ICE CUBE - MAN UP (New Album Coming Soon)

[hitsaw]

Another Xzibit/Cube track would be dope!

[Soopafly DPGC]

Another Cube song that has that Dre 2000 ish sound.  Forgettable track unfortunately.

[Jay_J]

Another Cube song that has that Dre 2000 ish sound.  Forgettable track unfortunately.

because they just did a groove and looped that from start to end. they should have produced the beat and add some elements to it for the bridge and chorus. it really has potential by the way but they missed it.

[The Predator]

Single reviews -

Ice Cube is getting ready to drop his new album "Man Up" on September 12, and "Before Hip Hop" is the lead single.

In 2024, Ice Cube dropped Man Down, his first solo album since 2018's Everythangs Corrupt. Now, he's getting ready to drop its sequel, fittingly titled Man Up. The album's lead single, titled "Before Hip Hop," is about exactly what it sounds like.

The track functions a bit as a "hip-hop saved my life" track. Cube discusses all the nefarious (and illegal) things people used to get into before rap, and how people attempted to blame those things happening on hip-hop's lyrical content.

Cube turns in a pretty solid lyrical performance as well, about in line with much of the output he's had on his late-career solo albums. This is not Death Certificate Cube by any means, but the fact that he continues to rap at a strong level despite largely pulling back on solo efforts in the last 15 years is certainly impressive.

In addition to finding the spark to drop new solo material again, Ice Cube continues to be part of the Mount Westmore supergroup alongside Too Short, E-40, and Snoop Dogg. They dropped their first album as a quartet in December 2022, and they recently reappeared on producer ProHoeZak's new song, "The Introduction." It is not clear if that means they're gearing up for a new album, or if they'll have a new appearance on Cube's forthcoming album, but neither outcome would be surprising. Until then, check out "Before Hip Hop" below.

Quotable Lyrics:

They tell you and me it was lots of unity in the black community
That s**t is lunacy
They tried to ruin me, got me for my jewelry
What they did to me, police got immunity
Early 70s got him for his leather piece
Khakis hella creased, it was lots of jealousy

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Ice Cube proves legends never retire—he’s back with “Before Hip-Hop,” schooling us on West Coast streets before the music took over the world.

You can never make me hate Ice Cube. He’s made some of my favorite movies of all time, created a whole basketball league, and yes—even dropped one of the worst movies ever (which, honestly, is almost an honor). On top of that, from a rapping standpoint, he’s someone not enough people give the respect he deserves—he was Eminem before Eminem. The good news? Cube is still rapping. Today, he dropped a new single called “Before Hip-Hop.”

“Before Hip-Hop” hits with a mean-ass beat that oozes nostalgic California vibes. It’s the kind of production you’d swear was pulled straight from a 2000s West Coast movie soundtrack. Cube matches the vibe with his own old-school flair, rapping with a concise delivery, heavy Cali accent, and undeniable authority.

Lyrically, he paints a vivid picture of life before hip-hop became a global phenomenon—blocks running hot, pimps doing their thing, and street violence in full effect. The track strikes a dual tone: part homage to the old-school grind, part commentary on hip-hop being unfairly blamed for societal chaos.

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Ice Cube – “Before Hip Hop”

With “Before Hip Hop,” Ice Cube delivers a booming, no-nonsense statement that not only sets the tone for his forthcoming album Man Up, but also reaffirms his status as one of rap’s most consistent veterans.

Over thunderous production, Cube scoffs at the notion that Hip-Hop is to blame for the struggles within the Black community, spitting lines like “My pronouns will throw rounds/ Heartbeats will slow down/ Where’s the showdown?/ Your hood is a ghost town.”

His pen remains razor-sharp, and his presence is just as commanding as it was decades ago. On “Before Hip Hop,” Cube shines while showing he’s still speaking truth to power—with grit, clarity, and purpose. – PB

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O’Shea returns with his new single, taken from his upcoming album Man Up

Before Hip-Hop chronicles what the genre was often blamed for, despite such happenings predating its inception. The long play is set to drop soon, with a tentative release date of 29th September 2025.

Before Hip-Hop Highlights Bias Attitudes

Before Hip-Hop is a bass heavy tune filled with anecdotes on life before the genre. But it goes further, tracking timelines of a range of felonies and lifestyles prior to its perceived influence on society.

During the golden age of rap, it was often argued its lyrics and videos inspired gang violence, heavy drug use and misogyny. Though rappers fired back, referencing both sound and image in motion pictures, often glamourised. The difference? Race.

Those who opposed hip-hop had a racial axe to grind. They couldn’t and wouldn’t compare white led movies to rap artists; they were stuck in their ways and had already made up their mind.

Song samples some lines from a scene the side-splitting 87 comedy 'Hollywood Shuffle' -



The last time i remember a west coast rapper sampling from that movie was Ren.