Reviews (page 5 of 9)
Never heard before but good
This isn't my vibe but the songs were memorable and notable. Didn't finish it but liked the ones I listened to.
Not a big fan of Gangsta rap...but like this one!
Day455 - i wasn’t really a fan of ice cube then and even less now but this does bring some nostalgia back
eh
Probably my favourite of the gangstas of the era. A lot the samples and music is just perfect.
Half decent to middling 2.5 stars
Lots of anti-police rhetoric. You can tell Rodney King is prevalent
cool
love the production on this one. would definitely want this album in my vinyl collection.
Sin letras no hay alegria. Sin más
This is powerful music. I didn't give it a fair chance when it came out. Which is a real shame because it is so brilliant, insightful and moving. But, I love and appreciate it now.
This is one of those rap albums where there isn't really too much melody but instead just the old-school rapping, which I am not really a huge fan of, but it's alright having it in the background, and it even creates this gangsta environment in movies whenever it is playing in a car repair shop, for example.
Really liked this album, potent with good songs
The first half blew my mind. The second half was a drag.
I guess it was a good day.
ma bbooona
Very awesome… brash as ever, fantastic production - had a great time listening to this one (for the first time!)
So awesome, I only know this guy from Anaconda (2025) so this was a pleasant surprise
Ice cube is the goat !!
This is how hip hop should be and should have stayed. This hits. It’s angry, very angry. The sound bites are on point. The beats deliver and the lyrics get their point across. It’s hard to imagine that this is the Are We there Yet guy. To me, in acting, he’s Doughboy. This should please the fringe hip hop listener unless you consider Drake to be badass. If so, don’t bother, this is too much for you Choice cut: Gangstas Fairytale 2
Quite enjoyed this 7/10 it was a good day is a good song
I found this to be sort of a joyless record, and I didn't really identify with whatever other emotion it was trying to center. I thought maybe it was because I knew Straight Outta Compton so well, maybe any other Ice Cube would pale? But after this album ended other NWA tracks came up that I didn't know (specifically 100 miles and runnin') and I really enjoyed it and found it to have a spark that The Predator just didn't have. The one exception was Check Yo Self, which I genuinely enjoyed and made a point to look at the track title for.
I own a couple Ice Cube albums but not this one, so some of these tracks were unfamiliar to me. I liked it, Cube is a bit underrated as a lyricist in my opinion. It’s been said in here before but the skits/interludes are so bad, some of these seemed particularly long.
This album has some really good tracks on it and I like the more laid back west coast style on this album -- I also appreciate the lyrics on this one more than previous Ice Cube or NWA albums as they tend to be, overall, a little more mature.
I feel like I am supposed to like this, but really it was not my favorite album from this genre. 2/5
Cube has some great bars and I enjoy his style a lot more than other rappers. Some classics on here.
I tried. Gave it a listen. But the lyrical content often made me uneasy. I still would revisit a few songs here and there, though.
Hip Hip. That is and remains a kind of unmusic. Listened to three tracks, the usual shouting. Only "It Was a Good Day" seemed to contain melody. But then I didn't feel like it anymore. 1/5
A good listen. Solid instrumentals and vocal work. I think it lacked cohesion overall, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. 'It Was A Good Day' is a classic and a favorite.
Early hip hop highlight. Hard beats and political rhymes.
Ice Cube so (literally) cool
Multiple ice cube albums wow
Hip hop is still very much not my thing generally, but I found thus much better than his stuff with NWA. Not gonna come back to it most likely, but not sad I listened to it.
Hard and smooth all jumbled up, some vicious tunes and real kick. Wish I spent more time with it, but not as easy to listen to continuously as Steve Winwood.
Still sounds urgent, burning white hot from the LA riots and events beforehand. Not much seems to have improved in 30 years [EDIT: Saw "Are We Done Yet"? recently; mothafucka!]
I recognize the significance of this album and the talent of Ice Cube and his producers, but really found most of this album off-putting and too violent.
Shieeet... overdeveloped, underdeveloped, a bad song's a bad song
Meh, it's 90s rap
Ice Cube was one of the artists I was interested in the hearing the most since he is an important part of hip-hop history, and hip-hop is the genre I find the most interesting to me. I can’t say I’m disappointed by this at all. Production kicks, flows are confident and entertaining, and lyrically there are good things to be said here. This album talks racial tensions and how they still have effects on people, hip-hops place as a genre of “violence” and “hate”, all in ways which are digestible and entertaining for the listener to hear. I don’t think this is the best rap album from this year (“wink, wink, Chronic”) but It certainly is a very fun and enjoyable album. Looking forward for more from Cube, especially NWA. Rating: Very Good (Light ☆☆☆☆) Favorite Tracks: Wicked, Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha, The Predator,
It’s valid to be upset by dissemination in 90s LA and to criticize people for treating you a certain way based on something you cannot control. It’s also valid for you to be called a hypocrite for actively being a misogynist, anti-Semite, homophobe, etc… Also this music is super dated, with only a few standouts. 2 stars for the double standard.
Yeah, this album is brilliant. I don't listen to a lot of rap music but goddamn.
I normally like Ice Cube, but this album has really poor production, hard listen.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. I admit it is very much of an era that I like for nostalgic reasons, but it still feels very relevant and compelling.
Awesome album, to go from NWA to this what a rapper Ice cube is
The beats and political commentary in this are very strong.
Nisam fan hip-hopa nikad bila, tako da mi je teško suditi kvalitetu u tom žanru općenito. Čak mi ima par gruvi stvari i sviđa mi se taj 90s štih, ali to nije moja glazba i ne uživam u njoj, tako da: 2/5, 4/10
I went into this rather biased. First, I was in the mood for hip hop. Second, I'd heard several of the songs from this album before and enjoyed them. Listening to the entire record, I can now be sure that the songs I'd heard previously were the best off the album. It was nice to get a full picture of the album. This album has a strong political message, despite the fact this is essentially 'gangster rap'. It's rap that is saying something meaningful. Particularly enjoyed the Malcom X references. Some new discoveries I enjoyed:We had to tear this motherfucker up and Say Hi to the Bad Guy. Definitely not the album to start with for a hip hop beginner! Having said that, classics like Check Yo Self and It was a good day are likely to help newbies warm to Ice Cube. This is a solid hip hop album.
Fuck this noise. Just an angry black man.
couple bangers...today was a good day!
…It was a good day….
