Author Topic: Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews  (Read 1005 times)

tnp

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Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« on: May 18, 2003, 08:24:01 PM »
Death Certificate
4 1/2 mics
Ice Cube has unleashed his second solo album and it ain't no gangsta's fairytale. Death Certificate begins with "The Death Side a mirrored image of where we are today" and continues with "The Life Side, a vision of where we need to go." The catalyst in this version is the Nation of Islam (Cube is now a member). Cube's lyrics draw on the Nation's messages of knowledge of self, economic self sufficiency, and self-determination.
The "Death Side" begins with "The Wrong Nigga to Fuck With," an all out attack similar to "The Nigga You Love to Hate." "My Summer Vacation" tells the tale of gang-banging LA drug dealers who start scramblin' in East St. Louis over a funky "Atomic Dog" loop. "Givin Up the Nappy Dug Out" exposes a father's supposedly immaculate Catholic school daughter as the tramp of the neighborhood over a fat "Hip Hugger" loop. "A Bird in the Hand" is the story of a young Black male who must sell drugs to support his family. The track uses the slamming loop from the recent Cube/EPMD St. Ide's commercial. "Alive on Arrival" is an incredible account of being shot and going to "the county hospital jack/where niggas die over a little scratch."
On the "Life Side" Cube assaults white supremacy on "I Wanna Kill Sam" and "Horny Lil Devil", while "Black Korea" takes aim at Korean merchants with businesses in Black communities who Cube sees as being insensitive to Black people. "Be True to the Game" loops the Gap Band's "Outstanding" while Cube blasts the "sellouts", for forgetting their roots after making some money. "Us," is Cube's call for the Black community to stop destroying itself and unite in order to become self-sufficient. Using the old "Dazz" sample, Cube saves the final deathblow for a blistering rebuttal to NWA entitled "No Vaseline." After Boyz N The Hood, people may have been expecting to hear a "politically correct" Ice Cube record. The sometimes harsh rhetoric is part of his mission help the Black community and that may be hard for some to swallow.
Death Certificate's production is good and will keep your ear, but it doesn't really break any new ground like Amerikkka's Most Wanted. Many of the samples are recognizable and the overall sound has a funk vibe. Sir Jinx's tracks are denser and busier while the Boogie Men keep things sparser and more beat oriented, but the record is overall Cube. Ice Cube's lyrical styles and concepts carry the album and make it something hip hop fans must have.

review by Reef

Amerikkka's Most Wanted
5 mics

It's Amerikkka's favorite "Gangsta Gangsta" shootin' straight from the lip. So all sellouts, black radio, police, rednecks, suckers and record stores better beware of the Lench Mob. This record is summed up best by Cube himself when he says "I'm solo, you ask how I'm livin/still drop more shit than a pigeon." Each song interlocks with the next puzzle, while each piece keeps its distinctive shape. So much of this album is excellent; the Bomb Squad has really outdone itself on this effort, blending their metallic bum-rush style of beats with funky pimp type grooves to create noise with a serious gangsta limp. (Makes you wonder what they were - or weren't - doing on P.E.'s album). It's the perfect backdrop for Ice Cube to get everything off his chest--and then some. Ice Cube says "Fuck Top 40" but this album may well end up on it.
 

West Coast Veteran

Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2003, 10:21:53 PM »
Props homie. I been waiting a long time to read these.
 

_That_Cracka_J

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Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2003, 11:11:44 PM »
Props on typing these out!  I've never read either of these....The Source actually knew what they were talking about on these.
 

Dr._Funkenstein

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Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2003, 09:14:46 AM »
Dope reviews although I expected the one about "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" to be a bit bigger since the album is a true landmark record! Props to tnp for bringin' us some hot ish!
 

OpTiCaL

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Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2003, 07:11:20 AM »
Nice one tnp...one of my all time favourites!


ice cube was the don....both albums on point and probably his best for lyrical content and reacting to politics at the time.


Top reviews...thx for typing all that  8)
 

LAZY

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Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2003, 12:31:28 PM »
tite thanx 4 the reveiws TNP
 

KVB

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Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2003, 11:30:12 PM »
Thanks for posting up the reviews. The Source were on 100% on point for these two albums, it was a good read.
 

SCY

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Re:Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2003, 11:42:27 AM »
yea i agree
walking thru life making ya preparations. big shout out to bentley boys, Phatt Matt, dj stompa, topgroove and not forgetting Giro City Crew
 

gchild213

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Re: Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2005, 04:13:11 PM »
both should have gotten 5
 

MIC44

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Re: Ice Cube - Death Certificate and AMW Source reviews
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2008, 02:07:43 PM »
Very good old school shit.