West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Classics => Topic started by: D-Nice on January 10, 2009, 12:08:31 PM
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Not really doing it in order but right now I am bumping The Predator.
It's funny how America has changed alot since this album dropped. The whole riots and Rodney King verdict fueled alot of interest in this album and Cube was like the street corner reporter on this album. I miss that from artists today, he made you feel like you were right in South Central when all this was going on.
HEAVY Cypress/Muggs influence on this album. Muggs was the co executive producer. Kind of miss those dark track they used to do together like that.
Say Hi To The Bad Guy to this day is :o to me. That flow Cube on that was incredible.
Slept on album once you sit back and look at his catalog. Gets lost in the shuffle but alot of his biggest hits are on this one and it is his highest selling album. I will drop some thoughts on the rest of his albums later but those are just a couple thoughts. Feel free to discuss on whatever else. Tanj, HEC where yall at, get in here. ;D
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Not really doing it in order but right now I am bumping The Predator.
It's funny how America has changed alot since this album dropped. The whole riots and Rodney King verdict fueled alot of interest in this album and Cube was like the street corner reporter on this album. I miss that from artists today, he made you feel like you were right in South Central when all this was going on.
HEAVY Cypress/Muggs influence on this album. Muggs was the co executive producer. Kind of miss those dark track they used to do together like that.
Say Hi To The Bad Guy to this day is :o to me. That flow Cube on that was incredible.
Slept on album once you sit back and look at his catalog. Gets lost in the shuffle but alot of his biggest hits are on this one and it is his highest selling album. I will drop some thoughts on the rest of his albums later but those are just a couple thoughts. Feel free to discuss on whatever else. Tanj, HEC where yall at, get in here. ;D
Co-sign, the whole album is at least 4/5 imo. This might be my favorite Ice Cube album after Death Certificate & AMW.
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Not really doing it in order but right now I am bumping The Predator.
It's funny how America has changed alot since this album dropped.
The whole riots and Rodney King verdict fueled alot of interest in this album and Cube was like the street corner reporter on this album.
I miss that from artists today, he made you feel like you were right in South Central when all this was going on.
I miss that too,artists like Geto Boys,The Coup,Dead Prez and Paris do their thing though ;)
Slept on album once you sit back and look at his catalog.
hmmm,I'll give it a spin a little later ;)
Gets lost in the shuffle but alot of his biggest hits are on this one and it is his highest selling album.
it sold more than Lethal Injection?
Yeah Predator did like 2 million I believe
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Not really doing it in order but right now I am bumping The Predator.
It's funny how America has changed alot since this album dropped.
The whole riots and Rodney King verdict fueled alot of interest in this album and Cube was like the street corner reporter on this album.
I miss that from artists today, he made you feel like you were right in South Central when all this was going on.
I miss that too,artists like Geto Boys,The Coup,Dead Prez and Paris do their thing though ;)
Slept on album once you sit back and look at his catalog.
hmmm,I'll give it a spin a little later ;)
Gets lost in the shuffle but alot of his biggest hits are on this one and it is his highest selling album.
it sold more than Lethal Injection?
Yeah Predator did like 2 million I believe
That is correct. And a side note Bow Down pushed double plat as well. Lethal Injection was close to 2 mil I believe.
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Not really doing it in order but right now I am bumping The Predator.
It's funny how America has changed alot since this album dropped.
The whole riots and Rodney King verdict fueled alot of interest in this album and Cube was like the street corner reporter on this album.
I miss that from artists today, he made you feel like you were right in South Central when all this was going on.
I miss that too,artists like Geto Boys,The Coup,Dead Prez and Paris do their thing though ;)
Slept on album once you sit back and look at his catalog.
hmmm,I'll give it a spin a little later ;)
Gets lost in the shuffle but alot of his biggest hits are on this one and it is his highest selling album.
it sold more than Lethal Injection?
Yeah Predator did like 2 million I believe
That is correct. And a side note Bow Down pushed double plat as well. Lethal Injection was close to 2 mil I believe.
over 2 mill :o,D-Nice was right.... ;)
NWA Reunion? in Rap Pages February 1998
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2104/2156267659_a59c8968cb_b.jpg)
read the rest here; (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=150824.msg1801013#msg1801013)
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You gotta remember Chad, Predator had some HUGE singles on there.
It Was A Good Day
Check Yo Self
Wicked
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(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/CDUCoverArt/Music/72435433392.jpg)
Is funny looking at this cover that the pipe in it is not Cube's, it's DJ Muggs' pipe lol. Classic cover.
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
yeah that was the shit 8)
don't worry, new stuff will come too :)
though we could use that guy from New York
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
yeah that was the shit 8)
don't worry, new stuff will come too :)
though we could use that guy from New York
Yeah HEC would have been all over this one. Tanj too. Next up I am listening to Lethal Injection, no particular order
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
yeah that was the shit 8)
don't worry, new stuff will come too :)
though we could use that guy from New York
You got your guy from NY...meeeee!!! LOL!!!
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
yeah that was the shit 8)
don't worry, new stuff will come too :)
though we could use that guy from New York
Well the idea came from a Daz thread that got deleted. ;)
I posted links to those classic DPG threads that Tanji did,so Daz could check em....
....and D-Nice was like damn I miss those days,so I said hey why not pick up where Tanji left and do same with NWA?....and here we are ;)
Feel free to pick up on NWA´s or the other members discography ;) (the same goes for Laconic ;))
For those that missed them here's links to Tanji,D-Nice and Hec´s DPG threads; ;)
Thoughts on Daz after finally hearing the discography (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=144697.msg1503079#msg1503079)
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Thoughts on Dogg Pound after finally hearing the discography (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=140681.0)
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Thoughts on Kurupt after finally hearing the discography (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=141480.0)
You gotta remember Chad, Predator had some HUGE singles on there.
It Was A Good Day
Check Yo Self
Wicked
ahhhh,I was sure they was on Lethal Injection :P.... my bad. :P :laugh: ;)
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Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
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Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
You know what's highly underrated from this record is the original version of What Can I Do? I think I like the original just as much if not more than the remix especially the end of the track where Cube's naming off all the laws the white man has broke and then puttin' you jail for those same laws. Love that.
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Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
You know what's highly underrated from this record is the original version of What Can I Do? I think I like the original just as much if not more than the remix especially the end of the track where Cube's naming off all the laws the white man has broke and then puttin' you jail for those same laws. Love that.
Oh shit I forgot that one lol. Hell yeah, I love both versions, the remix a slight bit more than the original. Video is a classic to the remix. That Bootlegs & B-Sides was a dope ass album also.
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
Speaking of memories...I remember when this dropped towards the end of '93 and my brother had bought it for me for Christmas but I had to hide it from my folks cause to put it succinctly they weren't too fond of Cube back then. Now my Dad be watching some of his movies hahaha!!! Good times.
