Reviews (page 8 of 9)
It's an ice cube album, his flow always kind of sounds the same to me but obviously he's timeless in a way
so many swears but i dug it plus it's nice to see he's a family man
Pretty decent, but a bit “one-note.”
The sound clips really put you in a particular time and drove the concept of this album
There were a few powerful songs and lots of interesting clips/samples in here, and I was really intrigued after the first track. Once he started rapping though he lost me. I get the impact and relevancy of his lyrics, but they got repetitive and his style isn’t super captivating. Moral of the story: I like ice cube more as an actor
such an influential album. Check Yo Self & It Was a Good Day are so iconic
Not my style but definitely important and features some good tracks. Today was a good day is a classic and I enjoyed Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha. Also don’t like when albums have skits
Did not hate.
норм репчик
Not a big fan of rap, but I can definitely appreciate this. 3 stars.
It’s so devastating and rotten that the lyrics to this remain incredibly relevant.
Very mixed feelings on this one. It starts really strongly and has good moments throughout (the production is generally solid even if it's starting to feel a little dated with the rise of G-funk, and Ice Cube sounds ferocious on the whole album) but the lyrics often seem really generic compared to the insightful and political Cube from previous releases. It's just a quite bland and excessive gangster rap record for the most part, which is a shame considering his legacy before this point
Ice Cube has always been one of my favourite rappers but I've not actually heard this album before. It's bordering on a 4/5 but just misses the mark.
I had to listen through this a few times to get in the mood to rate it. It's a solid album, couple tracks which feel like filler as expected with a 16 track album. The good tracks are fantastic though.
Wanker^
Okay, Cube. You're the predator. Sure.
Great 90's hip/hop album. Several classics in here but I enjoyed the album as a whole. I don't think a cop would like this much
His acting career made me think he was corny, but this is a sick album. There are some issues with production on tracts like "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" and "We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up" which detract from the album. The album has a very political edge to it, which I enjoy. I will always be surprised that issues like the "school to prison pipeline" and "police brutality" have been talked about for decades and are still prominent problems in society. Ice Cube does a nice job of explaining these issues and breaking into the consciousness of white America. The acting career really altered his image. This album reminds me of a Kendrick Lamar album if he was from the 90s. Bangers and commentary combined. Best Songs: It Was A Good Day, Dirty Mack, Check Yo Self Worst Songs: The Predator, Don't Trust 'Em Honorable Bad Songs (Production Issues): Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up
4, wet t-Shirt contest will always have a different meaning
This is not a bad release, but it's pretty standard. I expected more from Ice Cube because I liked his first solo album, so this one had great potential.
Interesting
Sexist songs aside, this is truly an incredible album. Haunting how so many problems afflicting the Black community continue to oppress them today. Listen close: it's a warning.
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
Not the ice cube album I expected, but it is a great one.
One if my not so secret pleasures. I gotta be careful not to listen to this on the way to work or I'll be cussing all day.
Some solid rap here, plenty of MF and N and F and S. Good opportunity to explain genre-appropriate language to the kids.
Strong album, but cant help feel Cube spends a bit too much time obsessing over accusations of anti-semitism
Not a huge fan of cube's style
4.5/5
Classic West Coast Gangster rap. Feel the anger involving hate and prejudice Ice faced during the time. Story telling and lyricism was amazing
What a record. Very nearly 30 years old. Terrifyingly little progress in some quarters in that time since the Rodney King riots. Righteous anger and vitriol ripples through this. Today was a Good Day, obvs one of the best rap songs of all time, even if I sort of blame it's success for Puff Daddy trying to repeat the formula over and over again for years with boring results. But this album is just really high quality the whole way through.
I don't know what to do with an album like this. A lot of the rap of this time period isn't for me. I'm not a fan of Ice Cube, and I typically avoid his music. I tried listening to several of the tracks, but I kept skipping sooner and sooner. I couldn't finish the album.
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.
Ooh, I’m a gangsta futha mucker! Yawn.
Crazy how the messages delivered in this album are still so relevant today. Fantastic stuff
Aggressive, in your face, 90s Gangsta Rap! It Was a Good Day is probably a top 10 all time rap song for me. Interesting and helps empathizing hearing the politically intense lyrics and different points of view of the struggles of others. Overall I think his rhyming style is a bit basic. He has fantastic delivery and has been very influential in rap. Legendary Rapper.
while I like this more than later proponents of rap like Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, this just doesn't engage me
**
Not my Hip Hop cup of tea, a couple of really good tracks, but on the whole I zoned out a bit
Pretty solid collection of Hip Hop here. Favorites: "When Will They Shoot?", "It Was A Good Day", "Check Yo Self"
-"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
One of my favourite albums in my teens. Holds up pretty well.
It Was A good Day is good. Monólogos interessantes.
