Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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
Pretty good, not my favorite from the era.
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
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
Better than I expected. More a protest album than gangster rap. Good workout album.
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.
I'm not usually into hip-hop, but this was quite enjoyable to listen to.
Some great socially aware tracks and some others that haven't aged perfectly. All around a good listen. 3/5
Today's album was a good album.
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?
Faded in my memory, good energy and beats though. Will need to revisit.
Does what it's going for well. Good flow, good lyrics. Doesn't blow me away but good to include despite being of its time. Not too sure what to do with the album but it makes sense to be on the list.
Ice Cube was my favorite member of NWA and I had this album on CD in the 90’s. I think gangsta rap’s expression of anger at racial injustice spoke to my anger at the world stemming from clichéd teen angst. Ice Cube’s rhymes were often clever and occasionally insightful and his beats and samples were varied and catchy. This is a good album.
Ice Cube is one of those people that I've always been aware of but have never gotten into. I know he's said to have some great hip-hop records, but don't know what else to expect. The contrast of title of the first track and its context already shows what will maybe be a constant theme. The lyrics probably won't be a big part of this initial review as I can't tell what they say that well. That being said When Will They Shoot is already amazing. I have no idea what that sample is but fuck is it good. The interlude shows what is probably the main point of the album and yeah. Not too much has changed. Again, Wicked's sample is so cool. And I do like the track as a whole. Elphaba and Glinda sound so different (that was stupid I regret it). Now I Gotta Wet'cha kinda came and went without leaving a mark. The title track is actually pretty cool. But these samples, while still great, are starting to sound too similar. It Was A Good Day is by far the most streamed song, and I get why. This is a sudden change from the more "aggressive" instrumentals that came before. This is nice. Ok that sex description was unexpected but kinda original so I'm not mad at it. HE SAID FAGGOTTTTTTTT. song bangs. Fuck'em oh ok The instrumentals in this record stop me from ever being bored, but the rap is often not enough to peak my interest. Maybe because I don't fully understand what he's saying at a first listen. After all, as far as I can tell, Ice Cube's delivery is great. That being said I actually like Don't Trust'Em, even if I don't love what I can tell from the lyrics. Ice Cube's storytelling is impressive, even if I'm not following every lyric. Was not expecting a smurfette reference from this record but hey. Check Yo Self is, unsurprisingly, a banger. My country was just mentioned as a comparison for a racist country yeyyyyy. Don't disagree though. While I did enjoy this album, I can't help but feel like I'm missing something. Maybe if I was a bigger rap fan I'd enjoy it even more. That seems to be true of every genre, so why not here. I do think that, with more time, this could get better and better for me. As I said earlier, I'm not in the best circumstances to interpret the lyrics with the depth that they deserve, and since that's a major part of the record I can't claim that this is the best of reviews. So yeah, this one's on me. Bye
I don't mind this kind of hip hop but when you have social commentary in your album about white people being intimidated by the songs and black hip hop stereotypes and then go on to prove them right it's just not a good look.
Pretty powerful record, with some of Ice Cubes biggest hits, but in the end it's not one of the best of the era for me. The beats come of as too strong and bassy most of the time, in my opinion. The rapping style is pretty solid and the voice has a nice, strong color. The flow is somewhat basic, but still manages to deliver fun and engaging songs, with some tricks here and there. Lyrical themes deal with the struggle of black people in America and in that regard the album manages to deliver the message pretty well and clear. It's filled with raw energy, violence, gang life, police, drugs, sex and everything that goes with that. Ironically, probably the best song on the album, It Was A Good Day, stands out in both style and themes. It's more positive than negative, has an easy going funk beat and doesn't talk about violence, racism and every day struggles, at least not most of the time and not in an intense way. Didn't know Check Yo Self was on this, this is another standout song for me. Would give it 3.5 if I could.
der eiswürfel halt dezentes Album aber nicht crazy fav track WhEn will they shoot
favorite track: It was a good day. Overall score: 7.2/10
wanted to bop to it a little more, but it was good. 3.5
1. zchool - 0 2. zhoot - 2.5 3. zcared - 0 4. uuicked - 2.5 5. uuet - 1.5 6. predator - 2 7. good - 3.5 8. tear - 3 9. fuck - 1.5 10. mack - 2.5 11. truzt - 2 12. gangzta - 1.5 13. check - 2 14. camera - 1.5 15. integration - 1.5 16. guy - 2.5
The lyrics are strong and necessary, and the text insertions are cool, but somehow sounds the songs very repetitive as the bits as well.