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
Speaking of memories...I remember when this dropped towards the end of '93 and my brother had bought it for me for Christmas but I had to hide it from my folks cause to put it succinctly they weren't too fond of Cube back then. Now my Dad be watching some of his movies hahaha!!! Good times.
LOL! A little off subject, but I truly believe if J-Dee from the Lench Mob did not get that murder case, we would be talking about him with the likes of Cube, Dre, Snoop, etc. Man he was ill as fuck.
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
Speaking of memories...I remember when this dropped towards the end of '93 and my brother had bought it for me for Christmas but I had to hide it from my folks cause to put it succinctly they weren't too fond of Cube back then. Now my Dad be watching some of his movies hahaha!!! Good times.
LOL! A little off subject, but I truly believe if J-Dee from the Lench Mob did not get that murder case, we would be talking about him with the likes of Cube, Dre, Snoop, etc. Man he was ill as fuck.
No doubt. He was my favorite out of the big 3 (Shorty, T Bone, J Dee) And to go off topic again do you know what happened to Maulkie from Planet of Da Apes?
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
Speaking of memories...I remember when this dropped towards the end of '93 and my brother had bought it for me for Christmas but I had to hide it from my folks cause to put it succinctly they weren't too fond of Cube back then. Now my Dad be watching some of his movies hahaha!!! Good times.
LOL! A little off subject, but I truly believe if J-Dee from the Lench Mob did not get that murder case, we would be talking about him with the likes of Cube, Dre, Snoop, etc. Man he was ill as fuck.
No doubt. He was my favorite out of the big 3 (Shorty, T Bone, J Dee) And to go off topic again do you know what happened to Maulkie from Planet of Da Apes?
Maulkie was part of the duo Yomo & Maulkie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yomo_&_Maulkie) (but you probably already know this ;))....
their album Are U Xperienced? was tight as fuck. (produced by Yella)...
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/6c/5c/643db340dca01b9278784010._AA240_.L.jpg)
I actually didn't know about that. Props...
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Neither did I, props
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
Speaking of memories...I remember when this dropped towards the end of '93 and my brother had bought it for me for Christmas but I had to hide it from my folks cause to put it succinctly they weren't too fond of Cube back then. Now my Dad be watching some of his movies hahaha!!! Good times.
LOL! A little off subject, but I truly believe if J-Dee from the Lench Mob did not get that murder case, we would be talking about him with the likes of Cube, Dre, Snoop, etc. Man he was ill as fuck.
No doubt. He was my favorite out of the big 3 (Shorty, T Bone, J Dee) And to go off topic again do you know what happened to Maulkie from Planet of Da Apes?
Maulkie was part of the duo Yomo & Maulkie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yomo_&_Maulkie) (but you probably already know this ;))....
their album Are U Xperienced? was tight as fuck. (produced by Yella)...
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/6c/5c/643db340dca01b9278784010._AA240_.L.jpg)
I actually didn't know about that. Props...
For real? shit,then you're in for a treat ;)
here it is ;) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=159030.msg1933743#msg1933743)
Neither did I, props
:o :o :o
you better check it out asap....
what about;?
(http://cdbaby.name/s/h/shorty05.jpg)
produced by Polarbear ;)
Here's two tracks from the album;
Shorty of da Lench Mob; Short Stories
(http://cdbaby.name/s/h/shorty05_small.jpg)
05 short stories.m4a Ice Cube Diss part 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?0nazmaad72m
06 Oshea_s great adventures.m4a Ice Cube Diss part 2
http://www.mediafire.com/?8ymtgnxncrd
both tracks produced by Polarbear
Related thread;
The Ultimate Beef Thread (Lench Mob VS Cube); (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=152524.msg1607992#msg1607992)
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cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
yeah that was the shit 8)
don't worry, new stuff will come too :)
though we could use that guy from New York
You got your guy from NY...meeeee!!! LOL!!!
oh yeah you're from New York, my bad :laugh: i forgot about that ;)
i was actually talking about somebody else though, as you may figured out ;)
do you remember a poster named HighEyeCue?
he's "one of us" ;)
i know New York is huge and we don't know what he looks like, but someone should tell him to get his ass back on here :laugh:
what's funny though is that ever since he left, you appeared on my radar ;)
you're filling a part of the void 8)
cool topic, thanks for doing this ;)
dubcc is going through a tough time after all
No prob. I miss the days when we would all get in this thread and just kick some knowledge or memories about some albums.
Speaking of memories...I remember when this dropped towards the end of '93 and my brother had bought it for me for Christmas but I had to hide it from my folks cause to put it succinctly they weren't too fond of Cube back then. Now my Dad be watching some of his movies hahaha!!! Good times.
that's an interesting story ;)
yeah things look a lot different from the outside, than from the inside ;)
it's affecting us all everyday
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Not really doing it in order but right now I am bumping The Predator.
It's funny how America has changed alot since this album dropped. The whole riots and Rodney King verdict fueled alot of interest in this album and Cube was like the street corner reporter on this album. I miss that from artists today, he made you feel like you were right in South Central when all this was going on.
HEAVY Cypress/Muggs influence on this album. Muggs was the co executive producer. Kind of miss those dark track they used to do together like that.
Say Hi To The Bad Guy to this day is :o to me. That flow Cube on that was incredible.
Slept on album once you sit back and look at his catalog. Gets lost in the shuffle but alot of his biggest hits are on this one and it is his highest selling album. I will drop some thoughts on the rest of his albums later but those are just a couple thoughts. Feel free to discuss on whatever else. Tanj, HEC where yall at, get in here. ;D
well my problem with the album is the production.
unlike you, i'm not really a fan of Muggs ;)
overall the production the Predator sounds boring/repetitive to me, just like some of the Cypress Hill stuff.
Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
yeah artistically it's probably not his best work, but it's my favourite Cube album :)
out of all his albums, this one has the best production on it IMO
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Yeah I am a die hard Muggs fan. ;D
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Yeah I am a die hard Muggs fan. ;D
I ain't that big on Muggs either,he's alright.... but never really been on my radar. ;)
Thanks for that Maulkie & Yomo link. Appreciate it 8)
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Yeah I am a die hard Muggs fan. ;D
I ain't that big on Muggs either,he's alright.... but never really been on my radar. ;)
yo Chad, you should re-check Cube's first album ;)
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Bumping Death Certificate, will drop thoughts later.
Muggs and Cypress as a whole has such a unique sound. Muggs really is one of a few producers that has a very universal sound. He can make a east coast sounding beat, west, rock, the whole 9. His core sound was keys heavy with scratches and low bass. Temples Of Boom he completely switched it up.
Anyways to stay on topic, Muggs style fit well to me with Cube because he was going more with that dark sound and it fit well with the mood of Predator. Dre, Fred Wreck, Hallway, JR Rotem, etc these type producers Cube sounds dope over.
