fun and playful way of rapping, and the music has a kind of funky groove.

First time listening to this for me. The top tier rap albums from this period are some of my favorite in hip hop history and this is right up there. It Was A Good Day is the obvious highlight and arguably one of hip hops finest moments. I enjoyed the album as a whole, I think it’d be an all timer if it were a couple songs shorter.

I was skeptical going into this, as I recently reviewed the N.W.A. album and found it to be only pretty good, compared with other recent listens from artists like Public Enemy and A Tribe Called Quest. But damn if this isn’t a blast. The production is so catchy, loud and addictive throughout, which helps to get past some of the unpleasantly misogynistic lyrics that pop up here and there (but thankfully not the majority of the album). Honestly, it’s hard not to get angry listening to this in 2025, realizing that the situation and culture of racism that prompted this album are still very much present. Art like this helps you process and get through while bopping your head. Must-listen #212.

Not a fan of ice cube.

Some classics, social commentary still relevant

Nothing too interesting music-wise but I appreciate the antisemitism and misogyny.

Another excellent rap/hip hop record. Huge production that is necessarily bold and serious which never really loses intensity even within it's more soulful moments. This is like James Brown meeting Trent Reznor who decide to dig into a healthy dose of Parliament/Funkadelic grooves, while successfully addressing the political climate of the day. (It's still very relevant now, unfortunately.) Personal bonus points for predominantly, and appropriately, sampling 'Green Earings' on 'Don't Trust 'em.

Not my favorite Cube album, although his dissent would be remarkable with and after his next release. While there are high points here and the actual raps (misogyny and homophobia aside) are solid. However, the g-funk is creeping in and while it accentuates the fun of a track like It Was a Good Day…. It undermines the anger of his takes regarding a post riots LA. The venom of Death Certificate and Amerikkka was supported by Sir Jinx and the Bomb Swuad adding a soundtrack that met the lyrical content, here the swing towards a sound more fun for the augmented mind counteracts the lyrical content. As a result what could have been greats…. Doesn’t quite work.

Second listen you can just skip all the boring skits. Its pretty okay, decent even. I was a bit gutted when it was the album for today as I'm not gonna find out more about Ice Cube from listening to this, its not too much different than his previous, it doesn't take big swings, its just fine

Guys, I got “Today Was a Good Day” on my birthday!

The beat is catchy but a polished turd is still a turd

Simple y llanamente; cine🚬

I’ve very much reached old school gangsta rap fatigue with this challenge. The socio-political issues are still relevant, and I’m sure this album was important for its time. But the medium of the message is just really not appealing to me. It Was a Good Day sounds like it should be a chill good time if you don’t listen too closely to the lyrics. Check Yo Self - same sample as Shoop? I’d rather just listen to Salt-n-Pepa.

This was better than Straight Outta Compton, but it wasn't good. The best song on this album by far is It Was A Good Day, and the internet agrees. It has 1.5 billion streams on Spotify and nothing else on the album cracks 50 million. I love the instrumental on that track, the little vocal snippet in the background, and that guitar line i just perfect. You could probably still cut a verse and make it better, but it's a good song overall. Back to the rest of the album... I think the instrumental vibe is a big improvement on the sound of N.W.A. It feels more timeless than his former group. I also like how it's very directly confronting Ice Cube's reputation at the time and the backlash he faced for his lyrics etc (even including interview snippets). Also he goes right into the Rodney King police brutality incident and subsequent riots. The album feels like a little time capsule for 1992. It's very interesting. However, like Straight Outta Compton, this album is way too long. Some of these tracks need to be shortened or cut. Also... even though the subject matter is compelling, the actual tracks themselves are often mediocre. O and some his lyrics just suck and don't age well and just aren't enjoyable when being heard for the first time in 2025. Overall, I'd say this record is a good stepping stone for rap and an improvement over the 80s gangster rap... but it's still not for me. This style would improve immensely over the course of the 90s and I prefer later albums in this style. That Nas record was definitely better.

Più di un'ora di rap è troppo.

I'm a white, middle aged Australian. This album feels somewhat anachronistic to me. I can't identify with Ice Cube's anger and the casual misogyny and violence turn me off, I can appreciate the spirit of protest on the album. I can't imagine what it is like to live in an environment seething with the racism, inequality and police violence that marked his life in America. The highlights for me were Check Yo Self, Now I Gotta Wet Ya and the It Was A Good Day.

2/5 not my genre but I can tell he's clearly much better at making music than he is at making movies

No reason for it to be 56 minutes. Remove a bunch of the ‘inserts’ and the weak tracks on the 2nd half and this would gain a star.

No, it does groove but is way to repetitive and honestly, after 50%, it started to test my patience...

