Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Angry, of its time, although to be fair of our time also if not for the misogyny etc...
Incredibly abrasive lyrics and sum uhh boom bap
Some solid rap here, plenty of MF and N and F and S. Good opportunity to explain genre-appropriate language to the kids.
Not a huge fan of cube's style
Genre: West Coast Hip Hop 3/5 An angry, aggressive, politically pointed hip hop record, Ice Cube's The Predator serves more as a tremendous time capsule than it does a great hip hop album. Falling into the same usual pitfalls that the genre would generally fall into at the time (anti-semitism under the guise of anti-americanism, misogyny, homophobia), but with none of the charm or musical excess that makes albums like The Chronic or Ready to Die work out. This is very in-your-face, and truly holds nothing back, but the album never takes the time to embellish on these themes in any sort of constructive way. In the highly politically violent times that this was gestated in, released just a few months after the Rodney King riots occurred in Ice Cube's hometown of LA, it's not surprising that there's a lot of anger throughout the album. The lyrics often jump around innuendo and poetry, and hit right at the core of the issues without the pussyfooting. It Was a Good Day, one of hip hop's best tracks of the decade, is one of the few moments on the album where Ice Cube takes a step back, and he provides us with smooth production and introspective lyrics, something the album should've done a bit more of. Overall though, while I can empathize with the feelings felt throughout this listen, the overall sonic brutality sort of muddled the whole thing for me. Not bad, but not great.
-"When Will They Shoot" has great, meaningful bars. I like the intense, shout delivery -"Wicked" has the cool fast bars and Ice Cube has good flow throughout -"Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" has a pretty cool vocal loop going in the background. It's pretty catchy and I find the concept kind of funny -I like the multi-phase "Say Hi To The Bad Guy." Also that cop should have known to not mess with another man's donuts -Overall, I like the more shouty-lyriced songs. The other songs didn't have quite as interesting of flow. Pretty close to a 4, but just not enough strong tracks
Un disc de rap polític i compromés. 'It Was a Good Day' és un dels millors temes de hip hop dels '90. La resta es deixa escoltar i per fans del génere segur que és un disc excel.lent
It was alright. I liked the beats, but as with most albums from this genre, the lyrics are where I personally get hung up on. They probably just don’t appeal to me considering I don’t have experiences like that, so I can’t really get into it. Other than that though I thought it was a decent experience. Favorite track: It Was a Good Day
Not bad, has some dated references to politicians but other than that, still holds up.
His political lyrics are awesome, but sad we're still talking about the same things with almost zero change. And a lot of his interludes provide a lot of complex discussion to complex issues. So kudos. But his misogynistic lyrics are just awful. And I don't know how I feel about his gangster songs (Now I Gotta Wet Cha, The Predator); a little too unapologetic about gangland murder. So a bit of a tale of two sides. First four tracks powerful and/or thought provoking. Next two tracks a bit depraved. Even his big single It Was a Good Day I'm torn on; catchy tune and some good lyrics, but then a bit of BS about running women too. Mostly a good tune though. He nails it on We Had to Tear this MoFo Up - the best track on this album, with great lyrics (see his non-apology on lyrics that were criticized as anti-Semitic). But F off with Dirty Mack and Don't Trust Em; goes over the line in my opinion (and the beats are cheesy). Check Yo Self has a great beat but the lyrics aren't nearly as good as other tracks. Last few tracks are provocative in a better way. Feels like a 3.5 with a dice toss for rounding up or down.
it was good! might circle back and listen to more of this
Bit sweary for me
Beats on the thing are fun and good. Lyrics mixed. Fun enjoyable listen.
The syle is ok, I do like socio-political content but that's only half of this store. I feel like this album is building up to something but never quite gets there.
Bon album. C'est vrai que la patte du dj de Cypress hill est reconnaissable immédiatement. Un peu répétitif dans certaine toune mais c'est le genre j'imagine. La même mesure sans trop de variation pendant 4 minute c'est long. Malgré ça c'est assez varié musicalement et l'album s'écoute bien. C'est très chargé politiquement alors c'est un peu réducteur de dire que ça s'écoute bien mais bon... sorry
Listening to The Chronic and then The Predator, I almost wish these two albums were fused. They have oppositional strengths. Where Ice Cube is socially focused and taking the (violent) activist role, Dr. Dre is more focused on rep. On the flip side, the hooks and melodies on The Chronic are better built. There are hits on both albums but The Chronic has more lasting power based on melody alone. Any number of Karen's have listed out the problematic aspects of this album--and they aren't fully wrong (example: homophobic language). There is bravado with purpose and there is excess here, too. Ice Cube often is punching his own allies in the face in his outrage. A riot isn't clean but that also doesn't make it unnecessary. It requires you to ask the question "how the fuck did we get here?" and that is the point he's trying to make (hence all the interludes referencing his critics).
Loved this. This was the album today. Today was a good day!
3.5
Cold-hearted over a good mix of beats.