This is probably one of ice cube’s best solo albums. The samples are powerful and entertaining. The beats are super chill, and the rapping is super memorable and almost catchy. Not to mention this album contains one of his biggest hits “it was a good day” which is also my personal favorite song of his. My only complaint about this album is it is not a no skip album. Despite how much I like the samples, they take the place of interludes in this album and a lot of them overstay their welcome. Near the end of the album I started to think “should I find a playlist of this album that excludes the inserts?” Which was only because I wanted to give this album a higher score. But that wouldn’t make sense cause it’s a core part of the vibe of the album. Overall I think even if this album didn’t have the inserts (or just less of them) it’s still as close to a 5 as you can get without actually being a 5 star.
just fantastic. i still maintain that 'it was a good day' has potentially the best beat in rap history.
What an album! Song after song by an MC at the absolute top of his game. So many classic tracks and an album that doesn’t let up from start to finish. 4.5 stars.
Ice Cube sits in a very weird place in hip-hop history. His most consistent run lines up with the strange ✨Golden Age✨ period, which is kind of an important point to consider. If you believe the Golden Age lasts between the release of Run-D.M.C’s Raising Hell up to the December 1992 release of The Chronic, then you see it as a ~formative~ time period, one where being a well-rounded MC was less impressive than being the First™️ to do something. If you see the period extending to April 1994 (following the release of Illmatic and Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik), then you probably see that era as a great time period for hip-hop *albums*, but also a period before the *focus* of hip-hop revolved around the individualized skills of rappers themselves, which is why there are so many groups during that time. And, if you extend it to the death of Pac and Biggie, that brings the timeline up to a full decade and change through the end of 1997, and at that point, you’re just nostalgic for a time period before any Real Hip-Hop™️ could be recognized by a blonde girl working at the Abercrombie at her local suburban mall. Each answer progressive gets more controversial, but I’m not here to debate historical definitions. What matters is that the further in time you extend the Golden Age, the more you lessen the impact and importance of Ice Cube. And I think that’s wrong. In the earliest scenario, The Predator may be final great album of hip-hop’s Golden Age. (I’m ignoring the other unique anomaly of the Pharcyde’s debut, released a week later, for the sake of convenience, and also because it’s kind of a slow burn in comparison.) And in many ways, The Predator works as an obituary. For one, the relevance of Rodney King and the LA riots permeate this record, and sees Cube in direct conversation with those topics. Whether it’s on “When Will They Shoot?” or “We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up,” the targeted death of Black Americans– a topic Cube always discussed– are specific to these news items. In some ways, these conversations are part of the reason hip-hop had to stop being buttoned-up and production-focused and move to lyrics and gangsta imagery, and although Cube never existed in the former category, the narrower topic focus throughout The Predator helps him close the case. But this album is also a memorial for a production style and album structure that basically went extinct after 1992. The seamlessly blended interludes, the DJ-centric beat development, and even the sample choices themselves– hip-hop had to shed these elements as it grew into the mainstream. In retrospect, that makes The Predator seem bigger yet tighter than anything before it, or anything after it. This creates a hip-hop record that is quintessentially 1992, yes, but the package is so well-constructed that it becomes timeless. It’s a great hip-hop album, front to back, and that alone validates The Predator. Now, if we go one step further and extend the Golden Age to 1994, The Predator reveals that Ice Cube belongs in the GOAT conversation. Before Illmatic, there’s really no competition. Rakim is skilled, but his influence arguably outshines his longevity; 2Pac won’t really enter this conversation until 1995; and while Big Daddy Kane and LL Cool J may have been popular choices, their style has aged poorly. Ice Cube, on the other hand, remains consistent, from NWA to Lethal Injection. He obviously grows as a lyricists, he tackles more complex subject matter, and his pure skills improve with time, but he starts his career higher than anyone. By the time we get to The Predator, his skills have improved so much that it would be insane to not place him on a pedestal. While he does have some of his old-school flair (“Gangsta’s Fairytale 2”) and a bit of the misogyny that held him back on his first few albums (“Don’t Trust ‘Em”), there’s a sharper focus to all of it that brings out the best in him. Whether it’s on the title track, “Wicked,” or “Say Hi To The Bad Guy,” Cube’s pen is pointed. Meanwhile, songs like “Check Yo Self” and “Who Got The Camera?” show his ability to change flows easily, all while preserving his authenticity. And he does it all with only one feature! Sure, Cube may rap like it’s 1992, but his skill level is undeniable, and he sounds so singular to only himself, that it circles back to timeless. The Predator sees Cube at his absolute best as a technical rapper, untethered from some of the problematic pitfalls of his earlier albums, highlighting why he has a claim to the GOAT conversation, not only in comparison to his peers, but across the entire hip-hop canon. The only thing lacking is the popularity and impact of the long Golden Age, which obviously, The Predator provides. The majority of the credit is thanks to the huge cultural touchstone “It Was A Good Day,” which is still referenced, listened to, and revered by people of all backgrounds. But there’s also the small impact of lines like “it’s on like Donkey Kong," as well as the more clever seamless use of skits. I mean, this album DEBUTED at #1 and went platinum only two months after it dropped. If you want to measure hip-hop’s greatest period by cultural cache, The Predator might actually be the first to hit that achievement based solely on its quality. To me, The Predator is not only an important hip-hop album, it also validates the importance of Ice Cube in the overall history of hip-hop. Sure, he’s there thanks to NWA, but his solo material is just as impactful, if not more. While I will admit that I find the 1992-ness of this to be a little fatiguing, especially with its length, and like, also, Ice Cube does still share a misogynistic worldview that I find hard to listen to, The Predator is a very, very, very solid hip-hop record. It deserves of flowers, and shows why Cube deserves them, too. I may personally think AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted and Death Certificate have higher highs, but Cube is never as well-rounded as he is here. Essential canonical listening.
Cube has a very aggressive flow and lyricism, which is in-line with the gangster style at the time. It Was A Good Day is one of the best songs ever recorded. Love the instrumentals on Dirty Mack.
Rough message rough time great sound
i think this guy doesnt like anyone really
Great rhythms, punchy, aggressive music, overall very good flow - it didn't sound almost one hour long. Very important lyrics about societal issues that are still relevant today. The profanity and calling women b*tches and h*es are a bit too much (to me as a girl...) though. But overall I liked it.
Ice Cube is ja mal richtig schlecht…
Not my thing
Ice Cube has always been angry but The Pedator might be his most angry and certainly most focused album. Coming right after the Rodney King riots, the focus of his anger is obvious. Yet the best song might be the happiest of all the early 90s rap classics, It Was A Good Day, the complete opposite of When They Shoot and We Had to Tear this Motherfucka Up 8.5/10
Still don't like the genre.