It was fine. A few songs that I liked bit it's mostly just not my type of music

Evergreen beats

Hard to take this album seriously after the disaster that is War of the Worlds. A lot of this album comes off as a little try-hard when listening with modern ears, but there's still some good flows in there.

never forgiving Ice Cube after the War of the Worlds incident

Aggressive west coast hip-hop/gangsta rap. Ice Cube is hugely talented, the lyrics are politically charged, the beats are ahead of their time ('92). Standout is "It Was a Good Day".

This album has a LOT to say, specifically about racism against Black people and police brutality in particular. But that's not all! It also has a lot to say about women being leeches, Asians being stingy, gays being perverts, and Jews being... well, the usual things they're accused of. Lyrically alone, it's a very useful album to understand the arc of social politics in the US leading into the 90's, where overlapping movements splintered into sectarianism. It explicitly endorses Apartheid, or something close to it, more than once. It moves from endorsing Black women as CEOs to calling them whores. Still, he's got a good sound, a good flow, and solid beats. "It Was a Good Day" holds up enough for me to forgive the Laker pandering.

Classics

So many reviews of this album are like "look, I get this was important politically and personally to Ice Cube but did he have to use so many bad words?" Anyways, this album aged well. 4.5/5.

I mean this just instantly packs a punch. Political, forceful and fierce. Good to understand the connection to the riots and not good to see that things are just about the same 30+ years later 😡 “The wet T-shirt contest, Motherfucker! 🔫 “ A few tracks in and feel it’s a vibe. Good, solid beats, good, fierce lyrics, flow and samples but maybe got the idea? Would maybe listen again, but not blown away. Does its thing very well but not expanded in myself (3.5)

loops and loops

check yo self

enjoyed it was a good day, the rest are not my style, but still quite decent album. 3

Pretty good.

Not for me.

pas trop rap d’habitude mais là pas mal, bonnes percussions, j’ai kiffé l’intro

Pas mon style mais pas mal

Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 💀🚬🔲 Production: 🥩😎👊 Music: 🦅🐷🎯 Rating: 🧊🧊🧊(🧊)/5

It’s 2025 and the USA is entering full out fascism and white nationalism. Thirty plus years later, and this album still rings true with its themes of racism, segregation and how Black America look to gangs as support systems in a failing system.

Horrible cover making me dread the first listen. But it’s not as bad as feared, with actually many good tracks.

Great introduction to hip-hop, well written lyrics and sticky melodies so as the message that is trying to get through, a fantastic album. It Was A Good Day is something else.

Ice Cube's best album, but does anyone really believe that at 5-foot-8 that he was freaking brothers every way like MJ on the court? Suspect.

Jak dla mnie może lecieć w tle, typowe lata 90., Ola nie była zachwycona

I’m just not super into the whole Ice Cube vibe. Album over all is fine.

There's It Was a Good Day and then there's the rest of the album.

Today, It was a good day, because I got The Predator by Ice Cube and you better check yo self if you don’t think this album is wicked.

Loved the beats but must admit that in some of the songs the lyrics were a bit offputting. It is a generational thing, I am sure.

7/10…hip hop

As I get older I like this album less and less. Huge Ice Cube fan but this album ain’t that great really.

I'd be inclined to say I'm more enthusiastic about "hip-hop" than I am about "rap", if that makes sense. In my head, Ice Cube has always been more of a rap star and personality than a hip-hop artiste during his solo career, but The Predator is solid enough both from a straight-up rap delivery point of view and from a creative standpoint. There are decent, funky breaks and beats throughout this album - politically charged and released amid the height of racial tensions in 90s America, it never gets bogged down in it's own themes and manages to be interesting throughout. As ever with this sort of thing, I'm obviously not the target audience, but this is definitely an album I'll be adding to my own hip-hop collection. Not absolutely blown away by something totally new and revolutionary, but - yeah - I liked this much more than I thought I was going to...

not so bad as I thought

I’m a big hip hop fan but I need to say that this album was a slight disappointment for me. Truthfully expected more from Cube but overall it was a solid listen

It lacked growth from his previous work, re-listening in 2025 it really sounds dated, only real highlight was, "It was a good day"

drei minus

I have a better appreciation for hip-hop as protest music. It makes you think, and it vibes like FUCK. 10/10.

Listening to this like “this sounds like DAS EFX.” Then my man showed up on a track!

It’s no NWA

Ice Cube has amazing delivery. “It was a good day” is a classic. I also knew “check yourself”. I didn’t know the rest. The vibe reminded me of other acts from the time, like Cypress Hill (which are mentioned). I would rate this higher but I’m not really into the vulgar stuff.

Waffled between 3 and 4, but decided to go high, since it's a lot more cerebral album that it initially seems. I also prefer the production on this to his other solo album we've listened to.