3.2
Loved this back in the day. Not an album I’d regularly return to, but it does have a place in history as it grappled with what was going on in the world at the time.
this project is making me detest albums with skits and interstitials
On the one hand you have Ice Cube rapping on the injustices towards the black community, which I am 100% united in solidarity with. On the other hand you have Ice Cube occasionally rapping misogynistic and homophobic bullshit. Ugh! Being angry at cops and “the man” is justified beyond words. Taking it out on women and gay humans is NOT ok. Fortunately, with a little internet research, it appears he’s matured on those topics since these albums came out. Take all of that away, and I ask myself “would I come back to this?” Probably not. His brand of gangsta rap seems clunky to me. I certainly recognize his importance for its time. Highlights include Check Yo Self, Wicked, and It Was A Good Day.
I may not have been in the right headspace for this, but i didn't really like it. There's nothing I can pinpoint, but it wasn't clicking.
One of the better hip hop/rap albums I've gotten so far. The messages are unfortunately still very relevant today. The mysogyny is unfortunately as prevalent as it always is in this genre.
Probably my favourite of the gangstas of the era. A lot the samples and music is just perfect.
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.
The first half blew my mind. The second half was a drag.
I guess it was a good day.
Quite enjoyed this 7/10 it was a good day is a good song
Early hip hop highlight. Hard beats and political rhymes.
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.
Meh, it's 90s rap
…It was a good day….
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.
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.
As good or bad as his other albums depending on your view of rap.
He has a few issues with women
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!
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.
It was alright
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
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.
"When will they shoot?" is depressingly contemporary even though it was released over 30 years ago.
Pretty good but the misogyny brings it down
YMMV with gangsta rap, but I thought this album held up pretty well. 3.4
Well produced and performed, but outside of my interests.
Good old school rap. How it’s meant to be. 3.5
Very aggressive and exciting with fast beats that drive the whole thing along, good stuff!
Decent rap album 1001 album worthy: Yes 15/29
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.
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
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.
Better than expected
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Do I really need to listen to this?
Top 3 Songs: 1 - It Was A Good Day (7) 2 - When Will They Shoot? (2) 3 - Check Yo Self (13)
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
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
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
3.5
# 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)
Old school gangster rap
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.
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
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
Good beats. Bad skits. Has at least one top drawer song with It Was A Good Year.
Not my sort of sound
Wow. Ugh. I have no words.
Ice Cube doing his thing
“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.
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....
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.
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
Not my favourite, but not terrible.
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.
Not into the gangsta rap but - conflicting - I like Ice Cube
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
🧊 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.
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.
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.
Didn't mind this. He must be getting old...
Yeah, this was OK. Sounds dated, there wasn't enough variety to make me love it.
This was alright, but extremely repetitive, really reminded me of the early skating days!
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.
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.
I enjoyed this more than I was expecting!
Loved the energy of this but felt it was too long.
Og shit
Not as bad as I thought! It would get a better rating if most of the songs weren’t so misogynic.
Another classic 90’s hip hop banger.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Really funny how he went from rappin about gangbangin and bangin hoes with his very descript dick to being a nazi and doing kids movies. The best song on the album is also about not doing any of the above listed things and it’s great. Rest of the album is extremely repetitive but kind of crazy how he could say the same things over and over in different ways. 5/10
Rap from the 90's.
It fits the name very well.
This is really not my thing. But I will say, Ice Cube has a commanding flow that's pretty excellent and impossible to dismiss. An album with a really compelling sound, creative use of sampling and righteous fury. Fave Song: Wicked, Check Yo Self, I'm Scared, It Was a Good Day
Too noisy.
Worth a listen but not an album I’d revisit
I appreciate some of this, as a reaction to racism in the US it is powerful and vital. I just wish it wasn’t riddled with the sexism and homophobia so much hip hop of the 90s was.
This was alright. It had Good Day on it. Also, it’s pretty frustrating to hear some music from so long ago and realize how little progress we’ve made as a society since then.
Gotta love that 90's rap. They don't make em like the used ta
Musically, it was quite good - maybe a 4.5/5. However, it was incredibly misogynistic and violent. Clearly the writer felt that people who criticize his music for its misogyny and violence are bigoted, and surely some of them are, but he is also clearly very bigoted, especially when it comes to women. As such, I can't give it anywhere near a 4.5/5. I can give it a 3, *maybe*. Maybe a 2. Hmm...
A few classic songs, but lots of corny rhymes and skits. Rap has evolved so much that some of the early classics aged poorly. Very influential album, but not something I want to listen to other than the classic songs
Pretty decent 90s rap. I enjoyed Ice Cube's flow, the rhymes and samples good. Also a minimum of skits which i appreciated after some of the other 90s rao albums. However, no songs really stood out except "Today Was A Good Day". So even high quality but nothing that really stood out gives this a strong 3.