This still feels pretty stale the way a lot of gangster rap does now, but this is probably top stale shelf. Whereas The Chronic seems to be pretty much in love with itself, this one feels like it has something to say. Ice Cube also has a killer delivery and more than a few lines that are pretty great. Like, Check Yo Self is one you could put up directly against anything on The Chronic and Cube would be the winner. It Was a Good Day is a stand out, but there's enough here to keep you listening at least once.
I’m in line with Craig on this one. I enjoyed it immensely more than I expected to and more than the other Cube record we heard. Furthermore, the social commentary was working for me in a way that still felt like Ice really meant what the hell he was talking about. Maybe I just like hip hop best when it’s either this angry or plain silly. I don’t know. Did get a good chuckle out of that one bit where he said something about not selling out. Whoo boy, if he could’ve seen into the future and imagined he’d be acting in family films…
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Un poco rollo, porque no me gusta el rap ni este estilo de música. Antes le puse un 3. Le pongo un 2?
I liked the following, rest was average.. - Classic Ice Cube Liked Now I gotta Wet Cha Like here comes the predator We had to tear this mutha fuck Dirty Mack Gangsters fairytale 2 Check Yo Self Say Hi to ther bad guy
Some good sampling and thematic stitching together of album with interview excerpts, etc. Little bit monotonous. Long. 2.75/5
Some songs in this album are ubiquitous, even for a non-rap person like me. I can definitely see why this is included in the list. It’s not my jam, but it is a good album
A legend who, like LL, maintained their legacy without tarnishing it with newer releases. This album has the themes and great lyricism you can expect from Hip Hop during that time and especially given the riots that ensued. Musically, it lacks some dynamics as the beats are more or less the same without any memorable hits. A period of time where rappers approached albums more with freestyling rather than songwriting.
Decent album that actually sounds much more modern than it is due to it being similar to the Gangsta Rap of the early 2000s.
Not really my thing but I can appreciate the talent.
pretty good overall 4.5
Today was a good day! The rest was okay
This album was new to me, although know It Was Good Day very well. The rest of the album seems in a similar vein, if a bit less laid-back. Solitary samples looping most of the way through each track with Ice Cube rapping on top. Enjoyed some of this more than others, and by the time it got to Good Day it was feeling a bit monotonous for me. The sound (and lyrical content) is very much of its time, but an interesting reminder of that time, nonetheless.
A very angry album - not exactly late night listening. But I guess that's the point. More funk than I was expecting. I think I would have loved this if I had been more street wise back in '91 and listened to hip hop rather than third rate shite Midlands indie crap. Check yerself before you wreck yerself, etc.
Alright album
good music but the man's an anti-semite and it features regularly in his lyrics why can't black and jewish people just get along, you should join forces against WASP america
Less of a marathon than i thought it was going to be. But something to which i won't return
Aquí hay musicalidad a parte de rap comprometido. Al escuchar el disco sientes como si Ice Cube se acabase de comprar una casa y te la estuviese enseñando. Roza el 4.
It feels very old school in terms of style and sounds but lyrically it hasn't really dated, which is scary and depressing. Still sounds kinda breezy and fun despite the content.
Predator is an album built on rock-solid foundations of West-coast gangsta rap and a lyrical concept. The production is more varied than any other element, which leaves me wanting more. The funky beats of Dirty Mack were a highlight, while the skeletal drums of other songs drew my ear to lyrics which were consistently a little blunt.
This album didn’t age well for me.
Didn't get around it like I thought I would.
not really my cup of tea, but not bad I guess?
Bon album mais quand même déçu considérant comment j'ai plus aimé tous les autres albums originaux WC que j'ai écouté.
Another album with great beats and infused with steady homophobia and misogyny :|
I can't give this more than a 3, as I didn't really enjoy it. But the lyrics.... wow. They were reflective of societal issues back then and now and I always appreciate meaningful lyrics that are straight to the point.
Fire AF
Enjoyable in parts.
1992. It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self
Hi: Wicked, Dirty Mack, Who Got The Camera?, Say Hi to the Bad Guy Lo: Ice Cube is an NFT selling anti-vaxxer now...bye Felicia...(-1 star) It's on like Donkey Kong! Notorious and strident, Cube is an old school social commentator, interspersing segues containing recorded newscast dialogues between tracks that after almost 30 years still seem relevant. To say that Cube hasn't been influential over the years, garnering a successful music and acting career, is an understatement. Big beats and rhymes are the name of the game here, and it's an entertaining album to say the least.
At the height of grunge, one of the hardest and angriest albums released was this hip hop one. Hard to deny what an phenomenonenal lyricist Ice Cube is. The production suits Cube's rapping perfectly, more bomb squad that Dre, DJ Pooh is criminaly underrated Would have given this 4 stars but some of the tracks are sexist and dated.
This isn't normally my style of music but I liked it. It's simultaneously so much a product of its time (1992), but still relevant.
Sounds great, but some of the misogyny jars nowadays
TIL where "It's on like Donkey Kong" is from. Can't say I know much Ice Cube but shame there is some patterns of anti-Semitism with him. Putting that aside if possible, not a bad album. I would probably rather just listen to N.W.A though. 3.5 down to 3. It Was A Good Day is a bop though.
not my thing, appreciated the art though.