Thought this might not hold up but was the perfect mix of catchy, sometimes throwback beats with blistering lyrics - that are sadly still way too relevant.

Solid. Ice Cube has great flow.

Nick Persons, played by rapper Ice Cube, is a selfish player who owns a collectibles sports shop in Portland Everything in his life is perfect until he meets Suzanne Kingston, a businesswoman who has something he hates - children: Lindsey and Kevin. They become friends and share good moments with each other. But his peaceful life gets altered when she asks him to drive Lindsey and Kevin to Vancouver. After they miss a plane and train, they drive. Unfortunately, Lindsey and Kevin hate Nick, and he has to try to make it to Vancouver, unaware of the terror and torture he is in for.

festival season is so funny bc saw ice cube live the same weekend i saw mcr ⭐️

what’s 9+10? 21 Jump Street You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain

Actually enjoyed it much more than I expected to, although it dragged on too long. Ice Cube just isn't enough of a charismatic or inventive rapper to enjoy listening to for an hour. But there are some legitimately interesting sounds here even when his flows drag on and he starts talking about how NOT anti-semitic he is for the fifth time Fav song: When Will They Shoot? or Wicked

OK, beat hits home a little, but not a complete hook for me

Liked it more than I thought I would!

I kinda like how early sample/turntable-based hiphop is often built around tight 1 bar loops, which gives it kind of an obsessive, relentless sound.

It's only 2 years newer than his other album in the book, but it sounds a lot less outdated. Still sounds old (production), but the flow is so much better.

Super fun, 90s rap best rap

Ice Cube doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his innovation. The Predator is an excellent representation of the climate of the times.

Abhorrent. Nearly got me arrested.

Massive personality, fantastic production and, despite some issues, a strong message, still important 20 years later. Also, not a bad album for a 23 yr old. FS: Check Yo Self

Interesting catchy and accessible and some political points that are unfortunately still salient today. Could do without the sexism though.

Are you telling me Ice Cube came up with “it’s on like donkey kong”?!

I saw Ice Cube at a music festival in 2016(?). It was pouring down rain and I was drunk off cheap alcohol. I had limited exposure to his music at that point, and I can't say that I spent much time afterwards diving in. It's not really relevant to this review, but I'm sharing it anyway.

Never listened to a solo Ice Cube album before. Pretty good, the message still stands even if the music (and lyrics!) are a bit dated in 2025

I listened to this album while running, beside an inky black ocean, on a late evening in late Makaru. I might have gasped here and there at some of the lyrics (was this the origin of “on like donkey kong”?) but for the most part it was heavy “meh”. Men performing masculinity like this has always been tedious; here in 2026 it’s been commoditised and packaged up to the point of sheer, pathetic banality. Only “It was a Good Day” really stood out as something I’d ever want to listen to again. Imagine my joy, then, when I followed up on the sample and discovered the Isley’s Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark”. Full circle.

There’s something about 90s rap that I love… it’s hot, it’s hard and it hits… Cube’s voice is smooth, rapping effortlessly about issues that are still prominent today. You can hear his emotion in each song and he articulates himself well, I also love the interludes in between songs. I do love his clapback in Fuck ‘Em with media clips (although don’t love the accusations thrown at him lol) throughout the song. The best way to respond to haters. Gangsta’s Fairytale 2 is also super fun and love Don’t Trust ‘em.

Täähän oli kerrassaan väkevä! Muutama hyvä hitti ja julkaisuajankohta huomioiden ajankohtainen. Uujee! 4/5

Keskimääräistä parempi ysäriräp-levy, joka toimii vieläkäin eikä tunnu yhtä ylipitkältä kuin muut aikalaisensa. 3.5/5

okayyy!!

pretty good l.a. hip hop record. 2 of ice cube's most classic tracks on it. I just remember seeing him at a festival before he check yourself and after he played good day yelling "how y'all doing? Good? Damn right good, NEXT SONG" in really quick succession

Talented Cube.

Good instrumentation on most tracks. Some that stood out were the title track, It Was A Good Day and Dirty Mack.

I gave the last Ice Cube album on this list a two, but I really enjoyed this one. The beats were jazz inflected and the rhymes made me laugh on more than one occasion. Maybe I should go back and listen to AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted to see if I stand by that two - this is a strong four, almost a five.

Not bad, It Was a Good Day is of course a classic. This one seemed a bit more focused than his other entries we’ve listened to. High 3.

Harsh and violent. How did he turn into a mainstream actor? Great job remaking his image.

Man does this guy hate the police. He’s got his talking points and sticks to them. His anger is palpable and so soon after the Rodney King Verdict quote understandable. Of course lots of the other stuff aged terribly.

Was good but not the biggest fan of west coast rap so 7/10

Great album, not much else to say except it's a shame a lot of the messages in this album are still valid today, sadly.