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
I'm not an old head. It's not for me. I always have preferred the jazz style rap from this time. Sure, it's technically proficient, but I still really don't care. Highlight: 2.
WICKED NOW I GOTTA GET CHA IT WAS A GOOD DAY WHEN WILL THEY SHOOT
Not bad, has some dated references to politicians but other than that, still holds up.
Pure anger. Justified anger, but anger nonetheless. It's probably too bad I only know "It Was A Good Day," but the other stuff hits hard. The interstitial tracks work, they're not just skits. I get how they tie the other tracks together. I don't know how many times I could listen to it with the language, but I still enjoyed it a lot.
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
It was a good album
Not 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.
The production on this album is fantastic. Ice Cube has one of the greatest flows of all time and his aggressive delivery punctuates the political and confrontational lyrics. This album is not easily pigeonholed. It contains elements of funk and jazz while using samples in a way that reminds me of some modern day artists like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar.
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
Ça sonne comme Cypress Hill, mais plus répétitif et redondant.
Première écoute d’un album de Ice Cube. Il présente bien la réalité de l’époque qui n’a malheureusement pas tant changée. La collaboration avec DJ Muggs fonctionne vraiment bien et les beats sont vraiment intéressant. J’ajoute une étoile pour l’importance du propos.
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).
Good stuff
The Predator by Ice Cube (1992) He doesn’t seem to want to integrate with people who are anything other than sympathetic with the political convictions of Malcolm X. 2/5
Groundbreaking album. Fantastic through and through. It's hard to believe that we're *still* facing so many of the same issues 30 years later
Day 5: I'm a big fan of the Rap Genre but haven't listened to much old school rap. This album was very good the whole way through, loving this site for showing so many great albums Favourite Songs: It was a good day, Check Yo Self, Wicked
Loved this. This was the album today. Today was a good day!
:0
Not even remotely surprising that the track that has the least to do with the larger sociopolitical message of the album also happens to be the most well known. I'm a sucker for this type of sampling. Really a time capsule more than most albums from name dropping nba players in the league at the time to Rodney king references and plenty of others I already forgot or didn't even catch. Can't get over "down the street" rhyming with "introduce her to my meat." TPAB's grandpa and I mean that as the highest compliment
Racism hasn't changed one bit in the last 30 years huh?
3.5
Cold-hearted over a good mix of beats.
Det här var bra. "Now I've Gotta Wet'Cha" är en femma.
I have not listened to this since probably 1997. My sister had the CD and I can remember driving around smoking weed in her purple Chevy that she flipped over in Oklahoma. Ice cube used to be super relevant. What happened my dude?
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.
Is it terrible that I found this really dull? Repetitive soundscapes, fairly boring and unvarying delivery by Ice Cube and a production that grates rather than pops. As a chronicle of anger at racism and institutional discrimination it is eloquent. As an apologist for some of Cube's prior stated positions, it's iffy. As entertainment, it doesn't cut it for this listener.
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…
90er-Jahre Hiphop ist verzichtbar.
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?
Was not expecting to like this but really enjoyed it
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
Listened Before? N Another rap classic this week! I'm loving it. Pros: This album is straight up amazing. Ice Cube was one of the last true old-school gangsta rap records. A few weeks later, Dr. Dre dropped The Chronic and changed literally everything. This album got overshadowed IMO... this record deserved more attention than it got (probably mostly from white people). This was released in the same year as the LA riots and the Rodney King trial, and it shows. Ice Cube was PISSED, in a good way. Cons: A couple of outdated slurs here and there but its a sign of the times. Added to Library? Y Songs Added to Playlist: It Was a Good Day, Check Yo Self
I like Today Was a Good Day, but on the whole I was a bit disappointed, the levels of aggression I found uncomfortable even though it does broach heavy subjects
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
Better than expected but still not my type.
Good beat and flow, many lyrics aged poorly
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.
What can you say about Ice Cube during this era? His lyrics were intense and on point. He's great both when he's attacking the beat and when he's following it. The samples he uses are definitely of their time, but are also uniformly excellent. The singles off of this album are all timers. The misogyny and homophobia are a bit much at times, but certainly not as bad as some of his contemporaries and those that would follow him. Overall, his is a can't miss album from the early gangsta rap era 4/5
pretty good overall 4.5
Today was a good day! The rest was okay
A great commentary following the LA riots. Interesting use of news broadcasts as interludes. The fact that the messages are relevant today is striking. Musically, I enjoyed the mix of more laid-back style (It was a good day, who got the camera?) and the more aggressive style reminiscent of NWA (check yo self, don't trust em). 4/5.
A brilliant album! I immediately heard a Public Enemy influence, which was confirmed often in the lyrics and samples used. The use of repetitive news clips was perfection. Repetition legitimizes.
Absolute gold. Poignant even 30 years later. The way Mr. Cube uses samples to help tell the story is perfect.