Listening to Ice Cube caused me to ponder whether I should change my approach to rating albums on this 1001 album list. Up to now I’ve assumed that the list included just “music”, not comedy albums, etc. But this album seemed to be making a commentary or political statement. Musically I would rate it like other rap albums so far (two stars). Factoring in its emotional/social impact it gets a better rating.
Childhood me mixed up Ice Cube and Ice-T all the time (not Vanilla Ice - he wasn't an actor!), just as adult me mixed up Rush and Bush. All that to say I was very much not in the loop when this album was happening. But I am now in the loop. Relatedly, I like that when you search for "Ice Cube or Ice-T" the preview of the top Quora result is: "Are Ice-T and Ice Cube related? Yes, as they both come from Japanese families where the family name (what Americans call the “last name”) comes first," :) I don't have much to say about this album. It was good, ignoring the copious slurs (which is hard for me to do with music I don't already like). Pretty solid 90s hip hop, good beats. Was surprised to discover this album is the origin of the phrase "on like Donkey Kong" although NOT the origin of "eat 'em up yum" or "#1 with the bullet" (I checked). And 'Check Yo Self' does NOT sample 'Shoop'?! Nor vice versa? How!?! 'It was a Good Day' is a classic. Unfortunately this album is an hour long so I had a lot of time to think "nope, these lyrics are not for me" even while the non-offensive bits are solid.
As good or bad as his other albums depending on your view of rap.
I only knew the singles from this album, so I wasn't expecting it to be really a cohesive examination of racial tension in America tied together with soundbites from 30 year old news broadcasts and interviews (and Predator movies). The blatant racism and ignorance and the increasingly frustrated response remains a familiar theme.
"наших блэд дюдс притесняют все дела" ахх альбум, а так прикольно, фанки щит я бы сказал.
Considered giving it a 4, because I did find myself jamming out to several songs that had some funky beats, but then the album just dragged on with a lot of the same. I'm not a huge rap/hip-hop guy, so consuming a whole album is probably going to lose my interest along the way anyways, especially if it's 56 minutes long.
He has a few issues with women
Great Album!!! It’s was very relevant for its era.
There's some really good stuff here addressing real issues that are just as prevalent if not more today. Its powerful and its also just good rap (IMHO). I have a hard time giving anything over 3 stars with misogynistic lyrics & most rap is a tough one with those, this album included!
February 6, 2025, needed to hear some rage and anger. Album hit the spot.
Is this the same guy from the acclaimed films "Are We There Yet" and "Are We There Yet 2"?
Early 90s gangsta rap. One of the best examples of the genre, but this type of hip hop left me cold at the time and continues to leave me cold to this day. I don't mind the politics, but the extraordinary misogyny and violence make me uncomfortable and nauseated. I haven't listened closely enough to accurately determine the level of homophobic content, but you gotta imagine there's some of that too. I really don't want to listen to this again.
mjög gott
While clearly of the early 90s in terms of style, this one feels more like a blueprint than an imitator. I think it's safe to say that Ice Cube was the most talented member of NWA (Dr. Dre being a talent as well, but maybe not as much of a polymath) because this is a beeline from Straight Outta Compton. The high energy stuff is the best, the gangsta gangsta stuff has aged a bit, and some of the funkier beats get a little one note, and there's some filler (gangsta fairytale is not fun to listen to), and it's a little bit sad that it's still relevant, but you know what? Good album. Someone else said "best while driving in your car" and that's where I felt like I should be sitting when I was listening.
Something about Ice Cube's energy and delivery that just really sells his music for me. Didn't love every track, but overall I thought it was solid.
Most of it really sits on the border of like but not love besides the big hits but that might change as I listen more. This was one of my favorites so far of this era of rap but the genre as a whole still isn’t really my thing. Still has a great flow between songs and didn’t find it stalled like some of its contemporaries. Rating: 3.6
It was alright
What kind of a cop killer are you?
One of the best albums, and intro/first song combo ever.
Pretty classic, and sad that things haven’t changed all these decades later
Really not for me got really bored after the first half 2/5
Rap, again? Nope 1/5. NOT music. At best, spoken word or poetry. Wannabe actors, one and all.
I had never heard any of these songs going in. Ice Cube is one of the few rappers that actually sounds believable when they say that they're a badass. There's some great messaging in the lyrics on this album, and also some truly horrible takes, mainly revolving around how women are treated. The song Check Yo Self sounds almost identical to Shoop by Salt N Pepa, which I find hilarious.
The Dodger connection makes it higher but I just find rap boring
solid album all the way through but no standout tracks for me except the inevitable Good Day
Enjoyed! 4/5
Really good album. Enjoyed it.
One of my favorite rap records so far. It's got some heavy lyrics and messages that, unfortunately, still stand true to this day.
Great lyrics and beats. Let down by violence and misogyny.
It was ok I didn't like it very much
Not the best rap album of its time, but solid
What is being said and the social messaging in Ice's raw and truthful lyrics are still relevant today and really shows a lot hasn't changed. The beats and music go well with Cube's spirited delivery and though I'm not a fan of rap and hip-hop, this one was worth the listen.
4.0
Great flow, beats that are fun but also socially relevant, and some serious bangers here. Love the horns on this too!
It's the misogyny for me
"When will they shoot?" is depressingly contemporary even though it was released over 30 years ago.
2,5
Pretty good but the misogyny brings it down
downloaded 7
some classics
Good music, but like a lot of post-CD revolution albums, it feels a little bloated.
lyrically relevant even today, but not something id want to revisit
YMMV with gangsta rap, but I thought this album held up pretty well. 3.4
Well produced and performed, but outside of my interests.
I forgot how raw Ice Cube's lyrics were. Here we are, 30+ years from this album's release and while the time's haven't changed, Cube has. 4/5
I wanted to turn this off after the first song but had to stick with the promise to listen to every album back to back at least once before rating. Still had to leave out the last 3 tracks, because I still like my sanity intact, thank you very much. This whole thing is just rambling over a backing track, which sounds like a bunch of banging noises thrown at a wall but no one gives a shit what sticks. I suppose people often praise rap/hip hop stuff for their lyrics, but there were just too much cuss words and violent imagery and misogynistic lines for me to want to pay attention anymore. If I could give any rating lower than 1 I would. I would even take Morrissey's whining than whatever this is, and everyone knows I hate that lad. It was, unironically, not a good day.
3.5
just not for me at all, struggled to get through this 1/5
Almost the opposite to urban hymns. No familiarity for me and definitely not aimed at me. There were aspects I didn't like but the album kept me consistently intrigued and I'll listen again. Just about meets the 4 threshold
Up there as one of the best Ice Cube solo albums start to finish. It’s just banger track after banger track. Considering when this released, it held a lot of significance with recent events and the skits/interludes especially make listeners stop and think. 5 out of 5!