While I'm not a hiphophead, I have a soft spot for 90's rap, and this is definitely something I can get down with, even as a person that from time to time likes to have his breakfast with some hog. But what can I say, Ice Cube's a pimp.

Horrible

Unfamiliar with your game Mr Cube

Mais rap e hip-hop... Não consigo perceber porque é que isto é importante! Só para os palermas dos americanos!

A lot better than many of others of this genre, included on the list. Quite a bit of musicality involved but still littered with the obligatory mutha fuckers and Niggas

Ich muss sagen, das ich das Album zum Teil schon sehr mochte und mir der doch sehr andere Musikstil zu gesagt hat. Oft habe ich auch die Texte ertragen (bzw. fand die Perspektive interessant), aber zwischendurch fand ich es so schlimm wie eminem

It's kind of hard to rate these 90s rap albums because alot of them follow the same formats, themes, etc. Ice Cube is just a terrific rapper in this album and that eclipses him over some of the other rap album's I got.

Fine album.

The Predator ‘There’s a new girl on my street, and Imma introduce her to my meat’ Before listening I wasn’t sure I was up for another Ice Cube album, even if it has It Was A Good Day on it, after not particularly enjoying AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. But I actually liked it, sonically I much preferred it to that album and while it does suffer from some of the same issues - the relentless rapping about sex and mention of bitches and hos - it has much better grooves and samples. Don’t Trust ‘Em is a good example of those two things, fantastic beat and groove, musically brilliant but an egregious number of bitches. When it’s more pointedly socially engaged like on When Will They Shoot?, The Predator, Who Got The Camera? or Integration, it’s excellent, the hooks and beats underscoring the words and samples, and it's notable how the things he raps about - racism, violence, police brutality etc - are still depressingly relevant. And when it refrains (for the most part) from racism and/or misogyny you get the truly excellent It Was a Good Day, a superb West coast sound with a kind of sad lyric - a good day is when someone you know doesn’t get shot. I really like the production (shout out DJ Pooh!), the samples and beats are excellent throughout, there are some very good songs; When Will They Shoot, Wicked, The Predator, It Was a Good Day, Check Yo Self and Who Got the Camera, but there’s so much aimless misogyny. On balance, the good just about outweighs the bad, and I would listen again so I think it sits right in the 3s. 🧊🧊🧊 Playlist submission: It Was a Good Day

On one hand this album was released after the LA riots, social temperature at boiling point, racial divided, brutality, and Ice Cube railing against oppression. And on the other hand it was inspired by Predator 2. Has there ever been a more hilarious juxtaposition in music? It feels like an important statement for the time, although it seems confused. And now not only do I see Ice Cube as the godfather of gangsta rap, but of the 'Summertime' subgenre (It Was a Good Day', although ironic, feels like it birthed a thousand lightweight imitators, like Will Smith's Summertime). Maybe one day he'll be held accountable for these crimes. That all aside, there's a DJ Muggs infused mid-high tempo feel on many of the tracks, alongside some hard hitting lyrical commentary (in fits and starts). I think it's better than Amerikkka's Most Wanted.

It's a really good album.

I guess this album is on the list to remind everybody that there are a lot of terrible and horrible music out there which can only be feared.

A little more monochrome than I remember but it’s a protest record by concept. Definitely a document of its time. A lot of Parliament Funkadelic. LA riots feature in a few songs.

It can be fun to be this angry toward white people and cops for an hour

Just ok

I mean, cubes solo work is criminally underrated. This one is a top 25 rap album and changed how I thought about racism towards black peoples in America This runs a bit long but the beats also fucking bang hard 3/5

I like the beats and the political and social consciousness. I really dont like the misogyno and violent braggadoccio.

could i write poetry to this? y

Possibly my favorite of the 90's Rap/Hip-Hop albums we've heard so far.

Good rap

If you want to hear classic gangster rap, this is it.

His best imo

The singles are all legendary, but back half of this is a slog. Cube is always operating at the same high level, but he really benefits from the super consistent production on most wanted and death certificate which just isn't here

Rip Malcom X. First media in the ice cube universe that I've enjoyed.

“Ice’ll cream your ass like Haagen-Dazs” accidentally very prescient. This shit rules, though I’m eavesdropping at best.

Cube was the best rapper in NWA, but I’ve never loved his solo stuff. It’s not that he got bad at rapping, it’s just a bit much I guess. It’s a bit samey throughout the record. It kind of felt like getting yelled at for an hour. The exception of course being Good Day, if he mixed in a few more like that to give the audience a break it would’ve made the album flow better. I would like to know more about what was going on at the time of recording because I felt like I wasn’t understanding some of the things he was talking about. Is he like super antisemitic? That’s how it came off to me.