Takiego picka na liscie bialego czlowieka bym sie nie spodziewal, a jednak jest, pan Ice Cube z swoim trzecim studyjnym krazkiem The Predator z 92, ktory jest klasyka westcoastowego gangsta rapu lat 90, no i klasykiem z radia los santos gdzie check yo self byl czesto na repeacie, a czemu zdziwienie, ze taka plyta pojawia sie na liscie, bo moze i gore zbyt hardcorowego na nim nie ma, ale jednak obraca sie glownie wokol napiec rasowych w LA, gdzie w 92 doszlo do rozruchow po tym jak psiarnia porobila chlopaka, ale nie sama policyjna brutalnoscia zyje pan Ice Cube, bo sporo jest odniesien do jego rzekomego antysemityzmu, pimpowania, gangowania, czyli calego dobrego zycia gettowego, album zawiera 16 trakow z czego 4 to jakosciowe skity, ktore pomagaja w rozbudowaniu narracji plyty, wiec otwierajacy pierwszy dzien szkoly sampluje milicjantow wprowadzajacych do wiezienia, swietnie pociete wywiady z panem kostka na fuck em, czy sample malcoma X z integrationowego inserta maja sens na plycie i nie sa jedynie zapychaczem jak to czesto bywa, nie tylko skity sa bogato osamplowane, bo przykladow multi lejerowego samplingu mozna tutaj wymieniac bez konca, wiec przewijaja sie filmowe wstawki, chocby z tytulowego predatora, wywiady z liderami czarnych ugrupowan, czy klasycznych teraz, a wtedy dosc swiezych trakow artystow z zachodniego wybrzeza, moim ulubionym przykladem warsztatu samplowego bedzie tutaj openingowy when will they shoot, gdzie na jednym traku zostalo upchniete szesc zasamplowanych trakow, od queena do x clanu, ciezko o tak bogate beaty gdzie sample sa wykorzystywane nie tylko do tworzenia lini melodycznej, ale wykorzystywane jako dopelnienie liryczne, za tym kawalkiem stal akurat dj pooh, wiec postac najbardziej znana ze wspolpracy ze snoopemczy kingiem tee, sam cube jest rowniez zlistowany jako wspolproducent na niektorych kawalkach czy skitach, sporo tez zrbil na plycie DJ Muggs od cypressow, chociaz to troche obraza tak podsumowac jego dyskografie gdy tyle wyprodukowal zarowno w mainstreamie jak i ostatnio w podziemiu, wiec produkcja wylosowala jakosciowa ekipe co przeklada sie na ciezkie i bogate brzmienie, o ile cube jakos nigdy nie byl w mojej rapowej topce, nawet jesli chodzi o lata 90, to plyta jako calosc ma rece i nogi, ktore nie postarzaly sie za bardzo w ciagu tych 30 lat, bo burdy na tle rasowym sa nadal, a moze nawet bardziej, aktualne, wiec 56 minut jakosciowego odsluchu, na plejce juz mialem klasyczne kawalki, wiec it was a good day i check yo self, ale z dzisiejszego odsluchu dodam jeszcze traczek z najlepszymi samplami albumu, wiec when will they shoot i zamykajacy album say hi to the bad guy featurujacy parliamentowe intro i paczkowych gliniarzy, klasyk, ciekawe czym jeszcze lista zaskoczy z kategorii czarnej muzyki
Really liked it which surprised me. Never really listened to anything like it before.
Conocía a Ice Cube, pero en esa época no tenía dinero para todo lo que me gustaba y más allá de oírlo en la radio alguna vez me lo perdí completamente. Y es un discazo, puro Rap Hip-Hop de los 90. Me han gustado: When will they shoot?, Wicked, Now I gotta wet 'cha, Check yo self, y Say hi to the bad guy. Escuchadlo.
I find hip hop to be a difficult genre: it's not easy for me to discern weather it's good or bad and there are just a few rap albums that I like. Having said that, I wasn't familiar with this one and I am really enjoying listening to it. There is an undercurrent of aggression, violence, grit, that I always appreciate in music. It also sounds a bit old school to me, which is a great thing. Also, we need to acknowledge that, 30 years on, the lyrics, and the anger with which they are delivered, are still relevant.
Did not added something soooooo. 2
I have listened to this album before and it still a great album. Ice Cube's lyrics and rhythm has also been great. Today Was A Good Day is the most well known song on the album. I remember when there was a quest to figure out the exact date of the good day, November 30, 1988 had the strongest argument. Yet Ice Cube said there is no specific date just elements that make up a good day.
Was surprised how good this was, mostly thoughtful and sadly still relevant race anger
Never listened to this album in full before and I’m glad I did. It’s 2023 and everything he said in this album is still relevant.
Barely controlled anger, and "today was a good day" excellent combo.