No me gusto
Good old school rap. How it’s meant to be. 3.5
Solid dated hip hop
Very aggressive and exciting with fast beats that drive the whole thing along, good stuff!
Important social commentary, but musically not my cup of tea at all
Decent rap album 1001 album worthy: Yes 15/29
not my bag. 'tho, easy hip hop is pretty OG
I saw a man holding a broom when Ice Cube said the word "broom." Five stars.
Better than some of the other similar albums we’ve had. Whichever coast this is I think it’s probably the coast I prefer for my rap.
Like Cypress Hill but nowhere near as good.
Really not my bag.
Not familiar with this at all. But with the usual Gangsta rap excessive violence and mysogeny aside, I really liked it. There’s something about his delivery (similar to Chuck D) which is super direct and sort of authoritative, which just screams ‘you ARE gonna fuckin listen to what I’m saying’. Yeah some of it’s a bit too much, but the political anti-racism stuff is really powerful, and sadly still relevant. I really liked a lot of the beats and production as well (some real head nodders in there), there are defo some similarities to Cypress Hill of the same time. I can feel me listening to other albums, nice discovery this one.
Not as bad as I feared
Funny he pretty much exclusively plays cops now
Ice cube goes hard!
December 8, 2024 HL: “It Was a Good Day”, “Wicked”, “Who Got the Camera?” Worst I can say is that it feels like more of the same from Ice Cube, though there are some great tracks, with "Wicked" probably being my favourite. The sampling of vocal critics of Ice Cube & hip-hop music in general is often funny (if infuriating to sit through), though sometimes the album gets caught up in justifying its own existence rather than making good, sociopolitical tunes. That seems to be a gripe I share with different 90s rap albums, so maybe that's on me for not living through the media backlash. I wonder whether that one line "Now I Gotta Wet'cha" directly led to the seminal DK Rap
The social commentary in The Predator reflects a time and cultural situation that desperately needed critical examination. However, it occasionally veers into grandstanding, which adds little substance. Songs like "Don't Trust 'Em" come across as so laughably childish that they risk undermining the impact of the entire album.
I wasn't in the mood for this, but I appreciate the significance of the album's message.
Enjoyed, really like the use of loops, also not the quickest lyrically so I can actually follow it.
Rap? Nein!
Black America is a cauldron either boiling over or in the process of boiling over. 1992 was the year in which things seemed to spill out past the point of no return. The acquittal of three of the four police officers who brutally pulverized Rodney King which resulted in the L.A. riots and the murder of LaTasha Hawlins in a Korean owned supermarket once more reinforced how wretched everything was here. As had become standard procedure, Ice Cube was there to document it all. The Predator, coming at the tail-end of Cube's imperial phase, is chock full of bare knuckle hostility and a relentless tension that is ceaseless. Not even a brief reprieve from the world in which Ice Cube lived in seems safe enough to enter into fully. A record of its time yet still poignant. Favorites: When Will They Shoot?, Wicked, Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, It Was a Good Day, We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up, Dirty Mack, Check Yo Self.
Yeshhhhhh 💨
Better than expected
Enjoyed this more as the album progressed, especially It Was A Good Day and Check Yo Self.
This was a solid album. Enjoyed more than I expected.
This album was very popular when I was young. I remember listening to it and thinking that I was super cool and different. This was a very influential album with great lyrics and beats. It reminds me of the 90's and high school times.
this album is pretty dope all around. a few specific items i want to point to. - the beats on this album are sick. every track feels fresh and has you grooving along with it. - this album is so strong politically. Politics and hip hop go hand in hand. I appreciate the lyricism of say, Kendrick's 'To Pimp A Butterfly', but Ice Cube does it in such a raw way. I appreciate the use of skits especially on this album, showing additional context to the happenings in 1992 and what Cube was going through as he was releasing music. - lyrics. I think one thing that I suffer from (perhaps a product of my time) is that I can get bored with the rhyming schemes on earlier rap albums. not to say its bad by any means, but growing up in a different era of rap gives me a lot of appreciation for internal rhyming and different structures that come out more in the late 90's and 2000's. obviously we wouldn't have that without Cube and NWA paving the way, but its a personal gripe of mine. All in all, a well produced album that is strong and a great listen. Cube is an ultimate story teller, and this album shows exactly where he shines best.
Nice, chill, accessible rap with political commentary folded throughout. It isn’t the most musically exciting album, but it was enjoyable and I am glad I listened to it.
Great album with a lot of gangsta rap iconic moments. The same way Ghostface Killa is the best rapper from Wu Tang, Ice Cube is the best rapper from NWA. Made as a snapshot in time during the race riots, the album has an aggressive and violent message. Ironically, the best song is almost like a dream sequence apart from the rest of the album in “It Was a Good Day.” A fun listen, with a lot of shock value.
Knowing Ice Cube more as an actor and then taking a deep dive into his music career is a wild ride. There is a lot of violence portrayed in the lyrics, but knowing the history explains why. It’s a huge moment in American history and this album serves as a voice of those experiences living through police brutality in LA in the early 90s. Great beats with a clearly old school style, but it never felt dated. Really enjoyed this album and will come back regularly for a few songs.
I did not use a private session for Spotify. Again, with the skits. What is about these types of records that think we want to hear the same skits over and over again? I like listening to songs I like repeatedly, but listening to the same skit over and over, despite how much I like it, isn't something I like. Rant aside, I did like this album. I listened to it twice, it can't make it on steady rotation because of the heavy use of the N word that makes me feel like a voyeur.
This one is not too bad, actually, but I'll likely never want to listen to it again. Key tracks: It Was a Good Day
NSFW lots of very foul language but awesome and angry, I dug it
What happened to this dude? This is incredible.
Good music but struggled to get over the misogyny
Disclaimer...rap is not my favorite. I can appreciate the anger given how badly black people are treated in major cities. But ultimately it is just angry music... The story isn't lost, but it doesn't offer a pathway to anything better
Maso
I wish I’d heard his stuff beyond the radio hits before, that was all around amazing
Basic bitch music..
Full on, with the light touch of "It Was A Good Day", the more soulful swing of "Check Yo' Self", new beats from DJ Muggs and DJ Pooh, but over it all Ice Cube, King of the Gangstas, Voice Of The Streets.
Waaay too much bravado and cliché in this for me. Weirdly though, I really enjoyed the interludes, where it seems that he was slightly reckoning with the impact of rap on popular culture. So that was interesting, the rest, not so much. Also, there is some very good female vocal backing in this.