Great album, almost every song hits hard

Excellent album that peaks in the first half but it enjoyable throughout. Highlights are When Will They Shoot, Wicked, and The Predator. Let down slightly, as most rap albums are, by the constant skits and interludes.

Absolutely enjoyed this one thank you Ice Cube

Parts of this album are just so strong. The politics and lyricism is so strong when he has a point, but when he doesn't it just feels like he wanders off into random misogyny and violence for violence's sake. I know that was part of the first wave of gangster rap (I was alive and there), but in retrospect it really sticks out as taking away from the greater messages. It's one of the reasons that, outside of individual songs, I sometimes feel like gangster rap struggled to be either political or casually about drugs and violence. Albums like this one can lack a strong point of view due to lack of editing, and that is just more obvious now. We've been spoiled by bands like RATM, and at no point could you imagine Zach de la Rocha jumping from an anti-capitalist protest song to praising weed and guns. Anyway, the tracks that had a point of view and message were very strong. I guess they could have just cut half, it would have been closer to a Chuck D missive against the police and corruption, and maybe that's not want Ice Cube wanted at the time.

Fun, in-your-face, offensive, and crude in places but a raw reflection on life and racial tensions in America. Second half felt it could have been trimmed a bit.

I really liked some of this, great hip hop, made me want to get up and dance, the start was electric. The second half dropped off too much for me. Strayed into macho nonsense without anything musically interesting enough to forgive it. Low 3.

It is amazing how little has changed since this album was made. Both in it sounding ahead of its time, but also in terms of the political back drop for black Americans. Really good album

Not my thing

Ice Cube sounds tough, but not at the expense of a head nodding, digestible album. I didn’t realise that hip hop that hits this hard was released (just) before I was born. The Predator has a pretty flawless first half - vicious, sharp, groovy beats which Ice Cube delivers clinical rapping on top of. Wicked goes super fast, the rapping is exhilarating. It Was a Good Day feels like it’s from a different universe. Super chill beats with a smooth rap which slowly unfurls on top of it. The second half isn’t as perfect but nothing that spoils the vibe. A very impressive effort.

Dropped off a bit 2/3 throigh but otherwise all of this is great. Hard, fun, heavy.

Some real bangers on this album

Hardcore and visceral

Need to listen to it again another time. Liked the sound and stuff, but couldn't listen to the music that much. but I like some other artists of the genre more than him.

I like the rhymes and Rythms. It has good flows and combines different sounds.

Satme nogle bangers på! Generelt meget højt niveau mht. beats, mere eller mindre lige så god som AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Synes måske vi bruger lige nok tid på at benægte antisemitisme på den her Cube

Fede beats, men ikke lige så consistent som den sidste vi havde med ham

This albums fucks

I think Cube's flow is pretty peak for 90s gangster rap. Ugh this genre and era is always so challenging but I respect the hell out of these artists knowing how fine a line it is between rapping about violence vs actually being violent. It's so easy to hate or dismiss this music. I definitely don't 'like' it, haha, but no doubt it belongs on the list. And of course all the gnar is why It Was A Good Day is such an incredible track. 3.5

Man, 90s Gangsta Rap goes hard. Partly, I'm amused. If you were to go back to the 90's and tell people that Ice Cube would be doing family friendly movies, and Ice T would be playing a cop on TV you'd get the biggest stares. No one would believe you. How could these angry young men become those people? I'm not sure how they did it either, I'm guessing going from life being an everyday struggle to being financially secure probably does good things to the mind. Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of "skits" between songs, which this album is definitely guilty of to some extent, but it's really the only negative I would share. I hope today will be a Good Day. Though, research has shown his good day was likely January 20, 1992.

Felt like a thug, today was a good day.

Rap, kann man anhören - muss man aber nicht!

Schlimmer geht nimmer und von Musik kein Schimmer.

It's a fine album, but only a couple of really good songs. The production is not my favorite. Ice is a great rapper, but I don't really care for a lot of the beats.

I love hois acting but his music is too dark for me, sorry

Another nope from me. I need to hear something musically interesting to engage me. This is low grade music with all the emphasis on the lyrical content - which is fine for most people. Not me.

Of all the hip hop artists to get multiple albums on this list, why Ice Cube? This is a very angry album, but amongst that anger is one of the chillest rap songs of the 90s. "It Was A Good Day" is such a gem easily the stand out on this album though I do enjoy the more political stuff as well. Overall a good listen. Favorite track: It Was A Good Day 3.5/5

⭐️⭐️/5. Just not a big fan of early hip-hop as sacrilegious as that is.