3/5. Love the passion, anger, and truth coming from Ice Cube. There are some great songs and lyrics, and even the skits don't seem out of place which is rare. They are all good but they all have similar sounds and lyrics that it does feel repetitive. No doubt, these messages need to be said multiple times for everyone to finally understand, even 30 years later, and the 1000s of years before. I think there could have been more focus on fewer songs with tighter rapping and songwriting because I do lose interest through some of the songs. It's good, deserves to be on the list, but not as enjoyable as an album itself.
Good stuff. Enjoyed the trip back in time.
Another great rap album, if you like rap. I prefer this to Cypress Hill. Nothing else to say. I'm not feeling gangster rap shit right now.
Before Listening: I don't really like NWA but I enjoy Ice Cube. I saw that this album has 'It Was a Good Day', which is one of my favourite raps songs and coincidentally I've been listening to it a lot in the last few days. I'm excited for this one and so far on this list I've liked a lot of the rap records. After listening: I mean, it's alright. Other than the singles I feel nothing really stood out to me. Unfairly, I think anytime a rap album is political I feel they're ripping off Public Enemy. Maybe this album doesn't resonate with me (because I wasn't around during the Rodney King shooting and the subsequent riots) and that's why it falls flat? Maybe people will feel this way about American Idiot and not understand the prevailing views and feelings at the time? You know what, I have no idea what the fuck I'm talking about.
A fine 90s hip hop album akin to most early gangster rap. But suffers as usual from the 'doesn't belong on this list' factor. I respect ice cube but he has maybe 1 top 1000 album and this ain't it
It was pretty catchy.
Classic 90s hip hop. Ice cube comes hard in the paint. Notable tracks include today was a good day and say hi to the bad guy.
Lots of anger/frustration that needed to be expressed. I recognised my privilege when I noticed my shock at the constant N word drops (I guess Ice Cube had heard it many times, and not always in great contexts). So yeah, not a word that comes up often in my white girl world. An important album in response to rampant racism in the USA in 1992 (and every other year before/since I guess). I acknowledge its place in this 1001 list (seems more deserving than the Peter Framptom album I just (mostly) listened to) but it's not a genre I usually choose as it doesn't speak to my lived experience. This album was hard work for me but I wanted to give it my best go.
I'm reasonably ok with this, it's a journey and an education as well as powerful rhythm, but it's not really my thing. I do wonder what my white self is meant to do with a clearly black American statement records from a time when race riots started to erupt. Do I look at Aboriginal issues with a similar eye? Do I look at my own behaviour? Do I just appreciate what I can from this or do I ... I don't know what do I? A record that has you thinking is a good piece of work. Maybe this is what makes a good album? 3 stars.
Reminds me of my younger days. 3.5/5
Important album. Powerful voice. But not the kind of thing I'll just throw on for fun.
Solid to listen to but nothing catchy yet. It Was a Good Day is catchy now.
Decent
Despite the heavy subject material, I thought this album was pretty entertaining. It was funny (though probably only with 30 years hindsight and my white privilege), lyric-forward, with interesting loops and the newsreel inserts were also good.
3/5
I'm in two minds about the inclusion of this album into the list. On the one hand, it's well-crafted hip hop from the golden age of the genre, with a lot of topical points mixed with the expected braggadocio, and the whole is still relevant or at least interesting to hear today. The DJ Muggs-produced cuts are unmistakable, and they provide a fun listen. On the other hand, I feel like there's not much in the record that hasn't been heard elsewhere, and often in an even more striking fashion. Musically speaking, what DJ Mugg produced for Cypress Hill or House Of Pain is surely more memorable than his work for Ice Cube, for instance--as good as said work is. And lyrically speaking, you had rappers who went further and better when they explored the topics Ice Cube is exploring here. Maybe it's my *relative* bias against west-coast rappers influencing me too much in this case. And maybe it's because the rich history of hip hop is not limited to this "golden age" and particular place in the US, which means that other times and geographical areas "represented" in the genre should be included in this sort of list. Singles "It Was A Good Day* and "Check Yo Self" are admittedly nicely done. But the whole shebang is surely "dated" for younger ears, and it's not as if the record was truly groundbreaking in any sense at the time (contrary to NWA's *Straight Outta Compton* or some Dr. Dré-produced records--closely related to Ice Cube, of course, and featuring him in many instances). The thing is, hip hop evolved extremely *fast* in those years. Wu Tang Clan released their debut the year after, and it wouldn't be long before acts such as Outkast, Snoop Dog or Eminem changed the game, once again. When facing such formidable competition, I'm not sure there will be room left for any Ice Cube records when I reach the end of my own list. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. Which translates to an 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 3) Number of albums left to review: 290 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 313 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 172 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 230
Complicated feelings about this one... but... :shrug:
early on 90ies Rap vibes
I like the beats. I was not familiar with the riots in reference and understand the passion but the language, aggression and misogynistic views don't sit well with me. But then I'm an old white guy.
again pretty good but nothing too groundbreaking in my opinion. It feels like good background music to me. from what I was paying attention to it does seem like this album has some real meaning behind it at least
Cold
Not my thing. I tried
Gud dae
Non son moito de Ice Cube pero a verdade que o disco estivo medianamente ben, algunha canción moloume pero sen máis.