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^I haven't heard it yet. Soon enough...
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Yeah I am a die hard Muggs fan. ;D
I ain't that big on Muggs either,he's alright.... but never really been on my radar. ;)
Thanks for that Maulkie & Yomo link. Appreciate it 8)
you liked it?
Yeah I am a die hard Muggs fan. ;D
I ain't that big on Muggs either,he's alright.... but never really been on my radar. ;)
yo Chad, you should re-check Cube's first album ;)
I will,Predator is on rotation now ;)
^I haven't heard it yet. Soon enough...
here's one of their video's; ;)
Yomo & Maulkie ''Mockingbird''
http://www.youtube.com/v/jl9O8-6vrzE&hl=en&fs=1
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dope album...to this day 'when will they shoot' is my fave cube track..
cube with the bomb squad, dre and muggs was classic but the boogiemen laced him best imho.
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Just went trough the Peace disc....
..and I only liked two tracks :o (Hello and Record Company Pimpin')
that's funny, cause i feel the same way :laugh: ;)
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Just went trough the Peace disc....
..and I only liked two tracks :o (Hello and Record Company Pimpin')
that's funny, cause i feel the same way :laugh: ;)
;)
Anyway,how you like that Yomo and Maulkie album?
haven't checked it yet ;)
i'll get it now
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I'm listening to "Death Certificate" right now. It's been probably 5 years since I've really listened to it. I'm gonna have to listen to it in full. I can't skip tracks on this one.
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Ice Cube my favorite rapper yall niggaz cant tell me nothing
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Ice Cubes discography >>> any other rappers EVER 8)
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Ice Cubes discography >>> any other rappers EVER 8)
Pretty much 8)
Nas' & Pacs (only original albums though) are up there too.
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Was bumping Death Certificate so much I forgot I had this thread going ;D
Man I always go back and forth what album I think is his best, this one or Amerikkas Most. This album though listen back to it is very well balanced. Social commentary, party tracks, gangsta tracks, it covers a wide range of subject matter. Just a classic album in every sense of the word.
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Was bumping Death Certificate so much I forgot I had this thread going ;D
Man I always go back and forth what album I think is his best, this one or Amerikkas Most.
This album though listen back to it is very well balanced. Social commentary, party tracks, gangster tracks, it covers a wide range of subject matter. Just a classic album in every sense of the word.
There's no contest... Death Certificate is his best album. Classic....
I don't really like Amerikkkas Most. :P (But yes Dre-Day.. I will give it another chance ;))
I remember when Death Certificate dropped,I was actually ready to hate on it :laugh:
I was sure Cube couldn't produce a dope album without Dre.... but boy was I wrong. :P :laugh:
Yeah the production was dope from track to track, Cube's flow was great, something now from time to time he struggles with I notice. Not that problem on this one, and it is Cube at his best with the social commentary. Predator was up there too with it but this album he was at his best.
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Was bumping Death Certificate so much I forgot I had this thread going ;D
Man I always go back and forth what album I think is his best, this one or Amerikkas Most.
This album though listen back to it is very well balanced. Social commentary, party tracks, gangster tracks, it covers a wide range of subject matter. Just a classic album in every sense of the word.
There's no contest... Death Certificate is his best album. Classic....
I don't really like Amerikkkas Most. :P (But yes Dre-Day.. I will give it another chance ;))
I remember when Death Certificate dropped,I was actually ready to hate on it :laugh:
I was sure Cube couldn't produce a dope album without Dre.... but boy was I wrong. :P :laugh:
Yeah the production was dope from track to track, Cube's flow was great, something now from time to time he struggles with I notice. Not that problem on this one, and it is Cube at his best with the social commentary. Predator was up there too with it but this album he was at his best.
What bothers me with Cube's flow is that he at times jump on the current trend,like on Predator he's clearly influenced by Das-FX´s flow.... a flow and style I hate :P :laugh:.
His "club" flow is mad wak too :-X :P
Predator is on rotation.... my final verdict on it will come a little later ;)
I loved We Be Clubbin when it dropped, might throw Players Club into this thread too, that is a slept on soundtrack. But yeah I agree with you on that. To his defense, he would always have some out of left field collabos like Check Yo Self or the Pushin Weight remix with Noreaga or We Be Clubbin with DMX. I for the most part always enjoyed those collabos.
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Was bumping Death Certificate so much I forgot I had this thread going ;D
Man I always go back and forth what album I think is his best, this one or Amerikkas Most.
This album though listen back to it is very well balanced. Social commentary, party tracks, gangster tracks, it covers a wide range of subject matter. Just a classic album in every sense of the word.
There's no contest... Death Certificate is his best album. Classic....
I don't really like Amerikkkas Most. :P (But yes Dre-Day.. I will give it another chance ;))
I remember when Death Certificate dropped,I was actually ready to hate on it :laugh:
I was sure Cube couldn't produce a dope album without Dre.... but boy was I wrong. :P :laugh:
Yeah the production was dope from track to track, Cube's flow was great, something now from time to time he struggles with I notice. Not that problem on this one, and it is Cube at his best with the social commentary. Predator was up there too with it but this album he was at his best.
What bothers me with Cube's flow is that he at times jump on the current trend,like on Predator he's clearly influenced by Das-FX´s flow.... a flow and style I hate :P :laugh:.
His "club" flow is mad wak too :-X :P
Predator is on rotation.... my final verdict on it will come a little later ;)
I loved We Be Clubbin when it dropped, might throw Players Club into this thread too, that is a slept on soundtrack. But yeah I agree with you on that. To his defense, he would always have some out of left field collabos like Check Yo Self or the Pushin Weight remix with Noreaga or We Be Clubbin with DMX. I for the most part always enjoyed those collabos.
I hate those,but he has done enough hardcore jams to composate for the cheesy ones... so I ain't mad at him ;) :laugh:
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didn't read the thread so sorry if I sound redundant... but I think Cube/Muggs made some bomb music on the Predator and wish they didn't fall out with the whole Cypress Hill beef.
and Cube IMHO has 4 classics
Amerikkkaz Most Wanted
Ill At Will
The Predator
Lethal Injection
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Ice Cube Reviews
309 Ice Cube; Peace review in The Source May 2000
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2121/2244725872_1b69a21f0b_b.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2387/2244727346_6458305190_b.jpg)
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Ice Cube; Death Certificate review Hip Hop Connection December 1991 NO.35
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/2095941732_19a9dddd7b_b.jpg)
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Ice Cube; Amerikkkas most wanted review in Hip Hop Connection,August 1990. Issue 19. Ice Cube cover
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/1906380323_5a7afe6210_b.jpg)
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Ice Cube; Lethal injection review Hip Hop Connection December 1993 NO.58
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2291/2096058348_4700fc9250_b.jpg)
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Ice Cube review in The Source February 1995 NO.65.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2079/2157242702_0eaa08e278_b.jpg)
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211 Ice Cube; WAR review in The Source December 1998 NO.111
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2187/2243715537_9f65b0ffd8_b.jpg)
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321 Ice Cube; War review in Blaze December 1999
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2085/2301457463_6d333c5617_b.jpg)
XXXXX
Ice Cube; Death Certificate review in The Source
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/3116910232_46f18a3ba7_b.jpg)
The ultimate N.W.A family interview thread *magazine scans,reviews etc.* (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=150824.msg1801009#msg1801009)
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I will probably bump the Peace disc next. Not one of my fav Cube albums just from the simple fact that it seems thrown together and he did not follow the original format of content and subject matter that he said he would previously for the album. Still a good party record here and there.