New York hiphop on minun kuppi teetä niin odotukset oli alhaiset. Tämä onkin täynnä sanomaa tuon ajan Amerikan Yhdysvaltojen ongelmista joista cube tiesi. On historiallinen paikka tässä maailmassa ehdottomasti

This album really is a mixed bag. In one way, it's very misogynistic, and dare I say a trip back in time to the 1950s(or should I say 2020s). In another way, it's very progressive for its time, particularly when it comes to systemic racism, and police brutality. The production is hit, or miss. The songs themselves can be boring, or catchy. Favorite Track: "Check Yo Self".

Dated at this point, but still good

Cold

Started really well, thought it was starting to lose momentum but then had an incredibly strong ending.

Great album that holds up years later.

Pretty good, not my favorite from the era.

Excellent stuff here. Much more mature rapping than just talking about partying, sex, drugs, and violence towards women. 3.66/5 = 4 stars

The guy from Boyz n the hood, Barbershop 2 and XXX: Return of Xander Cage made music? All kidding aside Ice cube has done a lot of good songs throughout his career. I have problems separating the artist from the art though and the shit he has done since 2020 leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Better than AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. 3.5/5

It's remarkable how much more I liked this album than AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Maybe it's that the beats are really sick here or maybe it's how politically focused it is following the Rodney King riots, I'm not exactly sure. But I really despised that other album and didn't feel that way here. It's still way more gangsta rap than some of my favorite hip hop, but this time feels mich more representative of the black experience in L.A.. It Was a Good Day is the best and most well known here, but I liked a couple more and all the news clips between songs were way more interesting than skits normally are.

Good stuff

Classic gangsta rap, and it still sounds great now more than 30 years later. It Was a Good Day really stands out for its positivity, and puts the rest of the album into even starker contrast. One of the defining albums of a generation.

01) The First Day of School (Intro) - 4,0 02) When Will They Shoot? - 6,0 03) I'm Scared (Insert) - 4,0 04) Wicked - 7,0 05) Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha - 6,5 06) The Predator - 6,5 07) It Was a Good Day - 7,0 08) We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up - 7,0 09) Fuck 'Em (Insert) - 5,0 10) Dirty Mack - 6,5 11) Don't Trust 'Em - 6,5 12) Gangsta's Fairytale 2 - 6,5 13) Check Yo Self - 8,0 14) Who Got the Camera? - 7,0 15) Integration (Insert) - 4,0 16) Say Hi to the Bad Guy - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,09 (61/100) Current ranking: 460/597

Can't pretend that I enjoyed this, but I hated it a lot less than I thought I would! Parts of it were even OK. Shows how important it is to listen. I've found several albums here that I expected to hate or thought I hated, but I'm glad I listened to them.

Hopefully no one's gonna wet'me because of this review, but I hear this as kind of generic gansta rap. I haven't really listened hip hop music ever and this album didn't make me to want me to listen to it either. Many good samples from some 70's funk songs, but those were done by some other people and not by person whose name is written in the album cover. I would rather listen the samples without the rap in top of it. Not for me.

Favorite songs: Check Yo Self, It Was a Good Day, When Will They Shoot?, Gangsta's Fairytale 2 Least favorite songs: The First Day of School, I'm Scared, Fuck 'Em, Integration (fuck skits), Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha 4/5

This is a conscious album? But still the style of 90's rap, like it could be a Biggie or definitely any other west coast rapper album. I get that it's culturally significant, and it's a fun overall listening experience, but outside of "Today was a good day", "Check yo self", not many repeats for me

For mye skyting, Kompis ble redd

I like the movie with Schwarzenegger better..

I think the highs on here are better than AmeriKKKa's most, but it isn't as consistent (particularly in the latter half of the album)

Negatives: Like many a rap album, it’s too long, and there isn’t enough variation or musicality in the beats to keep the ears interested over that time. Positives: That said, the production still has more going for it than the likes of Straight Outta Compton. Plus, Cube is just a very good rapper: nice phrasing, easy to listen to, and his lyrics contain a good blend of politics, humour, and of course ‘gangster shit’. Also, I found out today that he coined the phrase ‘it’s on like Donkey Kong’, which I never really thought made much sense but has had impressive cultural reach regardless.

All the NWAs eh. My low reviews for hip hop theory immediately disproven haha. "the wet t-shirt contest, motherfucker" has to be a contender for corniest bar. 60% sure this is where hail Mary mallon got their gag from. Ifykyk Very glad skits are mostly over. Was just listening to Ready to Die. So much nonsense before the raps start. Anyway, this was a good record.

Not really the fun energetic old school rap that I enjoy, this seems to be a bit more aggressive and to the point. That being said there are a couple classics on here.

I’ve heard worse.

Surprenamment intéressant

Ice Cube is a fraud.