Might have been revolutionary in its time but, for me, this old school sound ultimately just falls somewhere in the indistinct middle of the rap pantheon.
Thoughts before listening: I know this is a classic, but I've never listened to it. "It Was a Good Day" is an all time 90s rap banger so that will be awesome to hear. I'm sure I'll enjoy this, but as always the lyrics will be hard to connect with. Review: This is not what I was expecting...this definitely isn't a party album. "Good Day" is one of only a handful of songs on here that use the West coast laid back funk sound of Dr. Dre that Ice Cube came from in NWA. Much of the album reminds me more of Public Enemy's sound collage hard rock style with relentless beats and raps that are angrily spit out with almost a punk rock attitude. This is a very pissed off album heavily inspired by Rodney King and the resulting riots, and while not always a fun listen it is very effective. This is a 3 star album. "Good Day" and "Check Yo Self" are getting added to the playlist.
Q-Tip described this as a "voice for the angry and unheard during the 90s", which feels like a pretty apt description to me. Let's get one thing out of the way to start. This album has "It Was A Good Day" on it, which is definitely one of the most iconic rap songs of all time. It's great, full stop. It's also a pretty big thematic departure from the rest of the album. Two songs before this Ice Cube has "gotta wet 'cha" and then he's just describing this nice day getting a triple double on the court. It's a bit of thematic whiplash. The rest of the album is a bit less accessible to me. This came out not long after the '92 LA riots, and "We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up" confronts this directly. It's a bit hard to place my current version of Ice Cube (in like comedy movies and TV commercials) back in this time. I'm struggling to rate this one. It has one iconic song, a handful of pretty strong songs that I think capture the moment in time pretty well, and then a bunch that are fine but don't stand out much to me. A few other random notes. Apparently "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" is where the phrase "it's on like Donkey Kong" came from. Similarly, "check yourself before you wreck yourself" came from "Check Yo Self". It's interesting how little phrases like this can work their way into culture. Favorite song: It Was A Good Day Other: When Will They Shoot?, Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up, Gangsta's Fairytale 2, Check Yo Self 12/29/23
It won't make me like rap, but it was the most interesting rap album so far. I even didn't feel like skipping every second song.
3/5 Best Track: Who Got the Camera?
He sounds so aggressive in most of these songs lmao
powerful messages! loved the storytelling, good vibes in the music too, enjoyable listen but not too much stood out to me. loved Dirty Mack for the vibes and Don't Trust Em cause wowww powerful!
So violent and antisemitic and misogynistic. Not my cuppa. And was never for me anyway so I don’t even feel qualified to comment or rate.
Thought i'd listened to this before but apparently not the whole thing, though I'm very familiar with his first 2 albums and NWA. You could definitely make the argument that from '88 and that first NWA classic to this album in '92, Ice Cube was the best rapper doing it, and his skill is obvious all over this thing, though I do think it's my least favourite of his work up to this point. That doesn't mean much though considering that's such a high bar, his attitude and anger comes through just as potently as on any of those albums. I just need more time to sit with it, the anger feels more focused and directed on this one compared to the last 2 where he was just calling out anyone and everyone. Worth some re-listens.
I respect the work & the skill. It's not for me though.
For a lot of the gangsta rap records that are out there, at least this one tries to break it up with different songs as opposed to constantly hammering the tough-guy, hard-beat type. It's a secret shame of mine that I'm not that big a fan of "Today Was A Good Day"; Ice just sound stilted and I'd rather listen to "Between the Sheets" instead of the sampled version. Lyrically, it hasn't aged super well, but the energy is commendable. Favorite track: "Wicked"
He’s obviously a hip hop legend and the songs have a powerful message but I can’t get over the fact the songs are so repetitive musically. It was a good day is a nice sample but it’s so fucking boring after a few minutes, and you’re just left sitting there listening to him talk about how he had sex once.
I think I wanted to dislike this album but it's pretty solid with some really good standouts. All the 1-bar loops for backing tracks get really tiring through.