Rap from 92 that has aged pretty well, I think. I like It Was A Good Day quite a bit, it has an air of gratitude that isn't often found in hip hop / rap. The album is kind of long and Ice Cube's style doesn't change much throughout the album, but I felt like I was just bouncing along with the songs. I didn't get bored or wish it was over early.
Nope, absolutely not. This album personifies not only everything wrong with a genre, but with the culture that supports it.
amerikkkas most wanted still remains one of his best work. The Predator comes in a time where the genre as a whole was still in the height of 'gangsta' street music, and as much as Cube is the lyricist it just falls a bit flat with some of the same themes and tones from his prior work. Some noticeable classics that came from this record like It Was A Good Day and Check Ya Self.
Very aggressive. The opening to the first song is unnecessary. A lot of the spoken word stuff on this album is not necessary. Some rhymes are lazy. Repetitive. Got boring. I don't care about the lyrics, nor do I relate to them. Dull. Probably was important back in the day, but won't be returning to this.
Wicked, The Predator,Check Ye Self and of course It Was a Good Day are great tracks. The rest of the album is fine, kinda sounds at times like NWA outtakes.
One of the few rap records I liked. Even the filler didn’t bother me as it does in most rap records. Highlight: It Was a Good Day
Good Day is a classic. Wasn't a bad album, maybe a little long.
Liked it more than I expected. Not my favorite genre, but the messages in this album still resonate quite strongly, 30+ years later. Loses maybe a star for being a bit too same-samey the whole way through the album, but it's still not bad.
Not bad, I'm not a real rap fan but I've heard much worse
Angry, well delivered - exactly as you'd expect. The selection of samples really wins this.
Num é que sequência das músicas foi deixando o clima menos irritante.
9.5/10
Do I really need to listen to this?
I wish it had No Vaseline on it, that's the best Ice Cube song. Good album still. Will I listen to again: 50%
I was hesitant to get into this while driving (hip hop is not my go to), but I really vibed with this, 4* CHECK YO SELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YO SELF
Top 3 Songs: 1 - It Was A Good Day (7) 2 - When Will They Shoot? (2) 3 - Check Yo Self (13)
I wonder if I hadn’t already heard Straight Outta Compton first, if I would have given this a five. Because it’s excellent. But SOC was out of this world excellent. So I guess this is a 4.5. Which i can’t give sadly. I think the difference is that this doesn’t have quite the musical range of the earlier album. Still, I started the day with Ice Cube so chances are it’ll be a good day.
fire album, lots of good fun tracks, i like rap albums like this
I'm not sure if I ever listened to this album end to end before. I should have. "When will they shoot" is an incredibly intense opener to an album that is still relevant in most ways, and the album never really slows down.
Alright, though a lot of the lyrics seemed to swing between arguing he was not misogynistic and then saying misogynistic things. Sans lyrics, the rhythms were good.
It was a good album
1.5
Solid album. Lots of angst and energy. Enjoyed.
Awesome. Now I won't have to use my AK today. 5
Gangsta rap är inte för mig Bästa låtarna : now i gotta wet cha, it was a good day, gangstas fairytale 2, who's got the camera
Was ready to hate this, but The Predator was surprisingly good! Ice Cube only rarely throws out slurs about women and seem to have dialed back on the antisemitism as well (although he makes the point REPEATEDLY that he didn't really hate jews to begin with). The timing of the release just after the LA '92 riots creates interesting context, and the segue from 'It Was A Good Day' to 'We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up' hits hard.
This is the sort of material that makes Ice Cube worthy of a spot on this list. His debut was a misoginystic mess, but on The Predator Cube proves his worth as both a lyricist and rapper with an impeccable flow. I have some problems with the production side of the beats, but this is still a solid record.
Hm, so ein guter Rapper, aber das Album ist definitiv nicht sein Bestes :-/ 3 von 5
bin kein so hip hop fan, aber da waren tatsächlich paar gute nummern drauf
Geile Rap-Stimme, aber die Lieder haben mich nicht so abgeholt.
3.5
This feels like the kinda rap album my dad warned me about when I was younger... Favourite track: It Was A Good Day.
Didn't expect to like some of these songs as much as I did. This is not to say, however, that I enjoyed the entirety of this album. "When Will They Shoot?" was actually a pleasant surprise; this song brought me goosebumps. The rest of this album seemed kind of... the same thing over and over? I don't know. On the other hand I understand that as a white European I cannot possibly relate to the experiences and struggles of black people in the US. Appreciated the anti-racism, but was ultimately left disappointed by the misogyny and general language used throughout. I think this is a 2.4/5 for me, however I understand that my rating is by no means universal.
Ice-T yesterday, Ice Cube today. I’ve got a lot of money riding on Vanilla Ice coming up next 🤞
# Album Name: The Predator # Artist: Ice Cube # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not bad. Tolerable. I like the earlier rap albums compared to the majority of the new(er) stuff. It just feels more raw, less cheesy i guess. Even though im not a huge fan of the genre i can see why it took off. Although no track stood out to me, the album was tolerable. # Top Tunes: None that stood out. # Would I listen to it again? low chance but Probably background music if anything.
Album is part 'bitches & hoes' and partly racial commentary after the Rodney King beating where the 4 officers were acquitted. It Was a Good Day Check Yo Self (samples 1963 recording of "I'm Blue" by The Sweet Inspirations, (written by Ike Turner))(same sample as the following year's 'Shoop' by Salt 'n' Pepa)
crazy that this was my first experience of the rodney king riots in music that wasn't from the perspective of a white person.
Very solid album. Interesting perspective on the 1992 LA riots.
ice cube was really on a roll
Old school gangster rap
first track...the way nthg makes sense. i think i get it. sad the "im scared" insert........omg. thats exactly how they sound god theyre so stupid...... oo wicked is nice....o i guess not. nvmd. i dont rlly like his flow here fuck em is so funny smh check yo self AND it was a good day are both on this album?? wow cool album
Pretty good album, High 3 low 4 stars not quite sure where I'd put it.
Pretty hit or miss, some really good songs and some that were kind of annoying or overbearing. Some of the inserts came at a time where I was enjoying the music and it came to a screeching halt
mid ngl
I like the heavy beats and Cube’s delivery. I don’t care about the interludes and skits but I like quite a few of the actual songs despite it not being my musical scene. Some moments made me cringe but I’m surprised how danceable it was. DJ Pooh is a based name! Highlights: “When Will They Shoot” & “Dirty Mack”. 3.5 stars.