Album de rap, molt fora del meu estil però. Ell denuncia la brutalitat policial i el racisme que es viu a estats units així com l’us tan estès de les armes. Els beats de estils diferents afegint instruments com saxo i piano un estil més jazz i ritmes de reggue es facil a l’orella encara que no t’agradi el rap. Tornaria a escoltar cançons d’aquí? Segurament no però ha sigut un estil que no havia tocat, el rap dels 90 va marcar molt l’actualitat i el gènere i aquest es un super bon exemple de com s’usa per denunciar injusticies socials.

Tough brutal with a message for all

i've never really dipped my toes into non-instrumental hip hop (so, i'm familiar with the likes of dj shadow or j dilla, but not ice cube) but this was a fun listen, with good flow and wordplay. i also appreciate the skits being shorter here compared to some other hip hop albums.

The Predator is peak angry Ice Cube, back when he was a menace, not a meme. Some tracks still hit, but the whole thing feels like a time capsule from when dudes wore Raiders hats and said “biatch” with a straight face. Time hasn’t been too kind to Cube or the beats—but hey, nostalgia’s a hell of a drug.

Strong in places, some good choices of samples, but there's quite a bit of profanity and some misogyny plus a bit of gang-banger posturing which drags down my rating.

Gets an extra star for "It Was A Good Day," otherwise it's street-hardened gangster rap, and like some of those, it's got some sentiments that have aged poorly. Falls well short of classic to my ears.

Loved this album

This is the hundred thirtieth album I’m rating. I never really liked Ice Cube that much but maybe I just haven't listened to enough of him. Adding to my Playlist - When will they Shoot?, The Predator, It was a Good Day, We Had to Tear this Mothafucka Up, Dirty Mack, Don't Trust 'Em, Gangsta's Fairytale 2, and Check yo Self, Who Got the Camera?. Not Adding to my Playlist - The First Day of School (Intro), I'm Scared (Insert), Wicked, Now I gotta Wet 'Cha, Fuck 'Em (Insert), Integration (Insert), and Say Hi to the Bad Guy. When will they Shoot? -This feels so old but there's something very charming about it. All in all I liked 9/16 songs. A lot of those horrible interludes in rap except Ice Cube calls them inserts. Still a really good album though.

Decent some classics but a lot of non notable songs 2.5

Chills, a true masterpiece in its genre. Not the biggest fan but the talent is simply undeniable. Would give it 3.45 if I could (again, ratings are based on personal taste)

I had no idea Ice Cube was this good solo. I've kept this on rotation for days and it's yet to get old. He covers incredibly powerful subject matter but the beats are superb and varied throughout. It brings a lot of fun and uptempo numbers to draw you in, then smacks you in the face with fearless, up-front commentary on equality, racism and police brutality. It's just sad that this message is still relevant over 30 years later.

This dude acting like he's this influential prophetical lyricist when half of the songs are just about fucking bitches and killing gangstas, and then using snippets of speeches and interviews with no context, then calling that riveting social commentary. I do kind of like it, though.

Excellent album, topics are still relevant and the little skits in-between songs encapsulate the general responses to his music. It's quite ironic that a lot of the reviews on here mention things like the swearing/violence making then dislike it

Such a powerful album. Cube was probably at his peak with this one

Very very good album, very familiar listen with some of the best rap songs ever on here.on the verge of a 4 or 5 out of 5. 9/10 (5/5).

Musikalisch gse esch es sehr okay. Meischtens halt eifach ergend e Beat ohni vel Melodie ond är rapt ergend öppis dröber. Es esch zwar voll guet gmacht, ech vermesse aber no chli ergend e Melodie. En Usnahm vo dem esch "It was a good day". Dete heder, wies för e Hiphop typisch esch, eifach ei Melodie glooped. Das ged i dem Song e völlig neui Dimension ond macht ehn min Liebling us dem Albom. E wiitere ponkt won ech eigentlech emmer fühle esch t Positivität. Meischtens esches emmer rächt negativ ond god om Gwalt oder Rassismus, aber ned i dem Song. Wie de Tetel suggeriert esches e sehr positive Song. Das brengt mech grad guet öbere zo dem wo das Albom au zo öppis speziellem macht. Es esch extrem Politisch. Es esch während de Onruhe vo Los Angeles im Johr 1992 veröffentlecht worde. Debi esches klar of de siite vo de Protestierende. Es god emmer weder om Rassismus, falschi Ascholdige ond Gwalt. Die vele Samples won är denne hed verschlächtered zwar de erschti Idrock, es macht deför es ufmerksams lose omso enteressanter. So chammers meh als e auditivi Dokumentation aluege ond bechond so es idröckles Beld vo dere Ziit.

Wasn't feeling the beats on this one

Unbelievable production and songwriting. 4/5

Better than I expected. More a protest album than gangster rap. Good workout album.