Wasn’t really in the mood for this. Tired of trying to review gangsta rap anyway, my opinion on this isn’t relevant.
Nie moja bajka, ale nie był tragiczny
chunky violence
Something quite bracing about listening to unrestrained offensive sexism. Well done Mr Cube
Je m'attendais précisemment à écouter cet album très peu intéressant, tous les codes ont été respecté: - le n word est bel est bien présent, Ice Cube ne laisse aucune place au doute et use et abuse de ce mot si cher au rap de toute époque. - les interludes sont elles aussi de la partie, et comme lors de l'album précédent n'apportent aucune plus value à l'album. Ice Cube a bien pris soin de de ne pas les mettre en valeur. - la musicalité est elle toujours bannie des débats, Ice Cube affectionnant tout particulièrement les albums monotones sans aucune variation.
Hard Hip-Hop. That's what it was styled in 90's
I love Ice Cube, the actor. Never got into his music so this is a first. This album is almost 30 years old and it somehow sounds like it was made today with Cube (I saw Three Kings in a theater, so I feel like I'm allowed to call him Cube) speaking to issues that currently plague society. I was going to suggest the album is even more relevant today than it was upon release - something I wish wasn't accurate - but then I learned it was released around the time of the Rodney King verdict. Love the drops from Predator 2. "It Was A Good Day" is an all-timer 5. The rest of the album almost fails in comparison to that classic. But this absolutely deserves a spot on this list, and I now get why Perry Farrell refers to Cube as the "black Bob Dylan".
Fairly standard rap album, some good some bad. The interludes weren't as cringe as they could've been so pretty good.
I enjoyed it
Ice cube is socially and self aware when it comes to rapping. His hardcore style is ok but is lackluster when it comes to a full album. Some of the songs have stood the test of time and are still relevant. Others feel dated. 7.5/10
Good album, a reminder that the US keeps repeating history with only marginal change. Strong lyrics.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: It was a good day, When will they shoot?, Check yo self
3 1/2 stars Beats good Rapping was enjoyable Yeah
Some good tracks, sounds a lot like Cypress Hill
Some solid 90’s rap. A lot of nutsacks. I’m not usually a fan of rap but I quite enjoyed this.
hip hop 3.5/5
Wasn't excited to listen to this, but then someone on Instagram had "Good day" playing in one of their stories, so now I need to listen to it. Glad I have the whole weekend to get to it. The opening with the full cavity prison search was too much for me. Didn’t make it far into this one.
Not a bad listen, actually! Educational, albeit angry, music is good. I now see the irony in the misogynistic lyrics, but still don't like that content.
Good old school hip hop.
Good, led by a few top songs. Better flow than expected.
political, important, very 90s sound, are we there yet
decent
Minder erg dan ik dacht. Ik betrapte me erop dat ik zat mee te deinen. Nu iets dat we nog niet gehad hebben, graag.
kug
"White man, is somethin I tried to study But I got my hands bloody, yeah" (When will the shoot?) Me ha gustado mucho cómo funcionan los inserts en este disco
Not as good as the previous Ice Cube album but it still has a couple of my favourites on it
Similar energy & anger to NWA. Timely to come out in the same year as the Rodney King beating, because he (ice Cube) would have probably been rapping about police brutality anyway. I like the hit (It was a Good day). The songs that consist of tape loops of interviews could have been shorter or eliminated IMO. That was the good thing about vinyl. there was no room for filler.
Not my genre, but sounds fun. Body starts to move automatically.
5.75
Un poco rollo, porque no me gusta el rap ni este estilo de música.
Appropriately political. Pretty damn good. Great variety of beats.
crazy tru
Hard as fuck
Solid!
3
Gute rhymes und message aber mir passiert zu wenig
Y’know, it’s funny. This is gangster rap, and he definitely uses some language that’s terrible, but overall it sounds so goofy and old because of the early 90s sound. I liked it
Pretty noice. I guess it's revolutionary.
Not really my style, but I can understand why it is ground breaking.
Interesting, Educational, scary how little has changed in a generation. And I am not a fan of the music.
i like icecube, altought some of the songs in this album come over as etremely violent
Like him as an actor better than a rapper, though i do realize the cultural weight of this album.
3.5
This album is both historically and prophetically important. It is an excellent commentary on the societal division in the US, but from the 90's when most of the racial tension was glossed over, this album gives insight into the reality of racial tensions and realities. As such it becomes prophetic for 2020. This is why this album is important, not because of it's ingenuity or musicality, but because of it's look into the realities of being black.
A great song or 2 but a bit too aggressive for me
Not my thing. Not the worst and it had some nice samples and sampling. I also liked the skits. 2/5.