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I will probably bump the Peace disc next. Not one of my fav Cube albums just from the simple fact that it seems thrown together and he did not follow the original format of content and subject matter that he said he would previously for the album. Still a good party record here and there.
Just went trough the Peace disc....
..and I only liked two tracks :o (Hello and Record Company Pimpin')
that's funny, cause i feel the same way :laugh: ;)
:P ;)
Well first he dropped the War disc in 98. (That is one of my favorite Cube albums) Then Peace did not come till 2000, 2001. He was supposed to drop them both in the same year a la DMX at the time so when Peace came out it seemed rushed. And it just seemed like it was We Be Clubbin the album at times. Like I said it had some dope production and has a couple really stand outs tracks, just is not one of my favs from him.
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But that is the great thing about albums. You can always go back and listen to them and see if you can get that vibe back again from the album or pick up something new. Maybe that will happen with the Peace disc.
-
Cube '88-'96 dropped nothing but classic albums and classic movies. I can't think of any other rapper that had a better run than Cube in those years.
Music:
Straight Outta Compton
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Kill At Will EP
Death Certificate
The Predator
Lethal Injection
Bow Down
Movies:
Boyz N The Hood
Friday
-
I will probably bump the Peace disc next. Not one of my fav Cube albums just from the simple fact that it seems thrown together and he did not follow the original format of content and subject matter that he said he would previously for the album. Still a good party record here and there.
Just went trough the Peace disc....
..and I only liked two tracks :o (Hello and Record Company Pimpin')
that's funny, cause i feel the same way :laugh: ;)
:P ;)
Well first he dropped the War disc in 98. (That is one of my favorite Cube albums) Then Peace did not come till 2000, 2001. He was supposed to drop them both in the same year a la DMX at the time so when Peace came out it seemed rushed. And it just seemed like it was We Be Clubbin the album at times. Like I said it had some dope production and has a couple really stand outs tracks, just is not one of my favs from him.
The War disc is a whole lot better... ;) I believe Cube's first plan was a double album.
But that is the great thing about albums. You can always go back and listen to them and see if you can get that vibe back again from the album or pick up something new. Maybe that will happen with the Peace disc.
True.... I've been going trough a gang of old favorites lately;
EPMD,BDP,Schooly D,Biz Markie,Big Daddy Kane,Public Enemy,X-Clan....
Not everything sounds like I remembered :laugh: :P
I think Cube always wanted to do 2 albums released at different times. I just think with the success of We Be Clubbin, he wanted more of that kind of music on Peace. You Can Do It is a perfect example. So instead of making the Peace disc as he originally intended, as a album full of social commentary and politically charged as he said in a interview, he went the "safe" route and made a album full of party joints.
But yeah the War disc was incredible to me. I don't think it was better than his first 3 or 4 albums but it was a great album. HEAVY Rap-A-Lot influences as NO Joe produced almost half of that album.
-
I will probably bump the Peace disc next. Not one of my fav Cube albums just from the simple fact that it seems thrown together and he did not follow the original format of content and subject matter that he said he would previously for the album. Still a good party record here and there.
Just went trough the Peace disc....
..and I only liked two tracks :o (Hello and Record Company Pimpin')
that's funny, cause i feel the same way :laugh: ;)
:P ;)
Well first he dropped the War disc in 98. (That is one of my favorite Cube albums) Then Peace did not come till 2000, 2001. He was supposed to drop them both in the same year a la DMX at the time so when Peace came out it seemed rushed. And it just seemed like it was We Be Clubbin the album at times. Like I said it had some dope production and has a couple really stand outs tracks, just is not one of my favs from him.
The War disc is a whole lot better... ;) I believe Cube's first plan was a double album.
But that is the great thing about albums. You can always go back and listen to them and see if you can get that vibe back again from the album or pick up something new. Maybe that will happen with the Peace disc.
True.... I've been going trough a gang of old favorites lately;
EPMD,BDP,Schooly D,Biz Markie,Big Daddy Kane,Public Enemy,X-Clan....
Not everything sounds like I remembered :laugh: :P
I think Cube always wanted to do 2 albums released at different times.
I just think with the success of We Be Clubbin, he wanted more of that kind of music on Peace.
You Can Do It is a perfect example. So instead of making the Peace disc as he originally intended, as a album full of social commentary and politically charged as he said in a interview, he went the "safe" route and made a album full of party joints.
That could be ;)
But yeah the War disc was incredible to me. I don't think it was better than his first 3 or 4 albums but it was a great album. HEAVY Rap-A-Lot influences as NO Joe produced almost half of that album.
I've never rated or ranked Cube's albums before... but we will find out after this thread ;)
-
;)
Anyway,how you like that Yomo and Maulkie album?
it's not bad; it has that NWA sound to it ;)
need to listen some more to make up my mind
-
;)
Anyway,how you like that Yomo and Maulkie album?