A pleasant surprise. Excellent boom bap, aggressive, angry, lairy hip hop. Ice Cube has one of those voices that conveys the menace he carries. You just know that the guy has lived everything he raps about. It does nothing more than accentuate the hostility that black Americans face on a day to day basis. Excellent album, not one for the kids though.
Not a big hip hop fan, but this was a decent album - some classic tracks on there, but a good listen
Some of his best work here. Not sure it’s his best album, but influential. An enjoyable listen. Quality hip hop. 4/5
Very aggressive very political very in your face. The inserts were interesting and well done. The context that this was the Rodney king era makes this make a lot of sense. Liked didn’t love it tho
Ice CUbe's flow and beats have assuredly taken influence from other west coast rappers at this point, and because of this influence Ice Cube's lyrics and flows feel punchier, more aggressive, on this album, and that alongside some great lyrics in the first half, it wouldn't be difficult to compare this to some of Public Enemy's best work! ...at first. Unfortunately, the album quickly devolves into having the same issues as his prior work: "Women suck and my life is monotonous." There are some new ideas here that keep things feeling fresh, and the beats are stellar, albeit homogenized, but after a while you start to realize that the album seems to lift every radical idea from an earlier, stronger hip hop album, and those influences become copy-and-paste jobs. It can be a good time in a bubble, but with any outside context this album loses a lot of its standing. It Was a Good Day stands out because it flips the script while still putting in everything Ice Cube is known to spit about, but the rest of the album doesn't follow suit, and you start to piece together why the album only had one hit of that magnitude.
As a white European, most of it is lost on me. You could hear the anger and the beats were goood, but I wouldn't listen to it again
Nice flow, a few bangers I saved immediately. Wicked, It was a good day. Gotcha wet ya is a bit silly now Good flow throughout with some serious messages on races towards the end
I never feel comfortable rating rap albums. I am a 50+ year old white guy that doesn't get it. Totally on me. Having said that, I really admire the production value, passion, righteous (legitimately so) anger Ice Cube brings here. At the same time, it is just hard to listen to for me. Not because of white guilt, but because it is just a relentless album.
This is really not up my alley, but I get it, and I get why it's looked up to. There are some songs I did like most noatably the opening track "When Will They Shoot" and "Check Yo Self". But for the most part thus taps into thoughts an emotions I'm not exactly comfortable with. I also think that in a way it's supposed to take me there. I may not like listening to it, but I do respect it's place in musical discourse. (5.75) ★★½
Generally my favourite type of hiphop, and sadly still a relevant album politically.
This rules. Might be Ice Cube's finest album and one of the best hip-hop albums of the early 90s. Written around the time of the '92 LA Riots, the lyrics are still relevant today and the production, mostly from DJ Pooh and DJ Muggs, is fantastic. 4.5 Stars.
Good beats. Bad skits. Has at least one top drawer song with It Was A Good Year.
Great album. I always preferred Ice Cube’s flow to most 90s era rappers. 4 stars 8.6 out of 10
Very nice classic gangsta rap album.
Not my sort of sound
Wow. Ugh. I have no words.
Ice Cube doing his thing
Good album. Ice Cube is a genius. Enjoyed it.
This aged slightly better than his debut solo album…which isn’t saying much. It Was a Good Day is great but even that song has disappointing portions.
Lots of good tracks on here. Angry, both the beats and the lyrics. I really like When Will They Shoot and Wicked to start things off. It Was a Good Day is obviously a banger but We Had To Tear This Motherfucka Up right after goes hard. Wasn't familiar with a lot of this record. Gangsta' Fairytale 2 another deep cut I vibed with. Check Yo Self isn't as good as the remix but still a solid addition. I don't know if this is the best Cube record but you could do a lot worse.
It's one of his best albums. Great production and lyrics
This was sooo much better than I expected woah. Looove this era of hiphop
I think discounting the misogyny and homophobia et al (a big ask I know!) and the cultural commentary that isn’t something aimed at me (also a big ask), I think production wise and musically this is the best hip hop album we’ve had, helps that It Was a Good Day is one of my favourites
Cube solo > Cube with NWA.
I must have missed this one in 92. Pretty terrible still. I had to wait until everyone was out of the house to play it.
This is kinda when Ice Cube ... can I say it ...? Sold out. Up until this, IC had a bit of an edge to him, but this was the album that proved to the rock conglomeration that Ice Cube was bankable and could be required listening for all the fraternities and sororities. Maybe it softened him, people obviously loved his character in Boyz n tha Hood, but just beyond this album was Friday, Anaconda, XXX, etc. But alternatively this could be labeled as the time people started to take him seriously, like he could be part of the machine, make people a lot of money and be a real actor, director and musician. To me, this is kinda where he jumped the shark and moved into a different stratosphere.
“The Predator” does show a bit of an evolution of Ice Cube, and the incessant shouting and unbridled anger that marked his debut is much reduced here. That evolution would continue, of course, to the point where today Cube is an accomplished actor and businessman. The course of the careers of Cube, Ice T, and Snoop Dogg are such a bizarre thing that could only happen in modern America.
The transition from It Was A Good Day to We Had to Tear this Motherfucka Up is a real gut punch. How are we still having the same conversations almost 30 years later?! That being said, the album sounds 30 years old and not in a good way.
Pleasantly, this album is more than It Was A Good Day and Check Yo Self.
The misogyny of these early hip-hop records does not age well, but everything else about this is a great listen. And he fucked around and got a triple double, so how can you even argue with that?
It was a good day to listen to this record....
are we there yet?
hard
This is the first Rap/Hip-Hop album I heard in my life, when I was 16 years old. I discovered "It Was a Good Day" while playing GTA: San Andreas in a video game many years ago, and that led me to want to know more about this world of Rap. For the record, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul, Jazz and Funk were not part of my life until then. I have my roots coming from Rock n' Roll, Blues and music from my country, Brazil (Samba, Forró, Baião, Bossa Nova, Sertanejo). I remember exactly the feeling of listening to this album for the first time. The album starts with an intro that immediately gives away what the mood of the album will be and then it becomes one of the heaviest (if not the heaviest) songs I've ever heard in my life. "When Will They Shoot?" It doesn't owe anything to a Trash Metal song from the 80s when we talk about weight. To this day I consider this the best Rap album I've ever heard and Ice Cube is still my favorite Rapper, and that probably won't change anytime soon hahaha. So now, many years later, I see that The Predator is in fact one of the most influential albums on my musical taste, because thanks to the songs on this album and the samples, I discovered artists like The Isley Brothers, Wilson Pickett and later, several other Soul music artists from the 60s and 70s such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and many others. Not to mention that now, I have a completely open mind to Rap/Hip-Hop, knowing from this album, artists like Snoop Dog, Dre, 2Pac, Too $hort, NWA and many others. Damn, I had no idea how important this album was going to be in my life. Anyway, it was great to be able to remember this album today!!