Solid 90's West Coast rap. Some of the references and word choices are a bit outdated, but that's to be expected. Good production and Ice Cube sounds good. 7/10

Never listened to this whole thing before but somehow knew a lot of it. 3 epic all timers and a whole lotta N-words. Forgot how good of a rapper he was (only see him as an actor anymore)

I’m no fan of rap or hip-hop, but this is pretty good. It’s not all good by any means, but there’s some really good stuff here. It’s generally the more angry tracks that feel more authentic to me - and the fact that the anger comes from a point of frustration, oppression and a real feeling of injustice in society gives it a real edge that hits. I’m not likely to go back, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

No thank you. There are musically interesting rap tracks hidden under layers of skits, intros, outros and just aggressive nonsense. When he does break out a tune (today was a good day) it shows the value but its only a rare glimpse

rly enjoyed ice cube's debut as a kind of freeform demonstration of the various aspects of his personality but its p clear that the LA riots became a channel for something more focused, and harder-hitting on the whole id say...probably more exhausting than AMW (tho there there is some funny levity, im here for the gangsta's fairytale tracks on these records!!!) but even that is kind of contextualized within the engineered (and vigilantly maintained) disposibility of blackness in the united states. public enemy is a clear influence, tho the (amazing) sample choices are less Disorienting Oddball and a bit more gritty and earthy. its prob not an essayic record but its still an extremely compelling insistence from gangsta rap on its Right To Exist and a rejection of all the things the white gaze attempts to create, pointing out the throughline between respectability politics and the justification of innocent bloodshed etc etc. again kind of an exhausting listen, the darkness rly hangs in the background of even the less overtly heavy stuff, but on the whole even better then AMW imo!!!

Ice cube has such a great flow and lyrical style. It Was a Good Day. Obviously a little outdated on the lyrics in some ways (homophobic) but also completely still on the nose for other lyrics (police brutality, ACAB)

I'm not usually into hip-hop, but this was quite enjoyable to listen to.

it wonders me that the album is a year older than me and when it comes to the "good day" it just send me away day-dreaming.

Some great socially aware tracks and some others that haven't aged perfectly. All around a good listen. 3/5

I enjoyed this. Top-notch sampling. 4/5

Pretty sure I'd only ever heard a couple tracks on that album. It's a great example of hip hop from the early 90s west coast.

Hit & miss album

Damn. I can't believe it's almost 30 years later and we're still dealing with the societal issues Ice Cube brings up in this album. Favorite songs: It Was A Good Day, Check Yoself, Wicked! 4⭐️

Was expecting something less varied musically. The tracks with samples and no vocals still interesting / disturbing. Definitely missed out on this growing up.

Very Zeitgeisty 1992 LA gangsta rap. Some nice touches throughout, loved the piano outro to Dirty Mack .

Wow, that was really good. Laconic in parts, varied enough. unexpected and a real treat for me.

Includes the iconic songs "it was a good day" and "check yo self". Definitely NSFW. Powerful lyrics/stories.

Today's album was a good album.

Truly groundbreaking stuff. Holds up well. Helped to define a generation.

I liked this much more than the other Ice Cube album I got. Pretty good! It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self (+The Message remix, which I probably preferred) 3.5?

3.75

I really liked this album, it had been years since I listened to this, and have a different perspective in my older years. There is a lot of rage against the inequality of the era, and having lived through it I can understand the music better now than I did when I first heard it. Incredibly underrated songs that I have a new appreciation for. And It Was A Good Day is just a great song.

Not much to say. I just did not find it enjoyable.

The Predator is Ice Cube at his sharpest — politically charged, aggressive, and lyrically fearless. Dropping in the wake of the L.A. riots, this album doesn’t pull any punches. It’s intense, angry, and still incredibly relevant. Ice Cube uses his voice as both a weapon and a warning, delivering some of the most potent verses of his career. Standouts like “When Will They Shoot” and “Now I Gotta Wet Cha” hit hard with gritty production and focused rage, showing Cube’s ability to balance street realism with razor-sharp commentary. “It Was a Good Day” is the album’s most iconic track — smooth, reflective, and a rare moment of calm in an otherwise hard-edged record. “Say Hi to the Bad Guy” closes things out with a defiant swagger, cementing Cube’s image as hip-hop’s unapologetic antihero. While a few tracks don’t quite hit the same mark, The Predator holds up as one of Ice Cube’s strongest solo efforts — a powerful mix of storytelling, social critique, and West Coast attitude. A must-listen for anyone serious about ‘90s hip-hop. Favorite Track: "It Was a Good Day"

Solid 90s hip hop.

Faded in my memory, good energy and beats though. Will need to revisit.

Chewing on that ice pred style

high energy and overall fun. it's crazy because i mostly know ice cube from tv but that was admittedly just a small part of his life! didn't love the f-slurs, cmon man