it's not bad; it has that NWA sound to it ;)
need to listen some more to make up my mind
True... but without cursing :laugh:. Yella did a great job behind the boards ;)
-
yo Chad, you should recheck Cube's first album ;)
OK,here you go; ;)
1. Better Off Dead -
Produced by Ice Cube, Sir Jinx & E. Sadler
Intro; No rating
2. The Nigga Ya Love To Hate -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
*background vocals by Dan Wood*
4/5
3. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
*background vocals by Sir Jinx & J. Dee*
2/5
4. What They HIttin' Foe -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
*background vocals by The Lench Mob*
2/5
5. You Cant Fade Me -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
3/5
6. JD's Gaffilin' -
Skit; No rating
7. Once Upon A Time In The Projects -
Produced by Sir Jinx
Co-Produced by The Bomb Squad
*background vocals by Shannon, Jackie Parmer*
3.5/5
8. Turn Off The Radio -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
*background vocals by Ricky Harris, D.E.L., T-Bone & The Lench Mob*
5/5
9. Endangerered Species (Tales From The Darkside) -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
*background vocals by The Lench Mob & The Bomb Squad*
4/5
10. A Gangsta's Fairytale -
Produced by Ice Cube, Sir Jinx & E. Adler
Co-Produced by The Bomb Squad
*background vocals by Dan Wood, Son Of Berserk, Lil Les, Krissta*
2/5
11. I'm Only Out For One Thang (featuring Flava Flav) -
Produced by Sir Jinx & Ice Cube
Co-Produced by The Bomb Squad
1/5
12. Get Off My Dick And Tell Yo Bitch To Come Here -
Produced by The Bomb Squad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
3/5
13. The Drive-by -
Produced by Sir Jinx
Skit; No rating
14. Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob -
Produced by The Bombsquad
Co-Produced by Ice Cube & Sir Jinx
*background vocals by J.Dee, T-Bone, Sir Jinx, *
3/5
15. Whos The Mack? -
Produced by Sir Jinx & The Bomb Squad
*background vocals by Son Of Berserker*
5/5
16. Its A Man's World (featuring Yo-Yo) -
Produced by Sir Jinx & Ice Cube
2/5
17. The Bomb -
Produced by Sir Jinx
Co-Produced by The Bomb Squad
*background vocals by J.Dee, T-Bone, Ricky Harris*
2/5
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
-
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
Ouch. I consider that shit classic especially the remastered version that puts Kill At Will tracks on the tracklist.
-
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
ah, too bad you didn't like the track that has the same title as the album and the bomb.
i like these 2 uptempo beats and Cube killed it ;)
but overall, it's safe to say that you like the album more than you did when it just came out :)
-
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
Ouch. I consider that shit classic especially the remastered version that puts Kill At Will tracks on the tracklist.
It's considered a overall classic (by media and fans)... but for me personally,I never really liked it :P ;)
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
ah, too bad you didn't like the track that has the same title as the album and the bomb.
i like these 2 up tempo beats and Cube killed it ;)
but overall, it's safe to say that you like the album more than you did when it just came out :)
Maybe.... :P
-
lol @ the review of Leathal Injection with the title "Ice Cube goes pop" Seems like the reviewer has no idea of (westcoast)rap.
-
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
ah, too bad you didn't like the track that has the same title as the album and the bomb.
i like these 2 up tempo beats and Cube killed it ;)
but overall, it's safe to say that you like the album more than you did when it just came out :)
Maybe.... :P
well i like it more than the predator, but Death Certificate and Lethal Injection are better than Cube first album to me.
on a side note, i don't even know if Lethal Injection is my favourite Cube album anymore.
with the bonus tracks, it could be a challenge for Death Certificate, but without them, Death Certificate takes the crown.
it's the hardest Cube album and some of the productions grew on me
-
Overall Conclusion;
Didn't really like the album when it dropped,and don't like it now,it's not bad... but you know... can't like everything. :P ;)
Overall Rating;
3/5
ah, too bad you didn't like the track that has the same title as the album and the bomb.
i like these 2 up tempo beats and Cube killed it ;)
but overall, it's safe to say that you like the album more than you did when it just came out :)
Maybe.... :P
well i like it more than the predator, but Death Certificate and Lethal Injection are better than Cube first album to me.
on a side note, i don't even know if Lethal Injection is my favourite Cube album anymore.
with the bonus tracks, it could be a challenge for Death Certificate, but without them, Death Certificate takes the crown.
it's the hardest Cube album and some of the productions grew on me
I'll get to Predator and Lethal Injection later....
But so far I got;
-Amerikkkas Most Wanted; 3/5
-Kill At Will; 3/5
-Death Certificate; 5/5
-The Peace Disc; 1.5/5
-Raw Footage; 3.5/5
-
I would rate Death Certificate above AMW, but how can you give AMW only 3/5 as a Cube fan? ;)
Predator is a cool album, I don't know why, but I bumped AMW, DC and Lethal Injection alot more.
When I look at the critics, Lethal Injection got mostly negative reviews, while most of his fans like it (including me). I think it didn't reinvent the wheel, the subject matter was the same (except for When I get to heaven maybe-I love this track), and he imitated Dre's G-Funk sound that was so dominant at that time, but I think the experiment succeeded and the funky, melodic G-Funk fit together with Cube's aggressive style.
-
Wow Chad, I'm surprised you gave Cube's first CD such a low rating & you gave "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" a 4??? Damn, check out the 3:30 point of the vid below. I hope it makes you appreciate the song alot more. It sounds more up to date.
http://www.youtube.com/v/So5qK4-oeKg&hl=en&fs=1
-
Wow Chad, I'm surprised you gave Cube's first CD such a low rating & you gave "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" a 4??? Damn, check out the 3:30 point of the vid below. I hope it makes you appreciate the song alot more. It sounds more up to date.
he gave it a 4/5, similar to 8/10 ;)
-
Wow Chad, I'm surprised you gave Cube's first CD such a low rating & you gave "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" a 4??? Damn, check out the 3:30 point of the vid below. I hope it makes you appreciate the song alot more. It sounds more up to date.
he gave it a 4/5, similar to 8/10 ;)
he gave it 3/5. And Raw Footage 3.5/5 :-\
-
Wow Chad, I'm surprised you gave Cube's first CD such a low rating & you gave "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" a 4??? Damn, check out the 3:30 point of the vid below. I hope it makes you appreciate the song alot more. It sounds more up to date.
he gave it a 4/5, similar to 8/10 ;)
he gave it 3/5. And Raw Footage 3.5/5 :-\
not the song, The Nigga Ya Love To Hate ;)
as far as Raw Footage is concerned, i'd rate it 5/10, but hey, that's me ;)
-
Wow Chad, I'm surprised you gave Cube's first CD such a low rating & you gave "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" a 4??? Damn, check out the 3:30 point of the vid below. I hope it makes you appreciate the song alot more. It sounds more up to date.
he gave it a 4/5, similar to 8/10 ;)
The song is perfect, out of 5 I'd give it a 6 ;D
-
lol @ the review of Lethal Injection with the title "Ice Cube goes pop"
Seems like the reviewer has no idea of (westcoast)rap.
It's Hip Hop Connection,so don't bother taking the review serious.
They gave The Chronic 3/5 and Shock Of The Hour 1/5 :o :laugh: :-X :-[
I posted the reviews here;
The ultimate N.W.A family interview thread *magazine scans,reviews etc.* (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=150824.0)
Wow Chad, I'm surprised you gave Cube's first CD such a low rating & you gave "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" a 4??? Damn, check out the 3:30 point of the vid below.
I hope it makes you appreciate the song alot more. It sounds more up to date.
http://www.youtube.com/v/So5qK4-oeKg&hl=en&fs=1
I've seen Cube perform "The Nigga Ya Love To Hate" live a gang of times.