Ice Cube té un estil molt curiós i no m'extranya que sigui vist com un dels artistes de rap més importants de la història. Dit això, no és per mi. Només un parell de cançons d'aquest àlbum (It Was a Good Day, per exemple) m'han agradat prou com per escoltar-les regularment
Classic Ice
This album is a great oldie but doesnt really hit for me now because im not into the harder style of rap that much, im more of a fan of lyrical rap now. It was a good day will always be a bop though
This album is filled with some strong messages, delivered in a questionable way. Mostly aggressive fast beats are used, but there are the few that give a break from that and freshen up the album a great amount. Delivered us the classic It was a good day, which is a timeless song. Personal Favorites: It was a good day, Gangstas Fairytale 2
Really good flow as always, for some reason I don’t like this album as much as his stuff in NWA, maybe it blends together too much Between 3/4****
Some good songs in here but lots of filler
Great passion and fire. Ew to Farrakhan. Beats get same-y, but a few hot tracks here. Best song: It Was a Good Day
Boh sì ascoltabile
-ICE CUBEEEEE -so excited to listen to this album -when will they shoot is A BANGERRRRR -some of these songs sound similar but the beats are hard -IT WAS A GOOD DAYYYYY -mfin ICONIC beat and song right here omg -i like the inserts between the songs with the talking -dirty mack is a favorite for SUREEEE -the childrens story references in gangstas fairytale 2 is interesting -overall i enjoyed it, some of the lyrics were iffy (but it was the 90’s) -giving it 3 stars
Not for me, but musically and lyrically excellent.
Not really into the beginning of this album. Getting better at The Predator and obviously It Was A Good Day is a classic jam. Little worried about the end of this album because it is a lot of songs I have never heard before. 2nd half definitely not as good. Overall I give it a soft 3
Pretty solid gangster rap album with the classics Wicked, Check Yo Self, and of course It Was a Good Day. Little choppy throughout and had a ton of interludes it felt but when he’s on he’s on
Þetta er frekar feit plata. Elska It was a good day sem er alveg eitt af þessum stóru 90's hip hop lögum sem lifa vel í dag. Check Yo Self líka bouncy. Restin af plötunni smá hit and miss, en verð þó að gefa klakanum það að það er skemmtilegra að hlusta á hann bölva rasískum yfirvöldum kanans og vandamálum ghettosins heldur en þessi ríðulög sem maður þarf að hlusta á í mörgum 90's rappplötum. 3,5 nær ekki alveg upp í 4 hjá mér
Náði því miður ekki að hlusta nógu vel á þessa, enda kominn með óverdós á rappi. It was a good day er gott lag og Wicked fannst mér geggjað lag. Hlustaði nokkrum sinnum á það.
Too many skits. Bad length because of it. It Was A Good Day is one of the best rap songs ever. Ez 3.5
Good Day is obviously the best song here but there's some other solid tracks. 3.5
Favorite Tracks: Check Yo Self It Was A Good Day
Good album!
It Was A Good Day and Check Yo Self bolster an album that I've always found difficult to vibe with even thought I've always appreciated Ice Cube.
I enjoyed listening to most of the tracks, but I don't think I'd listen to the full album again. I can hear so many influences from other music/ians and can tell this influenced many to come after this album. I was really interested to read about what was happening in LA just before the release of this album and can hear it reflected passionately in the lyrics. Also cool to hear the same song sampled in 'Check yo self' as in Salt-n-Pepa's 'Shoop' ('I'm Blue' by The Sweet Inspirations) though I looked it up and its totally outrageous that Salt-n-pepa don't seem to be on the 1001 list at all?!? Fave track: We had to tear this mothafucka up (nice Cypress Hill Vibes)
So, it was a good listen, but also a bit tiresome.
I will sound super white if I try to go into details here so I'll just say I quite enjoyed it
When Will They Shoot was my favorite. Good early 90's West Coast rap album and the first full Ice Cube album I've heard. Not as good as The Chronic though.
Cube has great flow and rhymes as usual. The thing that stuck out to me is how race relations are discussed on this record versus the discourse that we hear today. Today's language around racism and equality issues is so academic compared to the real talk on The Predator. The beats don't stand out too much here.
ganz easy, aber schon einfach 0815 90s hiphop
I thought it was fine. This was a big deal when I was younger.
Good album from ol icey, thoughtful lyrics and good beats. Does postmark his eventual decline though.
Pas trop mon style même si ça m’a quand même ambiancé
Interesting. First two songs hit hard. Rest was ok.
Pretty good. Not my favorite style of rap but the message and relevance is important.
Tweede ice cube album op rij!
Production on this is killer - It was a Good Day is a certified classic. When will they Shoot comes out swinging. Its hard to remember that this is the same Ice Cube that now does family movies. There are some weaker tracks here but overall it is a great classic
Pleasantly surprised by this. Too much misogyny on some tracks though
Enjoyed some of it
Ice Cube's early solo career, repetitive lyrics about homies, gats, AKs, bitches, punk ass niggas, and cars notwithstanding - it is gangsta rap after all - is pretty damn listenable. And so is this.
Great. But not for me, sadly.
not the best 90s hip-hop album, not even the best ice cube album. still pretty great. but I'm a harsh critic.
I have a terrible feeling that these lyrics are going to be timeless. Who Got The Camera might be the best due to how hard it leans into the message. Today Was a Good Day will always be great too.