253. 2.5
If there was a Venn Diagram illustrating how the world of me and Gangsta collided the 2 circles wouldn’t be on the same A4 page. However, I understand the sentiment and it is genuinely scary that the themes discussed on this album continue over 30 years later however we are hear to rate the music and it’s not something I enjoy listening to so for that reason I give it a
ITS okay
The music is good but the lyrics and persona are so over the top I just can't.
Enough with the Ice Cube. The guy doesn't need 3+ albums on this list.
667/1001 2026.07.28 🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑
I think theres way too many songs on the album and they are all so similar, except today was a god day. which was gold. I do appreciate being able to right lyrics and putting it out there. But really the only song that made me be like "wow" was today was a good day. They rest is good listening tunes though but nothing earth shattering imo.
Would’ve liked it better if we didn’t have it the day after straight outta Compton. Beats are fine. Flow is better than the NWA album, same w lyrics. But I enjoyed it less. He’s anti semitic
The beats were good, some good messaging but rap is not my style
Ikke min smak
Ice Cube used to know what was up when it came to how America treats black people. We all know that sadly today Ice Cube defends the white establishment. I wish he was still advocating for violence against racist whites. I have to give this album a low rating because I cannot forgive the misogyny and homophobia. The year being 1992 is no excuse. Honestly it knocks the legs out from under the rest of the politics in the lyrics.
On his third solo album, Ice Cube spends nearly an hour bragging about how great he is, complaining (by name) about everyone who has wronged him, or preaching about the evils of white people and women. Big hit "It Was a Good Day" breaks the mold by being more positive (although Cube still views women as sex objects on the song), but my enthusiasm for the song has been dampened by the overplay of its video on MTV back in the day. "Check Yo Self" was another single, but was more popular (and superior) in its remix that samples hip-hop class "The Message". Das EFX rappity raps the hook on both versions of the song, making this very 1992 sounding. "Wicked" stands out from the lukewarm G-Funk that features on most of the album's musical backing. This reflection on the 1992 L.A. riots has more of a Bomb Squad sound collage style, harkening back to Cube's debut, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. The backdrop works in its support of Cube's lyrics about the chaos of the time period. Overall, The Predator is a disappointing album full of dated beats with problematic lyrics that has definitely not aged well.
That one famous song is here, yk the one. Like the one that goes like that one melody yk? Do you know?
Quite listenable for a hip-hop album. favourite: "It Was a Good Day"
It hasn't aged as well as I thought it would. It Was A Good Day is the only track I really liked on this listen.
Just another generic hip hop album yet again with rampant misogyny. It's not actually all that bad outside of that, in terms of vocals, instrumentals, production etc It's certainly not anything special but it's perfectly ok. But the lyrics and just overall lack of originality are really what drag it down. I think that NWA and the members as individuals obviously have a hugely important place in the timeline of hip hop throughout the years, but there is definitely something to be said about the fact that they are more influential than actually good.
Insufferable.
It was a good day
Okay I do feel bad for giving bad scores to all the 90s rap albums. It's just not my kind of thing. But this one had some good sections rather. I just don't really vibe with the antisemitism of it all and the having sex with women.
This is as 90s rap as it gets and I don’t love 90s rap. Some good beats here and there but mostly a miss for me.
05/30 Meh
n word rap, good day le da 2/5
Thought I heard some portions of Doggystyle, but that came out a year later. It's decent rap from an angry man, but not my thing.
Didn’t overly care much for this one
Solid album with powerful messages that still resonate.
Not really my thing
Just 1 good song
I like it better than most rap I hear. I think it's the Public Enemy influence that makes this more listenable. His voice is cool and really carries his aggression. Sometimes that's cool and sometimes it just lumps this in with all of the typical gangsta rap garbage. "Dirty Mack" and "Don't Trust 'Em" are very basic and are exemplars of this weak sauce. I really don't understand anyone wanting to listen to songs where the guy is just talking about how big his dick is. Boring! I guess what I'm saying is that I can listen to this in small doses, a couple of songs at a time. Otherwise it gets too repetitive and annoying. Let's call this a 2.5 and just give it 2 stars. I like some of it, but not enough to come back to listen to the whole thing.
Politically charged and aggressive. Hear it in the angry lyrics. At least one or two tracks musically sounded a little like Cypress Hill. Pretty solid, but there’s political gangster rap that hits harder and is lore interesting to me.
I get and truly appreciate the cultural relevance of all of these 90s gangster rap albums, this one in particular. But I just hate this music. It's monotonous, cliched, and though still relevant as far as the racial commentary it hasn't really aged well otherwise. The abject violence, rampant misogyny, homophobia, and all the other tropes of this kind of music just grate on your ears. It's funny to me that Ice Cube went from this to acting, especially in family friendly movies. He's actually really funny too. There is a little bit more variation in this than most I suppose. I still can't recommend it or even pick out something I liked because this kind of music is just not for me, but it wasn't the worst example I've heard so there's that. 1.75/5
2 1/2
DNF. was really catchy and all but if you’re so uncreative that you have to use the f-bomb every 3.5 seconds, maybe you should pursue another profession.