This album is raw and truthful. While you can hear that Cube is still a young man, he is a undeniable powerhouse This is not for everybody but for those who are interested in a story, Cube tells one hell of a good one. I enjoy the maturation of Cube as he continues to create and now has an expansive catalog. He is also still putting out new content. This unlike LL Cool J album belongs on this list as do other Cube music.
Could be used as a template for west coast rap. Strong delivery by Cube. Great lyrics and beats.
Love that crazy motherfucker named Ice Cube! Great album!
This is a great album and go an extent, it's sad to see how over 30 years on, the danger social issues are still at play.
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
A cultural touchstone. So many lines that stuck in the cultural zeitgeist and that are still relevant today. It is indeed on like Donkey Kong.
I see you, 1001 albums, giving me Ice Cube on the 30th anniversary of his ‘Good Day’. Well played, well played indeed.
Not too bad but not memorable
2/5 nope!
Very much of its time.
Aunque hay un par de canciones a la mitad del disco que no sorprenden demasiado y pese a que el estilo de Ice Cube puede parecer un poco desfasado a estas alturas de la película, The Predator es un disco consistente lleno de beats durísimos, versos interesantes, y puro carisma.
"And the Statue of Liberty ain't nothing but a lazy bitch!" Personalmente, de los tres primeros álbumes post-N.W.A. de Ice Cube este es, de lejos, el que menos me gusta . La misoginia es rampante y algunos beats no han envejecido muy bien 30 años después. Hasta ahí todo lo negativo que puedo decir de este álbum. Y ahora la verdadera review: Este disco es inseparable de las protestas de Los Ángeles y presenta todo lo que sabe hacer Ice Cube: ser una voz que no se puede ignorar y que dice bestialidades que se tenían que decir en 1992 y se siguen teniendo que decir hoy. Este álbum se publicó casi exactamente un mes antes que The Chronic, otro disco muy cercano a las protestas de 1992 (véase: "The Day the Ni**az Took Over") y se siente como su hermanastro violento. Los Ángeles estaba literalmente envuelta en llamas, Ice Cube estaba envuelto en controversia, y este disco solidifica su postura militante y su vuelta a California en cuanto a la producción (DJ Pooh). Escucharlo me ha recordado esta era casi punk-rap de frustración y reacción ante el racismo sistemático y la violencia policial, un momento en el que el hip-hop aún no había llegado al punto mainstream que alcanzaría en el 96-97-98 que marcaría un antes y un después. En The Predator aún estamos escuchando una especie de lenguaje cifrado, una subcultura específica, y que muchas veces es meta-textual en su reacción ante la gente (medios y políticos) que lo tildaban como "extremo" o "peligroso". Yo creo que, igual, lo peligroso es dispararle a gente indefensa y eso igual (igual) hace que la gente se enfade bastante. Pero sigamos con Cubito de Hielo. Además de mega clásicos como It Was A Good Day o Check Yo Self, The Predator tiene varios temas en los que directamente nos insertan en las calles de LA en pleno caos. Se podría decir, y ojo a la observación experta, que Ice Cube está enojado. Los samples de funk y los skits ayudan a crear esta atmósfera. Se deja a un lado el beef con Eazy y Dre más presente en los anteriores discos aunque hay una pequeña referencia a No Vaseline. (Cube ya estaba preparándose para escribir guiones junto a DJ Pooh como Friday, pasando a la siguiente fase de su carrera). Es pura violencia, fantasía de venganza en algunos momentos incluso incómoda, y la lírica de Cube puede parecer simple o repetitiva 30 años después pero es simplemente porque estamos acostumbrados a escuchar a sus descendientes: realmente sus letras están increíblemente adelantadas a su tiempo. Este es el cerebro pensante detrás de N.W.A, famoso por ser explosivo, poco más hay que decir. Es el Chuck D de la costa oeste y uno de los liricistas más influyentes en la música, no solo en el hip-hop. El subgénero de este disco, además de "gangsta rap", "west coast rap" o cualquier otra bullshit tendría que ser música protesta. Le pongo 4 estrellas porque no alcanza el status clásico que si que tienen sus dos trabajos anteriores, pero las letras de Ice Cube son importantísimas en un momento importantísimo y deprimentemente relevantes tres décadas después. (Ah, y ¿quién cojones juega al basket en un parque con amigos y lleva la puntuación como para saber que Cube fuckeó around e hizo un triple-doble?) Temas fav: When Will They Shoot?, We Had To Tear This Muthafucka Up, Who Got The Camera?, It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self (The Message Remix >>>)
Hvað er að gerast við mig? Ég er allt í einu orðinn svaka svag fyrir snemm-tíunda hipp-hoppi. Sorrý, þetta er bara ansi skemmtilegt. Spurning um að láta Hagaskóla-mig vita.
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
Holy shit.
Less of a marathon than i thought it was going to be. But something to which i won't return
Not my favourite genre, and I'll never listen to this album again, but I didn't mind this. Musically quite gentle and melodic in places. 2.5/5.