Lyrically charged. Ice cube flow is as good as ever. 3 stars
Deze rap vind ik zelfs leuk. Geeft me het gevoel alsof ik naar het begin van een Amerikaanse cartoon/90’s film kijk. (When Will They Shoot) Tijdens The Predator (6e nummer op het album pas) vond ik het wel erg saai worden. Erg veel herhaling. Wel leuke achtergrondmuziek, maar niet om zelf op te zetten.
love it when grown men fight with rhymes
When I was a kid all I heard was the violence. Now I have a bit more context I hear more emotional range. I hear hyper vigilance and vulnerability. Violence is only ever directed at white supremacists. There's no real cussin'. No real misogyny. It's a mature piece of work, even quite funny sometimes. Even the title seems like a wry wee joke. Still, I'm an East coast guy and the production ain't always my favourite.
I like the variety in this album, Today Was A Good Day is definitely my favorite. Not my favorite, but still really enjoyable.
Crazy how he went from this to being a Republican in the span of a few years, but I guess money changes people. He also went on to play a few cops in movies too... The production is a lot better than the NWA days, but that stands within reason. The flows and style are a lot better than those days too (in my opinion). The second half of the album is a bit more of a return to form. The flows are a lot more similar to NWA in that they are a lot more rigid. It's a lot of rhyming for the sake of rhyming (or at least that is what it feels like) There are aspects that I quite like about this album, but overall it wasn't something that impressed me, especially compared to some other albums that came out the same year that pushed the genre forward a bit more. Although the first half of this album was a lot more in line with that. A high 3/5 I fuck with the anti-police message in this
Aggressive, old school rhymes. A bit dated, but the overall message is still relevant. Sadly.
Has some cool moments. Def reminds me of a lot. Feels like Dan the Automator is almost in here. I think I get what he was trying to do culturally and I appreciate that. I have a new-found respect for ice cube, even if there are no entire songs I loved. The interlude where ice cube gives an interview is probably my fav part after it was a good day.
Not really my kind of music but definitely has some bangers. Checking myself before I wreck myself on these notes... It was a good day is a classic.
Not my cup of tea but pretty good with some tracks I might revisit. Good beats, good flow, good rhymes. It Was A Good Day is stand out.
good
seeee. 7.5/10
Un clasicazo con toda la actitud.
I love Ice Cube’s voice. Oddly, more than once the album triggered thoughts of a rap duo I listened to as a kid: Kris Kross. Where that was G rated, though, this was R. Looking into it, Kris Kross did sample Ice Cube’s music in their own.
Not a bad album, but not my cup of tea. Good background noise tho.
my east coast bias comes into play heavily on this album, but it's almost impossible to deny the raw energy that ice cube captured on the highs of this album. the unfortunate relics of sexism and thin veils of anti semitism on some songs leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, however i feel it is more valuable to explore the causes of such prejuidice than posture about it from the future. do your own research on the history of the persecution of african americans and draw your own conclusions. what lies beneath is one of the most well produced and provocative albums in hip hop history, something ice cubes early run exemplified.
Good hiphop album but not the best of it’s time period. Ice cube’s flow, delivery and lyricism are undeniable. It just hits so much harder when it’s on a Dre beat. Still very impressed by what Ice Cube does as a solo album and tracks like ‘It Was A Good Day’
Har ändå en större kärlek för Wu Tangig hiphop framför N.W.A.ig hiphop. Detta känns ibland lite för hårt och aggressivt. Även om jag gillar hur Ice Cube kommenterar sociala orättvisor och rasism, och det då hör till att ha en viss ilska. Bäst är det ändå när det är lite mer "smooth", som i megahiten 'It Was a Good Day' eller baslinjerna i beatet i 'We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up'. Ice Cubes är ju kontroversiell för tidigare antisemitiska textrader, en bild som följer honom än idag, och som faktiskt gör det liiiite svårare för mig att helt omfamna albumet. Bästa låt: We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up.
Not my usual style of music but an enjoyable listen.
Pretty good, some weak songs. 7/10
Fun moments but bland overall
Pari legeendarista räbäytystä ja muuten paikoin semisti tylsä. 2,80*
Tiukka. Tällasta jaksaa kuunnella paljon ja mieluusti
Great beats and production. I love Ice Cube’s flow. The inserts were all really good and I rarely like the skits or extras on most rap albums. The songs that are responses to Rodney King were the best part, and sadly are still relevant today.
Pretty catchy but too violent in a lot of ways
Ice Cube crafts some great songs. Really enjoyed the theme and lyrical composition.
Tiene una par de grandes canciones, pero como me pasa con los discos de rap, se me hace muy largo.
I recognize the significance of Ice Cube as an artist and of his music. I even occasionally enjoy his beats, but I'm afraid I'm not a fan of the music, of most of the lyrics.