I found this quite uninspiring outside of the big hit. Fave Tracks: It Was A Good Day 2.4/5
eh me dio mucha paja. Muy monotemático.
Too much of this sounds alike, and as much as I love Ice Cube in movies, this is not my jam.
These grooves are funky, heavy, cool, infectious. Gangsta is a genre I don't really "get," it's not my culture, it's too violent. So, it doesn't appeal to me lyrically. It's hard to get past being offended. But I can see how some guys would be attracted to Mr. Cube. Killer grooves though, foot tappin' production. Please don't make my head explode like a cantaloupe.
Nope, don't buy the anger and bravado. Sometimes it's easy to be hard.
If we put aside the mysogyny and violence there are some funky tracks. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would
2/5.. liked a good day but nothing else stood out and felt too long
Fine, but I'm just not the biggest Ice Cube fan in general and some of these beats are doodoo
not bad
dai ma che rottura è veramente carina solo it was a good day e basta
length often lessens impact
I listened to alot of rap in highschool so I was looking forward to hearing some older stuff but I have not like much of it. This album included.
it sounds so good!!! wait, who's album is this? ice cube? the actor? the black israelite?? the racist whisperer???
The Predator has the exact same problem for me that I had with Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg. It has some good music, but the lyrics are insufferably bad, except in this case, The Predator has much less enjoyable music. Once again, the narcissistic bullshit rap lyrics make a comeback, filled with tons of misogyny as usual. The music in this album is also very lackluster, one song was just a single repetitive drum beat with weird screaming sounds repeated during certain portions, like is this even music at this point?? The only songs that I enjoyed musically (and not lyrically) are "It Was a Good Day" and "Dirty Mack". Overall a very unenjoyable album. Favorite Song: "It Was a Good Day"
Album 1047 of 1089 The Predator - Ice Cube (1992) Rating : 2 / 5 There were a few different ways I could have approached this one. I could’ve brushed it off entirely because the genre just doesn’t do much for me — and it’s clearly not aimed at someone like me anyway. But that felt too easy. What I kept coming back to was the message. There is a strong message here - anger, frustration, commentary, and a snapshot of a moment in time. But for me, that message is buried under delivery choices that stop a lot of listeners cold before they ever get a chance to hear what’s being said. The language and aggression become the headline, and the substance gets lost for many. That feels like a missed opportunity. Not because the message isn’t valid - but because it limits who will ever engage with it. Instead of pulling me in, it kept me at arm’s length, and once that distance is there, the impact fades quickly. I understand why this album matters, and I respect what Ice Cube was trying to communicate. It just didn’t translate into something I could connect with or enjoy as a listening experience. For me, the intent outweighed the execution.
Ah the classic womanizer rap just my favorite
Look I appreciate the social issues raised here but why can't you present it like Public Enemy? The constant stream of expletives and misogyny and wanton violence really dilutes the message. Also like most rap albums it's way too bloated.
west coast 90's rap. any commentary on society or culture is lost in the denigrating lyrics. so demeaning toward women
Good production on these tracks and references and samples to / from other rap / hip hop outfits (Public Enemy & Geto Boys etc) + the times and what was going on make this album significant for many involved. 'Straight Outta Compton' vibes for a lot of the tracks as well but not being from the US, this doesn't hit it for me, especially with all the 'nigga' this and that and 'muthafuckin' hoes and bitches'. Can't really relate.
I hate it when white people disregard rap and hiphop as violent, hateful, misogynistic and racist. When they call the art form lesser or basic because it is full of profanity and anger. But damn, Ice Cube really makes it hard to defend this record. Though he overtly addresses these issues in some lyrics and interludes, his macho performance lands as performatively masculine, hateful, misogynistic and sometimes racist. There is so much here that speaks to class and race struggles, especially involving the justice system, police brutality, etc, but without the NWA crew around him, this album doesn't hit as hard as I'd like, despite Cube's bravado. The instrumentation is a boring hip hop wash without much production value. There are better, more intentional gangsta protest albums out there, including some by Cube. I just don't think I'll ever choose to put this one on again, even though I'm a fan of radical 90s hip hop. 3/10
Ei ihmeellinen lopulta. 2/5.
An ANGRY album -- that is, an one-note album that provided nothing much. "It Was a Good Day" is the clear stand-out track.
Decent rapping and cool beats, and I really like the interludes with news reports and radio clips. But, I’m just not that interested in this kind of music.
OK
2+ Stars (6/15)
A little bit too much talking for me but I do like Ive Cube!
Doneeee I don’t actually enjoy it but some tracks are repeated in my listeNing session. I’ll give it 3/5
Getting tired of "fuck bitch motherfucker nigga this nigga that" rap it's mostly all the same
Meh
This album could not hold my attention at all. 2 stars or D-.
I guess I should give it a second listen and pay better attention to the lyrics or flow or whatever. But I just have a hard time with these long rap albums from the 90s that have so much time taken up by skits. And I really don't need gunshots in my music. But I did like the Die Hard sample and I think that technically makes this a Christmas album.