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.
Hip hop is not my jam and the lyrics really turned me off in this one.
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.
The kinetic energy on this thing is fucking incredible. Dazzling shit.
shit and boring and reptitive
Ice Cube's early discography is inherently important due to it's political significance. The interludes (or "inserts") shine a lot of light on the issue, but here's another: this album came out mere months after the 1992 Los Angeles uprising. Ice Cube is no stranger to racial tensions in Los Angeles, so this album is all the more potent. As far as the music, it's still the hard-hitting gangster rap you could expect from early Ice Cube. There's a few rotating producers on here but the emphasis on the snare gives the album a certain punchy-ness that lends well to Ice Cube's swagger in his flow. Also features the classic "It Was A Good Day", which takes a break from the hyperviolence of Ice Cube's regular lyrics in a way that actually inverts the theme of violence to say that "nobody I know got killed in south-central LA. Today was a good day." Even weaker songs like "Gangsta's Fairytale 2" makes great use of samples. This is a consistently quality album through and through. More great hiphop for your ears.
T is my favourite Ice, but Cube is always a treat too.
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.
Phenomenal. Didn't think I would like it cause I'm not a fan of hip hop, but man, Ice Cube proved me wrong when the beat of 'When Will They Shoot' kicked in
I know it's important, and there's some decent beats - but it's just not my thing. Sorry.
This was very enjoyable, I liked it a lot. It was a good day might be one of Ice Cube's most well-known songs, but I think any song on here is just as good. I also like how he addresses political topics.
Irre grooviges Teil. Hatte keine Ahnung wie melodisch und musikalisch reif Ice Cube schon so früh gewesen ist. 3.5
This album didn’t age well for me.
Nah
Didn't get around it like I thought I would.
holy fucking shit. YES.
Gangsta rap
So. Stoked. First song in and I'm already a fan. Iconic. I'm hearing so many lyrics that have been referenced all over the place over the years. And of course, It Was A Good Day is an anthem.
not really my cup of tea, but not bad I guess?
Amazing west coast hip hop from a legend. Touches on relevant societal issues at the time and still relevant today.
Another fine hip hop / rap album. Ice Cube's sense of humor definitely shines through at times but always the underpinings of anger are present laid bare for all to see. The beats are not the most inventive but I was always drawn in and wanted to listen, so....accessible. 4 🌟
Early 90s gangsta rap. One of the best examples of the genre, but this type of hip hop left me cold at the time. I don't mind the politics, but the misogyny and violence leaves me uncomfortable. I really don't want to listen to this again.
Not my favorite but still enjoyable.
Ice Cube was correct, I did need to check myself. I was just about to wreck myself. Thx Bro.
Cool!!!
A friend once told me about a boy he used to walk to school with. This dude would regularly recite "It Was a Good Day" and my friend always thought it was hilarious that this 15-year-old white suburban kid was spitting lines about not having to use his AK. In the context of the entire album though, that song is a moment of peace in the midst of the chaos of life as a Black man in the early 1990s, in the short hot shadow of the LA riots. The whole album works, inviting the listener in to get a taste of how life is for Cube and his community. Musically it feels like a precursor of Dr Dre's Chronic sound (I know, I know). And there's Cube sending a message to the future which, it turns out not everyone heeded.
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
Generally a more melodic rap and I really like Today is another Day but otherwise I got bored with being shouted at.....
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.
Nearly 5 stars. 4.5/5. A brilliant album
bucks the worrying trend where it looked like I couldn't 'get' rap music. This one ticks the box for me as in that I will definitely want to go back to it again. Kinda passed me buy in my youth (living in SA) , but I like it.
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.
WEST COAST, not even a contest.
Aggressively shout foul, violent lyrics to a catchy beat, keep going for 3-4 minutes & repeat 16 times.
Really solid Album. No real interesting take from me here. It's Cube talking about really important social issues, and maybe handling them decently? I suppose It depends on the song. Dude can rap and production is really solid.
Nope
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
This is another album where I have to recognize its greatness although it doesn't appeal to me. I'm not a fan of gansta rap, as it turns out. Since this is supposed to be a subjective rating, I have to give this one 2 stars.
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. The two songs I heard before, "It Was a Good Day" and "Check Yo Self" are perfect examples of this. Inserts respond to the public's fear of gangsta rap; they happen a little too frequently but they don't disrupt the flow. Some weak tracks on the second side. "A Gangsta's Fairytale" was one of the humurous highlights in his debate, but in this sequel, the woman's "kid" vocals got really annoying and excessive this time, and the lines are less innovative. "Dirty Mack" was monotonous and the the sample got tiresome. "Who Got the Camera?" is another weak song, but I like the middle inserts and style shifts midway through that keep it interesting. Also enjoyed the closing track.