4/16, 25%
A few big songs I knew, but mostly went into this one blind. Great production, but is still old enough into hiphop variance in the individual songs. Very socially aware and a worthwhile listen as a response to the 1992 riots.
So yeah, the elephant in the room is the antisemitism and misogyny. You can make an argument that it is never okay and steals attention from the impact of the rest of the record, and that may be a valid point. You can make an argument that the importance of the messages about racism and the Black experience is so strong that it is undeniable in spite of those things, and that may also be a valid point. I think it may be up to the individual, and it likely is a spectrum. For me, it does make for a more challenging listen, but then again it's supposed to be a challenging listen for me as a white man, but then again is it a mixed message, and on and on.
idk what it is about 90s rap that just doesn’t do it for me. maybe the beats? it was a good listen but just good nothing special. gangsta’s fairy tale 2 was very funny
Everything is alright
Some good tracks, but also some duds. Cube seems like a cool guy
Pretty good I guess. Skits are boring they're a real trope of these rap albums
Explicit lyrics aside, the beats are good. Not my taste, but I can appreciate it. I didn't really listen to this back in 1992 ironically, but listened to it now.
Can’t say whether or not it was better than the chronic, definitely edgier and angrier. Also regular people just enjoy this album, psychos like me immediately recognize the Steely Dan Green Earrings sample on Dont Trust Em
Pour un gars qui aime pas le rap, j’ai quand même bien apprécié l’album, il y avait un ptit kekchose de différents je sais pas quoi
That was a trip reliving this album. I didn't like it as much as I used to, but it was still pretty good.
Ice Cube is an OG. He never really (and still doesn't) stick out to me as one of "the greats" - but he was certainly talented and you can hear the influence he had on artists that would come later. Worthy of the list.
i mean it’s classic old school hip hop - if you like that you’ll like this
3 stars
Some angry guy with loud drums.
Lekker oldskool
Pretty standard for 90s west coast hip hop/gangster rap. Too long and really not enough variation throughout to keep me wanting to listen. 5/10
Funny? Cool vibe
Classic funky 90s hip hop with I assume offensive lyrics. Some recognisable samples. finally allowed swears on the speaker.
Pratsjunger ok. När han nämner ”West side” kan jag inte låta bli att tänka på Göteborg, men det är väl helt fel.
Cube speaks to real issues with some catchy songs.
Ice cube cuenta con un disco qeu comienza de maenra interesantísima, incluso me atrevo a decir qeu no envejeció tan bien como sonaba en su época. Las temáticas repetitivas, junto con los excelentes beats pero demasiado repetitivos hacen que a veces canse. La capacidad narrativa de Cube es espectacular, igualmente su flow es practicamente el mismo durante todo el proyecto lo que hace que carezca de profundidad. Pero bueno, se intenta introducir una especie de temática clara al principio en medio y demás que funciona al principio pero hasta ahí. Hay canciones entretenidas y demás y hay temones. Realmente Ice Cube logra entregarnos un disco de hip hop mas aceptable en el que el fanático del rap va a encontrar un disfrute tremendo, igualmetne no es más que eso 6,5/10.
Solid album. Enjoyed the samples.
The production of this album is absolutely fantastic, the beats are excellent the whole way through, Ice Cube has an absolutely signature flow and style that is maintained throughout the entire album. If this album were just about how it sounds, I would have nothing negative to say. But that’s not the case because, and I’m quoting Eminem here, music is reflection of self. One of the qualities I love about a lot of rap is that it is expression; it’s speech, and that’s what this album is. It’s speech presented with dope beats and sick rhymes. And I love that. I love Ice Cube’s anger and frustration with racist police, with the injustice of the Rodney King trial, with the state of race relations in America. I empathize with him while listening, and he’s absolutely correct in his scathing criticisms of these things and calls for change. It’s powerful, and I do love to hear it. Unfortunately however, I do not love everything Ice Cube has to say here(and in general). His critics are absolutely right to criticize his anti-semitism and association with anti-semitic groups. Cube’s rebuke of these criticisms don’t exactly alleviate those concerns, both here on The Predator and in the present. I found these thoughts continuing to surface throughout listening to this album, and it made it quite difficult to enjoy fully. I don’t intend to use this review to debate with Cube, but I don’t think I can accurately review it without mentioning these things due to how much of this album is a reflection of Ice Cube’s own feelings and self. With that all being said and out of the way, I do feel the need to reiterate that I enjoyed the production of everything on this album. It Was a Good Day is an absolute classic. Wicked was another that stood out to me that I really enjoyed. I also quite enjoyed the concept of Gangsta’s Fairytale 2. There’s a lot of good songs on this one, and I do think it’s worth a listen, even if I am not in love with it.