It was fine, most of the songs blended together for me and none of the messages packed a lasting punch. "Today was a good day" is iconic though.
Fav track- Wicked and Say Hi To The Bad Guy Least fav track- First Day of School (Intro) Fav lyric- “Surely someone knows the address of the jury.” Overall rating- 6/10 Notes- not the type of music i’d usually listen to, it was a good compostition with thought out lyrics
I'm sure it was important and significant, and I liked some of the samples, but I never really got into it.
Previously rated: #429 - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (2/5) ********************************************* Album #983 I like the rapping style; it's fun. Too bad about the violent and hate-filled lyrics and skits. How can you take him seriously when he criticizes people for being scared of black men and then next track turns around threatening to wet peoples' shirts with his guns. Funny how he turns out to do goofy family comedy movies after this.
Never heard this and don’t really recall hearing any of the songs. Interesting but not my style.
Tigidi tigidi repas. Pakeli toną, nuleidi toną, kažką greit sumali. Galų gale tieisog nelabai muzikaliai tigidi tigidi kalbi ant byto. Perklausiau 5 dainas. 5/10
Ugh There were 2 songs I knew on here which weren't bad. The rest of the album annoyed me a bit from the repetitiveness. And the fact it just wasn't that good to begin with 2 ⭐️
It Was A Good Day //
I'm not sure if Ice Cube hates institutionalized racism or women more. I was actually enjoying this album despite it having a lot of the gangsta rap cliches that I can't stand (e.g. excessive violence, over use of the n-word, calling all women bitches, etc.), but Don't Trust 'Em pushed it too far for me. There are a couple good tracks and the content of the album addressing racism is sadly still very relevant, but overall, this album isn't for me.
It took me three tries to get through this album. The violence and anger doesn't really resonate with my personal life experience, but I can appreciate the artistry. I wish I had read the lyrics while listening. I think I would have gotten more out of it. Ice Cube has been putting out music consistently since 1991. That's impressive (but has nothing to do with this album's content)
You can't call out racism, police brutality and injustice, but think that blatant misogyny and retaliatory violence is fine.
Guess what folks, yet another bloody Rap / Hip-Hop album! Not too bad though.
Nice beats
Ok, another hip-hop album... I'm getting tired of this genre (so much!). I understand that it has been very influential, but, for me, hip-hop is very uninteresting and repetitive, and this album is all of this too (as bland). Lyrically, it is interesting at some parts, but I can't think about it if the album is driving me to boredom.
-it was fine ig, def wouldnt relisten -it was def very politically relevant still today, very interesting -i felt like it was sorta misogynistic tho which was off putting
Someday, one of these hip hop albums will earn >2 stars from me. But it is not this day.
Enjoyable. Never heard any ice cube passed. NWA would listen again.
Altogether pretty awful, as is the overwhelming majority of this genre, but it had some kind of redeeming quality in that the music didn't come across as obnoxious as other hip-hop. I certainly wouldn't listen to this shit again, but at least I wasn't desperate to rip out my earphones and throw them into oncoming traffic, like I was with NWA.
In his interview, Cube says he wants rap to open communication and understanding with white people. Decades of this repetitive, rather boring preachifying, while accurate, recitation has done nothing to advance that agenda - and it's no fun for me. There's not enough musicality here.
-it’s so cool to see the star of war of the worlds 2025 giving music a try <3 -a lot of mixed feelings on this one -I never listen to lyrics so I really made an effort to, obviously very culturally significant and maybe even more so today (weeeee) - it was a good day a classic for a reason, but the rest was so so so repetitive and boring at times -I like some rap but am super picky with what I like and I just can’t help but feel like most is just slam poetry set to hooks from the 50’s they didn’t even write so sue me!!!! Best wishes, the whitest person alive
This was better than Straight Outta Compton, but it wasn't good. The best song on this album by far is It Was A Good Day, and the internet agrees. It has 1.5 billion streams on Spotify and nothing else on the album cracks 50 million. I love the instrumental on that track, the little vocal snippet in the background, and that guitar line i just perfect. You could probably still cut a verse and make it better, but it's a good song overall. Back to the rest of the album... I think the instrumental vibe is a big improvement on the sound of N.W.A. It feels more timeless than his former group. I also like how it's very directly confronting Ice Cube's reputation at the time and the backlash he faced for his lyrics etc (even including interview snippets). Also he goes right into the Rodney King police brutality incident and subsequent riots. The album feels like a little time capsule for 1992. It's very interesting. However, like Straight Outta Compton, this album is way too long. Some of these tracks need to be shortened or cut. Also... even though the subject matter is compelling, the actual tracks themselves are often mediocre. O and some his lyrics just suck and don't age well and just aren't enjoyable when being heard for the first time in 2025. Overall, I'd say this record is a good stepping stone for rap and an improvement over the 80s gangster rap... but it's still not for me. This style would improve immensely over the course of the 90s and I prefer later albums in this style. That Nas record was definitely better.
Più di un'ora di rap è troppo.