Including on the "Up In Smoke" tour. ;) (a lot of shit is edited out on the DVD :-[ :-\)
Yeah it's a hype track,and works well live..... and hey 4/5 is pretty good in my book ;)
-
Chad you are crazy and unorthodox in the way you rate shit, but i do know where you come from and i agree with you to a certain exten because I too've seen Cube live and they hype from his albums on my computer isn' the sa,e as a live performance.
-
Amerikkkaz most wanted is fuckin classic probably my favourite cube cd. The beats are nice old school with tons of samples and scratches which i love and cube rippin them to shreds. My next favourite is probably Lethal injection then Death certificate then the rest which i dont bother listening to much
-
Chad you are crazy and unorthodox in the way you rate shit, but i do know where you come from and i agree with you to a certain exten because I too've seen Cube live and they hype from his albums on my computer isn' the sa,e as a live performance.
please clarify?
-
Ice Cube – The Predator
The First Day Of School
Intro,no rating
When Will They Shoot
3/5
I'm Scared (Insert)
Skit,no rating
Wicked
4.5/5
Now I Gotta Get Wet ‘Cha
3.5/5
The Predator
3.5/5
It Was A Good Day
5/5
We Had To Tear This Mothafucka Up
3.5/5
Fuck ‘Em (Insert)
Skit,no rating
Dirty Mack
:-[
Don’t Trust ‘Em
:-[
Gangsta’s Fairytale 2
3/5
Chech Yo Self
:-[
Who Got The Camera?
3/5
Integration (Insert)
Skit,no rating
Say Hi To The Bad Guy
3/5
Overall rating;
3.5/5
I'll get to Predator and Lethal Injection later....
But so far I got;
-Amerikkkas Most Wanted; 3/5
-Kill At Will; 3/5
-Death Certificate; 5/5
-The Peace Disc; 1.5/5
-Raw Footage; 3.5/5
-
Bumping the Peace Disc lately. Production was strong on this album but it is nothing more than a party album IMO. If it was not for the song Hello this album would have flopped pretty bad. Cool album to cruise around to, but I rank it pretty low in his catalog.
-
1. The Shot Intro -
Produced by Sir Jinx
Intro,No rating
2. Really Doe -
Produced by Laylaw & Derrick McDowell
*contains a sample from "You Gotta Believe"*
4/5
3. Ghetto Bird -
Produced by QDIII
5/5
4. You Know How We Do It -
Produced by QDIII
*contains a sample from "The Show Is Over"*
4/5
5. Cave Bitch -
Produced by Brian G
:P
6. Bop Gun [One Nation] (featuring George Clinton) -
Produced by QDIII & Ice Cube
:P
7. What Can I Do? -
Produced by 88 X Unit
4/5
8. Lil Ass Gee -
Produced by Sir Jinx
*contains a sample from "La Di Da Di"*
:P
9. Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth (featuring K-Dee) -
Produced by QDIII
4.5/5
10. Down For Whatever -
Produced by Madness 4 Real
5/5
11. Enemy -
Produced by Madness 4 Real
3.5/5
12. When I Get To Heaven -
Produced by Brian G
4.5/5
Overall rating;
4/5
So far I got;
-Amerikkkas Most Wanted; 3/5
-Kill At Will; 3/5
-Death Certificate; 5/5
-Predator; 3.5/5
-Lethal Injection; 4/5
-The Peace Disc; 1.5/5
-Raw Footage; 3/5
-
One thing I did like about the Peace disc is the song Until We Rich. Man what a great song. Hello too of course, Gutter Shit is banging, Nigga Of The Century. It had some good songs on there, but still overall I don't rank it high.
-
The Peace Disc had some real bangers on there like Hello. Until We Rich, 24 Mo Hours, Record Company Pimpin', Nigga of the Century and The Gutter Shit. Unfortunately, it also had some sub-par or just awful joints like Can You Bounce? (WTF was Cube thinking?), You Can Do It, and Gotta Be Insanity.
This is by far his least consistent album in his catalog. I also believe it sold less than any of his other albums put out through Priority.
-
The Peace Disc had some real bangers on there like Hello. Until We Rich, 24 Mo Hours, Record Company Pimpin', Nigga of the Century and The Gutter Shit. Unfortunately, it also had some sub-par or just awful joints like Can You Bounce? (WTF was Cube thinking?), You Can Do It, and Gotta Be Insanity.
This is by far his least consistent album in his catalog. I also believe it sold less than any of his other albums put out through Priority.
Yeah even with all that it sold around 900k which is not too bad but he would have easily went plat if it was more consistent.
-
The Peace Disc had some real bangers on there like Hello. Until We Rich, 24 Mo Hours, Record Company Pimpin', Nigga of the Century and The Gutter Shit. Unfortunately, it also had some sub-par or just awful joints like Can You Bounce? (WTF was Cube thinking?), You Can Do It, and Gotta Be Insanity.
This is by far his least consistent album in his catalog. I also believe it sold less than any of his other albums put out through Priority.
Yeah even with all that it sold around 900k which is not too bad but he would have easily went plat if it was more consistent.
yeah it makes sense why this opinion is shared by a couple of "us".
one thing doesn't add up to me though, Laconic.
i mean it makes sense that D~Nice, Chad and i like Hello, but how can you not enjoy the new concrete criminals song but like that track at the same time?
perhaps i'm looking too deep into this, but i can imagine that you would prefer Straight Outta Compton over Niggaz4life for example ;)
-
The Peace Disc had some real bangers on there like Hello. Until We Rich, 24 Mo Hours, Record Company Pimpin', Nigga of the Century and The Gutter Shit. Unfortunately, it also had some sub-par or just awful joints like Can You Bounce? (WTF was Cube thinking?), You Can Do It, and Gotta Be Insanity.
This is by far his least consistent album in his catalog. I also believe it sold less than any of his other albums put out through Priority.
Yeah even with all that it sold around 900k which is not too bad but he would have easily went plat if it was more consistent.
yeah it makes sense why this opinion is shared by a couple of "us".
one thing doesn't add up to me though, Laconic.
i mean it makes sense that D~Nice, Chad and i like Hello, but how can you not enjoy a concrete criminals project but like that track at the same time?
perhaps i'm looking too deep into this, but i can imagine that you would prefer Straight Outta Compton over Niggaz4life for example ;)
They haven't even released a project yet, correct? So how can you say that I don't enjoy a Concrete Criminals project if I haven't heard it. All I said was I don't wanna hear gangsta shit for an hour straight. If I did I would listen to Spice 1 or Ice T or South Central Cartel from back in the 90's.
And yes I would prefer to hear SOC over N4L simply because Cube is on one project and not the other.
-
one thing doesn't add up to me though, Laconic.
i mean it makes sense that D~Nice, Chad and i like Hello,
but how can you not enjoy a concrete criminals project but like that track at the same time?
perhaps I'm looking too deep into this,
but i can imagine that you would prefer Straight Outta Compton over Niggaz4life for example ;)
They haven't even released a project yet, correct?