Truthfully I had to listen to this one a few times. The first time I thought it was strikingly unremarkable. It left no impression whatsoever so I didn't feel like I had anything to say. The next few times I slowly started to warm up to it. I initially had to get over the fact that my first real exposure to Ice Cube was "Are We There Yet?". It was hard to take anything seriously. This is also a problem for me with NWA's work too. Then I warmed up more when I realized this is kind of a "Jammy" hip-hop album, so to speak. Long instrumental interludes in songs reminded me of a lot of shoegaze stuff in terms of their progressions and movements. Anyway after a few listens I thought this was pretty nifty and I think I'll listen to more. 3
For the beats and the beats only.
Rap is better when the performer has something to talk about other than their own gretaness.
Indifferent
Ice Cube is awesome, I enjoy both his music and his acting. This is a good album with some great lyrics. Trust no bitch. It's on like Donkey Kong. 3.5
Torn. I enjoy Ice Cube's voice a lot and especially his rap style/flow. I really like the beats (despite the bad mix). I really hate skits - makes it hard to get into [although admittedly there aren't that many], yet i say this and suddenly I find myself lost like 25 minutes in and I'm grooving so... maybe I should shut up and enjoy the good parts. Another negative is that It doesn't *sound* all that great, it's loud and way too compressed, but I do like this musical style (outside the dumb ones like "Dirty Mack" or "Gangsta's Fairytale 2" - terrible). I'll call it right up the middle - probably not something I'll reach for that often but 5 or 6 excellent cuts make it for me; some faves are "Check Yo Self" and "It Was a Good Day". And in retrospect "F**k 'Em" and "Integration" are important so on second listen I found it easier to get through. Fk the police indeed. 6/10 3 stars.
I enjoyed this album, but when it finished, Spotify immediately started playing Wu-Tang Clan, which made this feel very average in comparison.
Interesting enough. Challenging content
3.6/5
Marginally better than The Chronic, but still not really good. It Was A Good Day is a step above the rest, but other than that it's nicely produced but not much more. Nothing specifically wrong with it, I don't think, but it just doesn't grab me. 3/5.
I wrote and recorded all the inserts and skits on this album.
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would but there’s a lot of homophobia (amongst other things) you have to look past
It's fine - definitely a worthwhile listen for the impact it had, and its sad how the LA riots and race issues at the time are still relevant and a prevalent today. Some great tracks like "It was a good day" and "Check Yo Self". I liked the production, but just didn't feel a connection to it.
The beats are dated, the flow is just so-so, and the lyrical content is about 50% garbage. But the other 50% is pure, blistering fire. I mean, dang. Cube's never worried about stepping on tails or pissing off the establishment. Whether that's "the man" or other rappers, he doesn't care. He's going to call it as he sees it and I love that. But it's not an enjoyable listening experience. There's too much dated garbage in here. It's not '92 anymore. The misogyny and hostility wasn't awesome then and it's really not so great now.
Heard it before?: No but some of his tracks seem to appear on all of his work? Enjoy it?: Yeah, very easy listening and enjoyable for the drama and his use of samples and spoken word edits come across cool and relevant to what he wants to portray Favourite song: Track 6 - The Predator
Singles are great
There's a power and presence behind Ice Cube's music. Something you have to pay attention to. The rating for this album doesn't really reflect how much better than the other albums that I've given the same rating.
I didn't even have to use my AK
Mientras estaba escuchando este disco, ví a mi gato pasar arrastrando el culo por el living; recién había cagado y le quedó un poco. Tuve que limpiarla, bañarme, y seguir escuchando el disco recién después. A pesar del olor nauseabundo a mierda, la situación desfavorable de tener que parar el disco, y el hecho de que no escucho rap, pude apreciar bastante el disco y la manera energética con la que rapea Ice Cube. Me parecierion muy copados los arrangements en los instrumentos y los riffs son muy pegadizos. Superó un montón mis expectativas. 7/10
Good old school hip hop, or rather great old school!
Ahh je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser. Pour la plupart les chansons sont un peu fade. Il y a ceoendant vraiment des classiques. J’adore ice cube et j’ai beaucoup ecoute sa musique, mais ce n’3sy vraiment pas le meilleur album dans le genre pour cette epoque. 3 it was a good day estvraiment le highlight de l’album.
Fun sounding, surprisingly easy album to listen to. ‘Check Yo Self’ was the standout for me.
I enjoyed bobbin my head to today was a good day
Tidigt 90-tal är nog min favoritstil av hiphop. The Predator är likt mycket som gruppen NWA och dess tidigare medlemmar skapat politiskt och ilsket som tusan, vilket gör det mycket intressant. En brutal verklighet skildras, vilket är något jag tror är viktigt. Tankeväckande. The Predator är både roligt och sorgligt att lyssna på, mycket på grund av livligt bildspråk och medryckande beats. Bäst: It Was a Good Day