2/5 not my genre but I can tell he's clearly much better at making music than he is at making movies
No, it does groove but is way to repetitive and honestly, after 50%, it started to test my patience...
Not for me.
As I get older I like this album less and less. Huge Ice Cube fan but this album ain’t that great really.
It’s no NWA
Nick Persons, played by rapper Ice Cube, is a selfish player who owns a collectibles sports shop in Portland Everything in his life is perfect until he meets Suzanne Kingston, a businesswoman who has something he hates - children: Lindsey and Kevin. They become friends and share good moments with each other. But his peaceful life gets altered when she asks him to drive Lindsey and Kevin to Vancouver. After they miss a plane and train, they drive. Unfortunately, Lindsey and Kevin hate Nick, and he has to try to make it to Vancouver, unaware of the terror and torture he is in for.
festival season is so funny bc saw ice cube live the same weekend i saw mcr ⭐️
what’s 9+10? 21 Jump Street You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain
Actually enjoyed it much more than I expected to, although it dragged on too long. Ice Cube just isn't enough of a charismatic or inventive rapper to enjoy listening to for an hour. But there are some legitimately interesting sounds here even when his flows drag on and he starts talking about how NOT anti-semitic he is for the fifth time Fav song: When Will They Shoot? or Wicked
okayyy!!
Harsh and violent. How did he turn into a mainstream actor? Great job remaking his image.
Just ok
The singles are all legendary, but back half of this is a slog. Cube is always operating at the same high level, but he really benefits from the super consistent production on most wanted and death certificate which just isn't here
Not my thing
It's a fine album, but only a couple of really good songs. The production is not my favorite. Ice is a great rapper, but I don't really care for a lot of the beats.
⭐️⭐️/5. Just not a big fan of early hip-hop as sacrilegious as that is.
Can't pretend that I enjoyed this, but I hated it a lot less than I thought I would! Parts of it were even OK. Shows how important it is to listen. I've found several albums here that I expected to hate or thought I hated, but I'm glad I listened to them.
Hopefully no one's gonna wet'me because of this review, but I hear this as kind of generic gansta rap. I haven't really listened hip hop music ever and this album didn't make me to want me to listen to it either. Many good samples from some 70's funk songs, but those were done by some other people and not by person whose name is written in the album cover. I would rather listen the samples without the rap in top of it. Not for me.
For mye skyting, Kompis ble redd
I like the movie with Schwarzenegger better..
Ice Cube is a fraud.
Decent some classics but a lot of non notable songs 2.5
Wasn't feeling the beats on this one
No thank you. There are musically interesting rap tracks hidden under layers of skits, intros, outros and just aggressive nonsense. When he does break out a tune (today was a good day) it shows the value but its only a rare glimpse
Hit & miss album
Not much to say. I just did not find it enjoyable.
Eigentlich echt solides klassisches HipHop Album, aber beim zweiten mal hören ist mir aufgefallen, dass das Album schon sehr antisemitisch und sexistisch ist, was irgendwie nicht zu den anderen Messages passt und dass Ice Cube dauernd auch irgendwie sagen will dass er missverstanden wird. Top: When will they shoot Flop: Don‘t trust ‚Em (sexistische Version von Sherane)
Not my cup of tea
This style of rap is not my favorite, with its specific tempo, plodding rhythms, and rhyme scheme. 2.5
It Was a Good Day is really a standout here
Whatever.
Day455 - i wasn’t really a fan of ice cube then and even less now but this does bring some nostalgia back
eh
Half decent to middling 2.5 stars
Sin letras no hay alegria. Sin más
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.
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 feel like I am supposed to like this, but really it was not my favorite album from this genre. 2/5
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.
Multiple ice cube albums wow
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.
I normally like Ice Cube, but this album has really poor production, hard listen.
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
Not my thing
Still don't like the genre.
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.
Really not for me got really bored after the first half 2/5
It was ok I didn't like it very much
It's the misogyny for me
2,5
downloaded 7
Important social commentary, but musically not my cup of tea at all
not my bag. 'tho, easy hip hop is pretty OG
Like Cypress Hill but nowhere near as good.
Really not my bag.
Not as bad as I feared
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.
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
Maso
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.
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.
Num é que sequência das músicas foi deixando o clima menos irritante.
1.5
Geile Rap-Stimme, aber die Lieder haben mich nicht so abgeholt.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Low. Idk how people have this music as heroes and role models
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?
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!
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.
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.
Gamli skolinn
Nah, not great. Again, don't like hip hop much.
Nor for me
Need to finish it
I feel so bad giving this a 2, especially when I see all the reviews here. But I rate for myself and how likely I am to listen again, and I won't. There's nothing wrong with it, I appreciate the lyrics and how important this album was at the time, and I like that he is very political. But I'm not a fan of hip hop and I'm always just waiting for it to be over. I much preferred the Wu-Tang.
I appreciate the artist, the importance of the music to the genre and that it resonates with so many people. It simply doesn’t do much me, particularly at this point in life.
the beats are okay but don't generally resonate with lyrics.