Liked this more than the NWA album from a few back -I think it was partly the inserts/interludes on this, which I think are really well done and always pertinent. Certified Suburban White Boy Moment: anytime I went over to my friend's house in high school to play Call of Duty he would put on music, and he, without fail, always played It Was A Good Day. Every single time Already Saved: It Was A Good Day Saved After Listening: When Will They Shoot?*, Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha, Check Yo Self
Great album. Some classics, and very strong all the way through. Uncomfortably topical for being almost 30 years old.
Ice Cube is easily my favorite member of NWA and this is the album of his that I remember the most. I like his voice and I think the beats hold up really well.
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.
I'm Scared (Insert) is awesome. And I love the beats to We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up. The entire album flows well and it is so inappropriate and completely topical at the same time. There are great messages in there. I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would.
Soft 4 stars. Hold pretty strong through the whole album
This album is like a pure distillation of the early 90s. Best track: Check Yo Self
This was amazing.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed this album, but I didn't.
nah
A classic
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
Love! Genius!
Something quite bracing about listening to unrestrained offensive sexism. Well done Mr Cube
Too long. Weird anti semitism stuff throughout. All sounds very similar too long
It Was A Good Day est l'arbre qui cache la forêt. Et cette forêt, c'est ce qu'on appelle communément de la merde. Je vous copie ci-dessous un extrait de l'album: "N-word ! N-word encore ! Toujours N-word ! Gang gun gang money... Et si on plaçait un petit N-word par ici ? Bitch mais gang aussi. Hmm... N-word... Money gang bitch fuck et motherfuck. Quoi de mieux qu'un bon vieux motherfuck, à vrai dire. Toutefois, fuck. Mais néanmoins gang et money. Encore merci à tous pour votre accueil je m'appelle Ice Cube, vous pouvez me trouver sur tous les réseaux sociaux."
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.
A great album with good energy. It really shines a light on what good rap can be.
10/10 hip hop classic ice cube top 5 OAT
When Ice Cube does not sound constantly out of breath, his vocals are buried beneath a thick layer of annoying or sleep-inducing beats. Check Yo Self later, because this Was Not A Great Day for listening to mediocre gangsta-rap. 2/5.
A fun, interesting contribution by Cube. The use of samples on this was cool, and the production in general was my favorite aspect of this album!
// Favs: It Was A Good Day / Check Yo Self Score: Decent to Strong 4
Not heard this one before. Good album: funky samples, tight beats, dense lyrics, decent rhyme flow, important message. Not super relevant to me as a white, middle aged, British guy in 2021 though
Hard Hip-Hop. That's what it was styled in 90's
No Go a lot of swing. Another one with a debt to Public Enemy even has the of sample thrown in. Sad that 30 years later many of the themes about segregation are still current
I like the railing against the police/racist society stuff, but dislike the misogynist gangsta braggadocio stuff, and unfortunately the latter seems to outweigh the former. Fave tracks - all of the Inserts were pretty great! Prefer them to most of the actual main tracks. "Who Got The Camera?" was pretty good too....
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".
Ice was trying to tell us even back in '92...
Fairly standard rap album, some good some bad. The interludes weren't as cringe as they could've been so pretty good.
hey! this isnt The Predator soundtrack??? wtf!
Well, I guess I like West Coast rap way better than East Coast. I knew one or two of these, but in general I found it more political with better backing tracks than Wu-Tang etc.
listenable... but not by much
I enjoyed it
🤮
One of my complaints about hip hop in general is a lack of density and variation in the soundscapes. You can't really make that complaint about The Predator, but I think it's a bit dispiriting just the same. For example, the soundscape behind When Will They Shoot? is almost industrial in it's atonality. It's a brutal conglomeration of harsh beats and layered snatches of repetitive samples. But actually, that isn't quite the criticism it sounds like because it fits the subject matter of Ice Cube's raps, which revolve around the causes and aftermath of the Rodney King riots. Ice Cube's raps cut to the bone--they're unfailingly incisive and intelligent. But musically, how are his raps? Well, it seems a little unfair to criticize them for not being very sophisticated rhythmically. These were the early days of rap--and rappers are still using these same rhythmic patterns almost 30 years later, and typically with a lot less wit. The Predator is a hard listen. It's unrelentingly grim. There's little charm in the musical backgrounds, even if they are more rich and layered than is usual in the genre. But on it's own terms, as a straight up no bull dissection of the reality of early 90s America with music to match, it's pretty damned good.
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
Straight Outta Compton is great but I haven't really checked each artists' solo work. Ice Cube has a few albums under his belt i've wanted to look at but I totally forgot about "The Predator". A groovy but simple "classic-y" hiphop record. Not much to say about it but i did enjoy it, for the laidback experince i got with it. Not a lot of songs made me go "Wow!" but it has its moments, like "When Will They Shoot?" & "It Was A Good Day" 7/10 As of July 20th, 2021 Best Tracks: When Will They Shoot?, Wicked, The Predator, It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self, Who Got The Camera? Worst Track: Gangsta's Fairytale 2
Credo di aver ascoltato uno dei migliori album di rap
Good album, a reminder that the US keeps repeating history with only marginal change. Strong lyrics.
