Author Topic: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later  (Read 1610 times)

Teddy Roosevelt

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Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« on: May 26, 2006, 02:21:52 PM »
This is my first review so sorry if it ain't that good.  :-[

Track By Track Review

1. Definition of a West Coast G (Intro) By: Sketch- Don't rate skits.

2. Why We Thugs- My personal favorite song of the album. Scott Storch laced Cube up with a hard beat. Ice Cube takes advantage and matches with equaly hard lyrics. A song you can vibe to, yet with good lyrical content you'd expect from the Cube. 5/5
 
3. Smoke Some Weed- Catchy song that any smoker would like. One of the sillier songs with some funny lyrics. 4/5

4. Dimes & Nicks (A Call from Mike Epps)- Don't rate skits (Mike Epps is funny though).

5. Child Support- One of the less original songs, but still another banger. The hook is good and the lyrics are on par. Just felt there was nothing new to this song compared to the rest. Another tight beat. 3.5/5

6. 2 Decades Ago (insert) By: Sketch- Don't rate skits.

7. Doin What It 'Pose 2 Do- Same pros and cons as Child Support. Decent beat is compensated with better then average lyrics. 3.5/5

8. Laugh Now, Cry Later- One of the weaker tracks on the album. Ice Cube's rap just don't go with beat. Despite Cube's flow it's still a sub par track. 2.5/5

9. Stop Snitchin- Subliminal diss to 50 Cent? All signs point to no, but borrows a couple elements from N.W.A. and Biggie. Average beat and decent rhymes. 3/5

10. Go to Church (Feat. Snoop Dogg and Lil Jon)- Nice beat by Lil Jon and he doesn't ruin the song when he's screaming in the speakers (it actually sounds good). Snoop Dogg really did his part for the track and gave some really good flow on the song. Ice Cube knows how to work this Lil Jon beat. 4.5/5

11. The Nigga Trapp- One of the more political tracks. Doesn't compare to his earlier works, but Ice Cube still hits it on the dot. 4 of his verses from Warren G's "Get You Down" is used for this songs hook. 4/5

12. A History of Violence- Don't rate skits.

13. Growing Up- Talks about coming up in the rap game an his influence on rap. Talks about N.W.A. and Eazy-E. One of the more heart felt songs. 4/5

14. Click Clack - Get Back!- Average track. Seems to be just rapping about "how tough I am" and shit. Still a raw track. 3/5

15. The Game Lord- This track has some heat and his another raw track. 3.5/5

16. Chrome and Paint (Feat. WC)- The only reason why this is rated so high, is because it has a little more variety then other songs on this album. WC rips it on this one. 4/5

17. Steal The Show- By now Ice Cube's flow starts to sound repetitive at this point and it makes for just an average track. 3/5

18. You Gotta Lotta that (Feat. Snoop Dogg)- Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg go so well together and this track is no exception. More of a slow paced song, but that doesn't take anything away from it. 3.5/5

19. Spittin Pollaseeds (Feat. WC & Kokane)- Not on the level of other laid back track. Mike Epps speaking over the beat is pretty funny though. 3/5

20. Holla at Cha Boy- Didn't do as good on this Lil Jon beat. I'd skip this song if there was one after it. 2.5/5

Average rating: 3.56/5

Summary Review

Six years after releasing his last solo album Ice Cube shows signs of slowing down after an already astouding music career. Some of his hard hitting commentary of life in the ghetto and political corruption is missing from this CD. That's not to say it was a bad album, in fact it was far from it. Laugh Now, Cry Later proves that Ice Cube still has an ear for music and still knows how to put out songs that mean something. Songs like "The Nigga Trap" and "Why We Thugs" show how Ice Cube is still Ice Cube, even if they are a shadow of is old songs. I also can't think of any track where Cube lets down lyrically and flow wise, he remains that consistent. However, after a while, that consistency can turn into a drag. Many of his songs like "Holla at Cha Boy" and "Click Clack - Get Back!", despite how good or bad they are, tend to sound the same. It's just not that much of a versatile album. The first time I hear this album I can easily go through it without skipping a song. I don't know how that will go a couple months from now. None the less, Cube bring plenty of heat that never lets up on a track. Even  on the sub par songs you can feel Ice Cube's emotions and fire, which makes them at least listenable. The beats are another plus of this album. While Lil Jon and Scott Storch are the only prolific producers, there are still beats that are cool and original. Of the few guest appearences Snoop Dogg surprised me the most. As of late there have been signs of Snoop flow improving and this may be one of those signs. Other then that WC also does a good job in his apperances. After all these years Ice Cube is still repping the   West Coast faithfully and shows nothing but love for his home. The coup de grâce would have to be Mike Epps. Although not rapping on any songs he does appears on several tracks (plus skits) to drop some comical lines.