So how can you say that I don't enjoy a Concrete Criminals project if I haven't heard it.
You pretty much know RBX´s style right? :P ;)
All I said was I don't wanna hear gangster shit for an hour straight.
If I did I would listen to Spice 1 or Ice T or South Central Cartel from back in the 90's.
That argument right there is as ignorant as saying;
-If I want to listen to alternative rap;
I would dust of my old De La soul,Jungle Brothers or Tribe albums from late 80´s - early 90´s :P
or
If I want to listen to Hip Hop;
-I would Bump some BDP,Run DMC and Ultramagnetic from mid-late 80´s . :P
-
The Peace Disc had some real bangers on there like Hello. Until We Rich, 24 Mo Hours, Record Company Pimpin', Nigga of the Century and The Gutter Shit. Unfortunately, it also had some sub-par or just awful joints like Can You Bounce? (WTF was Cube thinking?), You Can Do It, and Gotta Be Insanity.
This is by far his least consistent album in his catalog. I also believe it sold less than any of his other albums put out through Priority.
Yeah even with all that it sold around 900k which is not too bad but he would have easily went plat if it was more consistent.
yeah it makes sense why this opinion is shared by a couple of "us".
one thing doesn't add up to me though, Laconic.
i mean it makes sense that D~Nice, Chad and i like Hello, but how can you not enjoy a concrete criminals project but like that track at the same time?
perhaps i'm looking too deep into this, but i can imagine that you would prefer Straight Outta Compton over Niggaz4life for example ;)
They haven't even released a project yet, correct? So how can you say that I don't enjoy a Concrete Criminals project if I haven't heard it. All I said was I don't wanna hear gangsta shit for an hour straight. If I did I would listen to Spice 1 or Ice T or South Central Cartel from back in the 90's.
And yes I would prefer to hear SOC over N4L simply because Cube is on one project and not the other.
true, but from the looks of it, it's mainly going to be full of stuff that you rather not want to hear ( yes i've read the interview with the concrete criminals) ;)
as a matter of fact, you didn't even listen to the whole track; you stopped listening to that new concrete criminals track :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: that's bias right there :nawty: ;D ;) ( if you paid more attention, you would have known that it was a tribute track; lyrics of old songs were re-used)
so what's your beef with "gangster" music?
I started this gangsta shit
And this the motherfuckin' thanks I get?
you like Hello, so did the beat make up for the gangster twist? :D
Oh wait so you KNOW that I didn't listen to the whole track :nawty:. WTF are smoking? :stop: I did listen to it and I enjoyed the production more so than the lyrics. As I stated in the PM, to me it's not a record worth holding onto. Bottom line. But thanks for trying to tell me what I did or didn't hear :-*
Also, I don't have any beef with gangsta rap per se but it does get very repetitive, redundant and homogenized. To me the best gangsta rap came out back in the day. That's it , that's all. My "beef" is with the artists who can't or refuse to grow up as they age.
@CHAD: Yes I know RBX's style but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy certain songs of his but there is a very good chance I will not be purchasing this upcoming record. I'd rather buy a book or a documentary or another artist's music that is actually worth supporting.
Moreover, there was nothing ignorant with what I said. You may want to choose your words more carefully to describe the scenario. It's called MY OPINION. Gangsta rap has devolved IMO. Conversely, alternative/underground hip hop has not.
-
edit: argument cleared up ;)
anyway, back to Hello;
so this is one of those tracks that you enjoy listening to, without getting the feeling that it's repetitive?
by way, speaking of support, did you buy Ice Cube's LNCL even though you were disappointed with it (just wondering?)
-
Speaking of tribute tracks and NWA´s; Hello....
Slip Capone,Knoc´Turnal and ?; Hello (we started this gangster shit) (http://www.mediafire.com/?twymyzximzg)
Moreover, there was nothing ignorant with what I said. You may want to choose your words more carefully to describe the scenario.
It's called MY OPINION. Gangster rap has devolved IMO. Conversely, alternative/underground hip hop has not.
I respect your opinion but I still think your statement is ignorant.
OK,I'll turn your words around; ;)
for me alternative rap is on some corny ass suburban hippie shit.
That shit has not moved on a bit either,what's new about their pseudo intellectual hippie shit that hasn't been said a million times before?
^^^^ see the irony now? ^^^^ ;) :laugh:
The beef between alternative rap and gangster rap has been there since day one.... and between it's fans :P :laugh:
So nothing new there either :P :laugh:
When it really comes down to it;
It's not what you say... It's how you say it
And;
What's so underground about alternative rap?
Plenty of alternative rappers had success,for ex; De La Soul,Tribe,Lupe Fiasco and Kanye West. ;)
It's all the same..... you find underground and crossover artists in both generes.
-
Ice Cube; War & Peace (The War Disc)1998 Priority Records
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000DFRV.01._PE_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
1. Ask About Me -
Produced by T-Mix
*background vocals by Mr. Short Khop*
2/5
2. Pushin Weight (featuring Mr. Short Khop) -
Produced by N.O. Joe
2/5
3. Dr. Frankenstein -
Produced by N.O. Joe
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*background vocals by Mr. Short Khop*
*additional vocals by Barbara Wilson & Tracy Nelson*
4/5 Love the intro on this track,NO Joe provided some heat for Cube on this joint.
4. Fuck Dyin (featuring Korn) -
Produced by Bud'da
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*additional vocals by Jonathan Hyde*
2.5/5
5. War & Peace -
Produced by Bud'da
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*contains an interpolation of "Dont Speak"*
4.5/5 Tight
6. Ghetto Vet -
Produced by Bud'da
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*additional vocals by Mack 10 & Mr. Short Khop*
5/5 showcases Cube's talent as one of the best song writers in Hip Hop. Story telling rap at it's best,one Cube's best ever.
The beat is off the meat rack too. :o
7. Greed -
Produced by Bud'da
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*additional vocals by Barbara Wilson & Tracy Nelson*
2/5
8. MP -
Lyrics by Master P
skit,no rating
9. Cash Over Ass -
Produced by Binky
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*background vocals by Barbara Wilson & Tracy Nelson*
3/5 average track
10. The Curse Of Money (featuring Mack 10) -
Produced by N.O. Joe
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
*background vocals by Sleep*
2/5
11. The Peckin' Order -
Produced by Ice Cube
Co-Produced by T. Walker & M. Demby
*background vocals by Mack 10*
5/5 Love the guitar and beat,the lyrics is tight as fuck too.