I liked it plenty, although a little suspicious of how often he felt the need to deny being anti-semitic.
3.5
90s gangster rap at its best.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: It was a good day, When will they shoot?, Check yo self
Ice Cube’s third album and it is an aural smack to the face, as he spits and rages about inequality, the treatment of blacks in American society, injustice and police brutality over hard hitting beats. This is more than a classic 90s hip hop album - it’s a protest album in the best tradition of, say, Bob Dylan and it lends the project a satisfying cohesiveness as he responds to the acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King and the violence that erupted in LA. A few things jar - the homophobia, antisemitism and misogyny are disappointing (although Cube would argue his views are more complex). And whilst a few tracks don’t quite hit the heights and could happily be discarded (Gangsta’s Fairytale 2, Dirty Mack), cuts like Check Yo Self, Now I Gotta Wet Ya and the immortal It Was A Good Day (one of the greatest tracks of the Nineties) more than compensate.
Kinda dope. Ice cube has some brilliantly written lyrics, and combines the use of audio clips from other media to tell a story. I can see how this inspired Kendrick Lamar
Not for me, but Amerikkkas most wanted was good.
Rough
Great beats samples and references laced throughout. Direct and mostly consistent message following RK delivered with poignant lyrics and supported by well-placed interviews/broadcasts. A few more playful songs sprinkled in kept it lighter without distracting too much.
Incredibly relevant to the social climate of today. I can’t believe this came out in 1992.
Classic of the genre - Very much enjoyed- Highly recommend. Some brutish thug songs, along with some melancholy introspective tunes.
3 1/2 stars Beats good Rapping was enjoyable Yeah
Absolute Hip Hop classic. Ice Cube's best album.
When will they shoot was a great first song. Loved the interlude of clips of white people talking about being scared of black people. So far I'm really digging the music on this one. It's fun to listen to. Lol he raps about having a laptop computer. The music in these songs is just super fun to listen to. This is a very creative album. Check Yo Self has such a dope sample of \"Shoop.\" Love this. Yeah overall this is one of my favorite listens so far. Gonna listen to his first solo album now.
Classic. Wtf happend to rap?
"It Was a Good Day" is obviously a legendary song that's definitely a five out of five. However, this should not discredit the rest of the album. This is a consistent and very hard-hitting collection of hip hop tracks, with good beats and good lyrical flow, which is something every hip hop album should have. 4/5
Some good tracks, sounds a lot like Cypress Hill
muy bueno
Ah, Boze Negermuziek. Bleekscheet Mul durft niet weg te rijden bij een aanhouding door politie. Boze Negers wel. Kunnen ze weer mooi een nieuw album vol fulmineren.
Right in the nutsack
Wow: the lyrics are incredibly poignant as I listen to them now as the U.S. has pressing issues of racial injustice and inequality that are in desperate need of real action, real remedy. The opening track "When Will They Shoot?" on its own is enough to add so much depth and thought-provocation to the conversation. I don't remember hearing this album back in the early 90s, but I do know that back then I would've missed the message entirely out of my own naivete and ignorance. This is one I want to come back to and spend more time with.
Es kam kurz nach den Rassenunruhen von LA 1992 raus, mit den politisch aufgeladenen Texten hätte es auch 2020 kommen können und niemand hätte sich gewundert. Es ist mehr als nur 'It was a good day'.
Some solid 90’s rap. A lot of nutsacks. I’m not usually a fan of rap but I quite enjoyed this.
nice!
good gangster rap album
hip hop 3.5/5
Old style, baby. Un álbum sobre la identidad, carajo. Ritmos simples, rimas contundentes, mensajes constantes de reivindicación social y lucha contra el sistema.
I had listened to this album before. Loved it!
I do think Ice Cube is very funny but ngl this really doesn't do it for me.
Today was a good day
Good high-quality rap album.
Utter rubbish
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.
Almost 30 years old, and this album's content is as relevant as ever. Not only do the lyrics speak to the continued shooting of unarmed black men by police in the United States, but the beats still pack a punch. Maybe because Ice Cube is speaking from a place of pain that this record still feels so salient in 2021. Protest record for the ages. Fav Tracks: When Will They Shoot, It Was a Good Day and Check Yo Self. Rating 4.5/5
The way this record grapples with systemic racism and police brutality feels haunting and prophetic listening in 2021. It's a reminder Black people have been saying this for *decades*, but White people have only started to listen. It also helps that, musically, this record is a real joy to listen to. Can't believe I've slept on this one for so long. Favourite track: "Check Yo Self"
Raw, timeless, brilliant
10/10 fucking great
Amazing.