Left my homie's house paid Picked up a girl been tryna dig since the 12th grade It's ironic, I had the brew, she had the chronic The Lakers beat the Supersonics Felt on the big fat fanny Pulled out the jammy and killed the punani And my jimmy runs deep, so deep So deep put her butt to sleep Woke her up around one She didn't hesitate to call Ice Cube the top gun Drove her to the pad and I'm coastin' Took another sip of the potion, hit the three-wheel motion I was glad everything had worked out Dropped her butt off and then chirped out Today was like one of those fly dreams Didn't even see a berry flashin' those high beams No helicopter lookin' for the murder Two in the morning, got the Fatburger Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp And it read "Ice Cube's a Pimp" Drunk as hell but no throwin' up Halfway home and my pager still blowin' up Today I didn't even have to use my AK I gotta say it was a good day Yeah, this is a pretty great album. 5/5
With how many mediocre albums Ice Cube has on this list I would have to guess he is British
3/5
Production feels bland and dated aside from a few tracks. The album is mainly carried by Cubes performances however lyrically, it's not very subtle. Although I do grant that the lyrics probably hit way harder at the time of its release.
Very good!
I got psyched after seeing this. Unfortunately It Was a Good Day is the only good part of this album, the rest is pretty middling gangster rap that runs for 16 tracks.
Did not enjoy this very much. It was like a worse “Straight Outta Compton”. “It was a good day” is pretty good but the rest can kick rocks. Alright his line about the Statue of Liberty being a bitch was pretty funny
The First Day of School (Intro) n/a When Will They Shoot? 2.7 I'm Scared (Insert) n/a Wicked 3.2 Now I Gotta Wet Cha 3.3 The Predator 3.4 It Was a Good Day 4 We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up 3.1 Fuck 'Em (Insert) n/a Dirty Mack 3.2 Don't Trust 'Em 2.8 Gangsta's Fairytale 2 2.7 Check Yo Self 2.8 Who Got the Camera? 3 Integration (Insert) n/a Say Hi to the Bad Guy 2.9 Score: 3.091666667
I quite dig it. The music is often catchy and the rapping is pretty distinctive and snappy
Not my favourite, but not terrible.
Yes. This is ace. An excellent balance of rage and lolz. Cube calling a penis Jimmy is something I will never forget. Also, so good to hear Today Was A Good Day on my ride to work.
The angry beautiful poetry of early nineties west coast rap. Ice Cube does amazing work here, even though it’s not something I would reach for today.
Low. Idk how people have this music as heroes and role models
Great album. Favourites- wicked, the predator, it was a good day, dirty Mack, check yo self
Not into the gangsta rap but - conflicting - I like Ice Cube
True 3.5
Nice
A strong start to the album, that have my attention. Through the songs it was like they wanted me to listen, and I did. It felt like the an album calling for a wake up call from both sides of the debate. I would not listen to it again
Just not my kind of music 1/5
Waaay to rude songs... I don't want to be angry. Rap really just isn't for me. Especially "gangsta rap". I struggle to call it music. It was not a good day
🧊 For someone with such a "cool" name he has very little "chill" on these tracks. 'When Will They Shoot?' has a little whine in the background which reminds me of the intro of Shikira's 'Hips Don't Lie', I wonder if they sampled the same original of if it's just accidental. Standouts It Was A Good Day Check Yo Self "It's on like Donkey Kong"/5 (3/5)
Well it was a lot better than The Chronic! Ice Cube stayed angry it seems, so it sounds a lot more like NWA which is a good thing. A bit long, a lot of guns and the obligatory don't trust hoes track but I still enjoyed it. I don't think I need loads of this sort of music so would rather listen to NWA, but can see the appeal.
Really interesting album - his flow is smooth and the raps are really well-written. When Will They Shoot? and It Was A Good Day were the stand-outs. Minimal skits, and strong political messages.
Never listened to ice cube properly before. He's got a great voice and flow. I always mention that I don't really like gangsta rap and the tropes that come with it whenever it comes up...... However, there is enough social commentary here that comes with the stuff I don't like, that cube gets a pass. The guns, bling and bitches are there, but there is a message too Also pretty depressing that the issues he's rapping about have not changed at all in the 32 years since it's release. "Was a good day" was the only track I knew, but don't think it was necessarily the best. Highlights: When will they shoot Wicked Now I gotta wet ya We had to tear this mothafucker up Check yoself Say hi to the bad guy 4, still too much gangsta stuff for a 5
Violent, mysoginistic, vile and ridiculous lyrics over undeniably catchy beats and hooks. I loathe this material, but other than Eminem, this is the best rap I've heard so far.
Album qui repose sur une sélection fouillée d’extraits médiatiques pour appuyer sa critique sociale. La voix d’Ice Cube est agréable, son débit posé et habile, volontaire, même lorsque rapide, en dépit de la révolte et de la conviction, palpables
Idk jos useampaan kertaan pitää vitsailla siitä, että itseä pidetään antisemitistinä… Mutta muuten tällainen kevyehkö gansta toimii. Mieluummin kuuntelisin silti jotain muuta tai en ainakaan levyllistä tätä. Jäi keskinkertaiseksi.
Viihdyttää ennen koettua yksitoikkoistumista. Pari biisiä, ei biittiä, lisää, ehkä?
Classic 🧊
Fuori contesto
Another excellent entry by Ice Cube. Vocals are strong and so easy to listen to. One of the best songwriting in the genre of the era. Songs are funky and have great use of sampling. Some have catchy choruses making the album very accessible to newcomers.
So, so good. This album along with Ice T's OG and Dre Dre's The Chronic are the trifecta of early 90s rap. Paced the way for groups like Wu Tang and the like.