Overall I'd rate this album 3.75-4/5.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2006, 02:28:24 PM by Malik Ted aka The 10th Nazgűl »
 

eazye

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2006, 02:49:56 PM »
Props for the review.

Maybe it's to for me to hear the album.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/iQYKq2uupz8" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/iQYKq2uupz8</a>
 

PLANT

Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2006, 04:13:56 PM »
I like the review man.  Its def a solid album I'll be bumping for awhile.  On "Child Support" you thought it was'nt original in your review but I thought the song was quite interesting.  It didnt really seem to me like he was REALLY talking about child support for children but he made several reference to how he thought young rappers now were socalled "bastard kids" and he was the Daddy.  I thought that was pretty cool. 

Anyways, this album is the shit! IMO its a 4/5, but time will tell.  I feel like I havnt heard a Ice Cube album in so long so right now this shit sounds amazing to me.   I cant wait to hear it in the car 8)
« Last Edit: May 26, 2006, 04:16:19 PM by PLANT IZ ACTIVE »
 

Meho

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2006, 05:11:05 AM »
Completley agree with the review, expcet for the last 2 tracks which I would rate higher.
 

DopeDeala

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2006, 03:58:55 AM »
Tight review. I don't feel the game lord tho and i would rate Child support 5/5 because its just a 'bangin' banger.

Anyhow, i saved €20 to cop this one.
 

Teddy Roosevelt

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2006, 04:59:55 PM »
I like the review man.  Its def a solid album I'll be bumping for awhile.  On "Child Support" you thought it was'nt original in your review but I thought the song was quite interesting.  It didnt really seem to me like he was REALLY talking about child support for children but he made several reference to how he thought young rappers now were socalled "bastard kids" and he was the Daddy.  I thought that was pretty cool. 

Anyways, this album is the shit! IMO its a 4/5, but time will tell.  I feel like I havnt heard a Ice Cube album in so long so right now this shit sounds amazing to me.   I cant wait to hear it in the car 8)
When I said it wasn't original (or whatever words I used) I ment musically. It was a dope song (hence me giving it 3.5/5), but it sounded the same to the ears. Maybe I should of gave it 4/5. :-\ I am liking the song more then when I first heard it.
 

The Predator

Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2006, 02:44:05 AM »
Think im gonna have to review this lp also.
 

Mack Daddy

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2006, 01:11:34 PM »
Bomb ass album :D... Cube showed that all time he's representin' West coast :] great featuring with Snoop, but i dont like crunk and lil jon is wacky :P...
 

youngmessnucca

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2006, 09:59:12 PM »
Doooope ass review pimp! Only thing I disagree about is Spittin Pollaseeds thought it was way tighter, but your review was very informative an acurate imo.
 

sav-man

Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #9 on: June 09, 2006, 12:41:33 AM »
Bomb ass album :D... Cube showed that all time he's representin' West coast :] great featuring with Snoop, but i dont like crunk and lil jon is wacky :P...

Yup. THE SOURCE actually got their review right for a change...they gave it four mics out of five, and I think that's accurate. The two songs w/ Snoop are cool, but they seem a little out of place compared to the rest of the album (although I don't skip them when they come on). Not quite a classic, but excellent.
 

XaNdEr

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #10 on: June 09, 2006, 12:53:29 AM »
i would rate this album overall 4 to 4,5 out of 5, this is finally some real ass westcoast music  8)
 

WestCoasta

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2006, 03:58:36 PM »
damn, surprised you gave "Spittin Pollaseeds" a 3/5


that was the best track on the cd imo


W.C. ripped that track ridiculous


plus Ice Cube "most niggaz need A&R - to tell 'em how to fuck a hoe"


nice cd overall, I liked it pretty good
 

al3000

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2006, 09:23:43 PM »
Not feelin the review....this shit is at least a 4/5....I personally think it's a 4.5/5....fo sho
 

Frost67

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2006, 03:36:46 AM »
I agree with the review.
I think it could have been a lot better.
Peace'

EvO.
 

Z the laidback Virus

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Re: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2006, 12:51:05 PM »
What is so funny about that Mike Epps guy, I wonder after hearing this album and reading this review...
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