Good old school hip hop.
Amazing!
Good, led by a few top songs. Better flow than expected.
All I want to say about this album is...there are way superior sounding Ice Cube lp’s in my opinion. Therefore I cannot rate this one high. As matter of fact, I probably rank this album lower than all of his others. Therefore I give it 1 Star!
Classic hip-hop. Cube takes on all comers. Just fucking brilliant. BT: When Will They Shoot?, It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self
The linkage of this album to the Rodney King related race riots in LA struck a nerve. There were 5 reported incidents of racism at my kids' school since Jan. so I listened to this album intently. There are a lot of powerful messages delivered very aggressively. It's not comfortable for a white old fart to hear but understand that black folks had enough of their message not being heard and needed to consider ways to turn up the volume. On the other hand, the inability to refer to their gf by any term other than "bitch: or "ho" waters down their message.
political, important, very 90s sound, are we there yet
decent
İt was a good day güzel buldum bi
Not much into old rap.
Tja, nu vind ik Ice-T en enkele van zijn albums goed maar hier werd ik toch niet blij van (wat kan kloppen want thematisch was het ook zware kost). Ik denk wel dat hij het album ook: "Gorilla's in the mist" had kunnen noemen. Deze regel komt in meerdere nummers voor.
Ice Cube has no chill when denouncing sociopolitical issues that plague his community. Best played in a car stereo
Weer geen grote hiphop verrassing, dit album, maar toch best wel goed!
Niet helemaal afgeluisterd, maar wat blijft dit een te gekke rapper. Goeie flow en coole beats.
Perfect for a Sunday morning before church
Aantal wel aardige tracks, met leuke sampjes en beats, maar in het geheel toch wel erg veel gezwam en stoerdoenerij er tussendoor.
Minder erg dan ik dacht. Ik betrapte me erop dat ik zat mee te deinen. Nu iets dat we nog niet gehad hebben, graag.
Rap, molt ben fet. Però no m'ha acabat de dir res...
kug
Classic hip hip and classic Ice Cube
"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
2/5
Not as good as the previous Ice Cube album but it still has a couple of my favourites on it
I enjoyed this one as I've enjoyed Amerikkka's Most Wanted and other Ice Cube albums. He's not one to pull any punches - lyrics hit their target with razor sharp precision. Samples are well chosen if a little repetitive at times. Solid hard-charging vibe from start to finish. Aggressive misogyny and homophobia make this one perhaps more a product of its era and less aligned with my current tastes.
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
Gritty. Music was great and we know ice cube is a talent when writing about a life he relates to. Not a life I relate to but was nice too be brought into that world.
LG. Hotpoint. BOSCH! This album is a welcome smash in the chops from the get go and I was locked into it from start to finish. It's notable that a lot of the issues that Ice Cube puts out here are right back in the news at the moment with the BLM movement. And it feels like, really, fuck all progress has been made on many of them in the two decades or so since this was released. I particularly cringed at the angry black man put downs that were brought to light and sought to de-intellectualise the real issues at hand. Politically charged, irreverent, insightful and funny, what I love about this album is that it's so soulful, too. The production has lashings of love poured all over it and I just loved the loops and beats. In short, it's a banger. Ice Cubes used to only feature as part of my Martini preparation, but now they might also have a place in my record collection too. Also, I do like the bit about Ice Cube having his way with a wee lassie, dropping her off home and then grabbing a fat burger for himself at 2am. A good day indeed.
Un poco rollo, porque no me gusta el rap ni este estilo de música.
RAP a todo tRAPo. No es para mi
Good, old-school-y Hip Hop.
"It Was a Good Day" obviously the best song on the album but the rest was pretty typical aggressive Ice Cube. Lots of social injustice all throughout the album. 7/10.
not my style,,
Nice in concept, but not my thing
It was a good day.
El rap no es lo mío, definitivamente
Ice curbed a poetic ether of ideas still relevant 30 years later, and probably many years earlier
Cool flashback jams from Cube helping push me through the morning with beats and lyrics that not only take me from overthinking on what's going on here, but a vital reminder that the burdens of so many are heavy and historic. I have never listened to The Predator in its entirety before, but it's vibin' here! It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self, and Who's Got The Camera are a few favs. Glad to know this record and look forward to tapping it more in the future.
not my music
Fine.
I like it
Not something that is likely to enter regular rotation. Very enjoyable though and definitely worthy of its place in the collection. Surely a landmark album in the fight for black rights and equality in America.
Ahead of his time!
Great album with a very relevant message. Socially conscious and a good listen
Appropriately political. Pretty damn good. Great variety of beats.
crazy tru
Dark. Classic. Still relevant.
Cube never saw hiphop as anything more than Mac 10s and "bitches and faggots"