Didn't mind this. He must be getting old...
pretty classic sounding rap. im not well versed in rap so i dont have much to say, i enjoyed it. 7/10
"The Predator" is the third studio album by American rapper Ice Cube. West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, political hip hop and hardcore hip hop are the listed "Wiki" genres. The album was released just after the 1992 LA riots and many songs comment on the racial tensions in the US. The album title is a reference to the movie "Predator 2," and, yes, there is a great Arnold Schwarzenegger sample. Many producers were used including DJ Pooh, Sir Jinx, Torcha Chamba and DJ Muggs. The album received positive reviews and, commercially, was a massive hit debuting at #1 in the US. It hit #73 in the UK. The first song "The First Day of the School" sets the album tone with an excerpt from the movie "American Me" where a bells rings and people get body searched before going into prison (school). This blends right into "When Will They Shoot?" This is more funky with scratching. Ice Cube is commenting on white power. The first single "Wicked" opens with Don Jangwarr introducing Ice Cube. The music reminds me of "Straight Out of Compton" but has a much tighter and harder beat. Don't mess with Ice Cube. The album switches gears for a song in "It Was a Good Day." it's a happy song as Cube imagines a great day. Great sampling of the Isley Brother's "Footsteps in the Park, pts. 1 & 2." Cube is driving around, playing basketball and best of all, he didn't have to use his AK. Great rhyme of chronic with Supersonics. We go right back to harder, tighter beat in "We Had to Tear This Motherfucka Up." Commentators describe the result of the Rodney King trial and, well, Cube goes off on the LA cops. The best sample has to go the use of Steely Dan's "Green Earrings" repeated throughout "Don't Trust 'Em." A quick, funky song. Cube can't trust women. The third and final single is "Check Yo Self." An interesting sample of a horn carrying the melody. It's layered with women singing. People better check yo self before you wreck yo self. I do remember this album coming out right after the LA riots. It was big. Ice Cube is no doubt a forceful rapper. There are a lot of brilliant and funny pop references. Heck, this album is credited with "It's on like Donkey Kong." Yes, a lot of songs focus on the LA riots and police but there's also songs on women, rap braggadocio and just having a good time. The music also has a little variety: songs with tighter beats, more laid back and chill, funky and even soulful. This a very good album and worth a listen if just for his rhymes.
Lot of good shit mixed in with a lot of meh, often within the same cut. While of course it is referencing the times of the LA riots, it too often seems oddly dated. I'm only good for so much of this.
I realise I am not the target audience for this music. It’s dismaying that the message still rings true but the misogyny, hatred and aggression and all the N-words are alienating. Maybe that’s the point but I don’t hear music, I hear the sound of my brain cells tuning out!
I kind of want to give this five stars, but the ‘kid’s’ voice in the fairytale song is beyond annoying. I especially liked the instructional intro About being processed into prison, and I felt like the song ‘Don’t trust ‘em’ also had some very good advice. 😂
Yeah, this was OK. Sounds dated, there wasn't enough variety to make me love it.
I didn't get a chance to listen to the whole thing, but I loved what I heard. And this was my first Ice Cube experience. Clearly I need to check out his first two albums as well.
Ugh the tempo combined with the background sounds just get me so uptight. I feel my shoulders hunch and I start to fear a migraine building. I really wanted to dig Ice Cube but I simply can't abide.
Don’t listen to rap much but this seems like a classic.
I've had three 90s rap albums this week. 2 of the 3 were difficult to get through. Really learning this isn't my genre. I get it has a message and impact but how many times do you need to swear in a song? A lot of showing off. Definitely not aged well. However, the beats and flow were good for most of it. This somewhat makes up for it.
Good Album.
This was alright, but extremely repetitive, really reminded me of the early skating days!
Gamli skolinn
The predator It was a good day Dirty mack Check yo self
It's not massively my thing, but there's some good upbeat tracks in here that I like, bringing a little bit of funk. It's not on the level of some other hip hop albums I've listened to on this project, and the beats don't deliver as those other albums do. Some of this sounds like it's still carrying over some of the influence and style of the 80's. It's ok, just ok. 2.5 rounded up.
Best Song: It Was A Good Day. Iconic with a fun message for this era of rap. It's just likeable. Worst Song: Don't Trust 'Em. I think it was at this point in the album that I began to grow tired with the repetitive bouncing flow. It also loses points for sampling Flava Flav. Overall: It's not bad, but it's also very one-note. It feels like it has said everything it has to say by "It Was a Good Day", but it continues with needless repetitions of the same themes, delivered through the same flow.
The issues are important, but I can't listen to explicit lyrics over and over.
This is riding around with my brother and his friends smoking blunts.
probably 4.5 so great
Damn. And here I’ve always know Ice Cube for “Are We There Yet?” and for being maybe the most famous Raiders fan. Joking aside… In many ways this is still unrelentingly relevant today. In some ways it hasn’t aged well, too. But for the most part this album’s overall message of anti-racism and the misunderstanding of black culture by white people rings as true today as it did then. But, having been only 9 days old on the day this album was released, I can only guess that its message is better and more widely received today than it ever was back in 1992. The music itself is a great listen. Great backing tracks that don’t get old, song lengths that don’t overstay their welcome, and a delivery from Cube that just flows. His delivery is aggressive and angry, though it does come across a little softer at times. Given the message here though, his anger is justified and makes everything here more believable. Anybody back then that didn’t understand why black artists, specifically rappers, were so angry simply didn’t understand the plight of African Americans in this country that persists to this day. I think this should be a required listen for everybody and it’s a shame I didn’t hear it until now. For an artist I always knew as a personality and celebrity but never for his music, I was very happily surprised here. 4 stars. Standout Tracks: When Will They Shoot?, Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha, It Was a Good Day, Check Yo Self, Who Got the Camera?, Say Hi to the Bad Guys
Nah, not great. Again, don't like hip hop much.
solid hip hop album with tough lyrics and some great beats too 4/5
no thank you.
This is a good album. Minus one star for misogyny, etc.
Nor for me
Never been a fan of rap so I'm not going to pretend my opinion on it matters. The album was fun to listen to throughout. The production is solid and "Le Cube" has good - watcha'ma'call'em - "flow". You can immediately tell that he cares about what he's talking about. The interludes are inessential in my opinion. The album is otherwise thoroughly entertaining. But I doubt much of it is going to stay with me.
what can i say, cube does it again. i really jive with the production on ice cube's records. really cool, really funky. ice cube's rapping is aggressive and he sounds cool as all hell when he's rapping. i think as with a lot of other rap of this era, it is a little bit dated in terms of "acceptable" terms etc. but the content of his rapping is still on point and still extremely relevant 30+ years later. whereas 'ameriKKKa's most wanted' gets a little too caught up in the whole "ice cube is a sexist" thing, i think this one is a lot more focused on the political statements, etc. which i think makes for a better, harder hitting experience.
I enjoyed this more than I was expecting!
Need to finish it
Loved the energy of this but felt it was too long.
Og shit
База
Ну рэп у меня всегда идёт с -1... здесь +1, потому что надеюсь, Егор наконец-то научит нас правильно произносить название всех реперских акронимов. NWA? как это читается-то... It Was A Good Day легендарный щит конечно
Like yea. Sick album, great music great lyrics