Some of this is feels loud to me like heavy metal. Title track gives his voice room to breathe. It was a good day is a 90s classic. Overall, this is better than expected. It’s still a lot of bitches and hos, though. Don’t Trust ‘Em is annoying and degrading. The non-stop misogyny throughout is off-putting at best. It’s too much of the he-man woman-haters club. Giving up on the rest of this.
Doesn’t feel that interesting tbh, just some meh hip-hop that was considered revolutionary when it came out because of the message it was trying to get across
It was ok. Unfortunately my rating system is based on my replay-ability and I just wouldn’t put it back on much, if at all. 2.5/5
An enjoyable listen for a genre I don't always enjoy - I find a lot of the songs blend together, which funnily enough makes songs like It Was A Good Day stand out even more as great songs. Fav songs: - It Was A Good Day
no me gusta este estilo 🫨🫠
No me gusta Ice Cube pero respect
Not a fan of the language and lyrics but some of the music and sampling was interesting
why are most rappers always “fucking hoes”?
I'm more familiar with Ice Cube's acting career than music so this will be interesting. Starts off very aggressive and I feel that will stay through most the album. I get the idea behind being a scary gun gangster, but for me the fictional aspect is in conflict with the authenticity that I may be wrongly expecting. On the other hand, reading these lyrics and actually sounding intimidating maybe says more about how he transitioned to an actor. "It was a good day" had a nice break from being so violent. It is kind of wild reading the comments on these songs and how these songs are still relevant 30 years later. I've just had a sheltered suburban life I guess. "Check Yo Self" comes off as a silly version of the rest of the songs, in a good way. Or maybe that is just me. Favorite track:"Check Yo Self" 2/5
His impact is crucial and undeniable on the Rap genre as a whole. I personally have just never been too big a fan of it in practice and enjoy a lot of other artists from this era of Hip Hop much more. "It Was A Good Day" is still fantastic, though.
Not my style, but enjoyed the overall sound of the album. Not a fan of talking insert pieces as they disrupt the flow of the album, but obviously important topics that still ring true 30 years later.
Pretty good album, not my usual
Ég fíla ekki rapp eins og margar aðrar stjörnugjafir hjá mér hafa gefið í skyn. Þessi aftur á móti virkaði betur fyrir mig en aðrar rappplötur. Eitt lag sem ég fílaði alveg vel og hef af og til hlustað á sjálfur. Restin dregur það þá niður úr þremur í tvær.
Not my thing at all
Feel like I need to add the qualifier that I’m not the target audience for this music but man, I found this boring. Some interesting sociopolitical nods in the inserts, but the songs themselves don’t have anything like that to back it up or flesh it out.
American rap is not a genre I listen to, but this album on the one hand is a piece of social history linked to the difficult living conditions of black people, BLM before BLM, secondly it is a great album in itself. The sampling and mixing are amazing and energetic.
im just not an enjoyer of old school hip hop like this YNN
It was fun to get this album so soon after Dre’s The Chronic. Dre’s production on that album is so much more unique compared to this very generic effort. The more serious, societal focus of the lyrics is admirable, but it comes off as inauthentic.
I felt like there was a lot of serious and meaningful stuff inspiring the song lyrics, but musically, my brain can’t really enjoy it or even analyze its merits/flaws. I don’t know how to rate this. That’s all I’m gonna say
One time I saw Ice Cube open for Snoop Dogg at an arena show, and during his set he went on this prolonged rant about how even though he’s in family movies, he’s still hard. Personally I think it would have been more wise to not repeatedly remind the crowd that he’s in a bunch of family movies, and just sorta let them suspend disbelief. Anyway it’s neat to hear his stuff from before, when he’s still got this legitimate piss and vinegar about him. Not my favourite, but good.
It might be a great album but not my genre.
Feels like a generic rap album. Didn't get much from it. There were some good beats, but they were that 90s style where they're too prominent while also being too repetitive. There was some good flow especially at the beginning.
I understand the lyrics and why music like this was written in the 90s. But just purely musicly i don't really like this style of rap. Ice Cube only has one type of singing voice and the beats didn't really do it for me.
It's 90s gangsta rap. I like a song or 2 on the album, it's just pretty intense for the ride to work.
Ikkje nåken høydare
U žanru koji mi je najdulje vrimena bija najdraži moran bit strong. Neda mi se uru vrimena slušat o rasizmu i politici. Osim toga Ice Cube mi nikad nije lega. Da buden najiskreniji da nije Today was a good day, bilo bi 1.
Today was a good day is an all time, timeless classic. Wouldn’t say I cared for much of the rest of the album
one song I liked. Today was a good day
There are probably people who like this music. I dont
was this album any good? we will have to listen again properly and come back to tell you my lower back is so fucked lololol i love those pakoras from the 24 hour shop i have a lot of love in my heart for oriana stephen jane laura louie someone and someone what are these notes from highland park 12? ------ oh and yes this album was absolutely terrible waah waah im ice cube and im big whiney baby waaaaah etc for 15 identicals song and it was a good day