12. Limos, Demos & Bimbos (featuring Mr. Short Khop) -
Produced by Ice Cube
Co-Produced by Dutch
*contains a sample from "Behind My Camel"*
1.5/5 :P fuck the hook
13. Once Upon A Time In The Projects 2 -
Produced by QDIII & Rick Rock
*background vocals by Big Kebo & Moe*
3.5/5
14. If I Was Fuckin' You (featuring Mr. Short Khop & K-Mac) -
Produced by Dutch
Co-Produced by Binky
*background vocals by Fazon "Big Worm" Love*
3/5
15. X-Bitches -
Produced by Ice Cube & N.O. Joe
2/5
16. Extradition -
Produced by Bud'da
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
3.5/5
17. 3 Strikes You In -
Produced by Ice Cube & N.O. Joe
*background vocals by Mr. Short Khop*
2/5
18. Penitentiary -
Produced by E-A-Ski
Co-Produced by Ice Cube
2/5
Overall rating;
Some really strong joints on this,in my opinion,some of his best ever :o..... (The Peckin' Order and Ghetto Vet)
But there's a whole lot of joints that I don't feel so that drags down the overall rating; :-\ :P
3.5/5
-
wicked , great song, didnt know there is a video for it
-
wicked , great song, didnt know there is a video for it
Ice Cube - Wicked
http://www.youtube.com/v/xXzccr8eGag&hl=en&fs=1
Dope video.....
speaking of Wicked,there was a lot of Drama around this track.
First of; According to the Producer team Torcha Chamba,Cube didn´t pay em.
Second; King Sun claims Cube stole the concept for the track.
Will find scan some King Sun,Torcha Chamba,Cube interviews where they speak on this later.
In meanwhile I googled it,and found this litle piece;
http://www1.epinions.com/content_4989100164/show_~allcom/pp_~1/sort_~date/sort_dir_~asc/sec_~comment_list
Dayo a.k.a. the Balogun Apr 01 '07 7:04 am PDT
Just some comments and Thoughts... (Reply to this comment) (http://www1.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~4989100164/reply_~Just+some+comments+and+Thoughts...+) by oh_gee
I very much enjoyed your review of this overlooked beef. Why this feud is always forgotten is beyond me. I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard "No Rest For The Wicked." That someone, Cypress Hill in this case, had the b*lls to go after Ice Cube directly like that. Even the mighty N.W.A couldn't do it. All Dre, Ren and Eazy did was dedicate an INTERLUDE (not even a full song) to dissing Cube ("Message to B.A.") and then would only refer to Cube as the "one who left," but not by his actual name.
Comment;
He needs to listen 100 Miles and Real Niggaz.... :P
"No Rest For The Wicked" was a very bold, risky and gutsy move, especially knowing what Cube could be capable of and that he basically slaughtered the entire N.W.A camp with "No Vaseline."
Cypress knew there would be retaliation on Cube's part, but c'mon, "King Of The Hill"?? At best, "King Of The Hill" is a decent example of comedy rap, and a totally inappropriate and weak response to "No Rest For The Wicked."
I'd like to clarify some of the lyrics to the song "No Rest," if I may...
The line as you have it written: "Your homie came knocking', he had to chain my suit" is in actuality: "Your homie KAM left ya, The Chamba sued ya." This line is in reference to the problems that Cube was having with his former protege KAM and the Torcha Chamba, a producer who worked on Cube's "The Predator" album.
Comment;
Not a producer,it´s a team... DJ Train and .... can´t remember (will get to this later). :P
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Torcha+Chamba
In other matters:
- King Sun claimed that Cube stole his idea for the "Wicked" concept.
- DJ Muggs claimed he wasn't properly compensated for the 4 tracks he produced on "The Predator."
- Kam eventually dissed Cube with "Whoop! Whoop!" produced by DJ POOH, who in turn ALSO had beef with Cube because Pooh helped write the movie "Friday" and he felt that Cube took all of the credit (and money) for creating the original story/characters and then used these ideas in the sequels without him.
- The line in No Rest For The Wicked: "Caution, when you enter the zone" I believe is in reference to Kausion, a rap group produced and endorsed by Cube that had an album out that featured B Real on it, circa 1995.
- The whole afro issue... It is rather striking that both B Real and Cube sported the afro at around the same time, AND that they both suddenly had shaved heads at around the same time, too. That's what B Real was talking about when he said "Took a look at The Real One, afro gone, the next morning you didn't have yours on." That line makes more sense now.
But what I find totally non-sensical is that Cube, Mack and W.C. called themselves "westside connection," to prove that the westside was indeed connected, at the height of the east coast/west coast feud, yet they dissed Cypress Hill (a west coast group) and they also dissed Common on another song (a rapper from Chicago, not the east coast). So you had two west coast super powers going at it while the east coast is feuding with the west coast. How can you be "connected" when there's feuding going on on your own side?
And if Westside only refers to the Westside of California, then why are the Westside Connection taking on New York? I guess it's westside connection against the entire nation: East Coast, Mid-West, West Coast, Eastside.
Furthermore, as you've pointed out, rapper W.C. didn't even join Cube and Mack 10 as they dissed Cypress. And the westside is supposed to be "connected"??? Not even the group itself is connected!
Cube's line: "I don't know one rapper down wit your click" Is that so??? Ever heard of W.C.??? The OTHER GUY IN YOUR OWN GROUP??? He's down with the Hill! He didn't want to diss Cypress.
And if, according to Mack, Sen Dog is so wack he ain't worth dissing, then why was Ice Cube in the "How I Could Just Kill A Man" video lip-synching Sen Dog's portion of the chorus? And if he's not worthy of being dissed, then why did Cube take time to diss him? Doesn't seem like Cube and Mack were "connected" either.
"King Of The Hill" may work for some because it is very silly, and even I found one or two lines funny upon first listen. But hearing someone rhyming Ping-Ping with King Kong and Cheech & Chong gets annoying very quickly.
"No Rest For The Wicked," on the other hand, is the stuff nightmares are made of. The beat, the lyrics, the mood. B-Real sounds possessed as he delivers these rhymes. It's simply brutal, unrelenting and scary. It's so vicious that I can picture Cube breaking into a cold sweat and having an anxiety attack upon listening to it.
What makes "No Rest" even more frightening are the references to facts: the Kam situation, the Lench Mob situation, the King Sun situation, Cube going to school in the "valley," the afro/shaved head situation, the "pipe on the cover" situation.
Of course, bringing up FACTS are not, umm, pre-requisites to making a diss track. But if you're responding to a diss track that DID bring up many facts, you might want to step your game up and make reference to at least as many facts as your foe did.
Just my thoughts.
Also, you made some valid and hilarious observations in your essay:
"Umm, first off, Mackie, B-Real never dissed you in his song. And second of all, if these are the wack lines expected from you, and considering that B-Real did one heck of a job with "No Rest for the Wicked", best believe he will have "enough hear" to diss you back! (HAHAHA!!!!)
"telling his rivals to go listen to his classic 1991 diss "No Vaseline" stinks of irony; perhaps he should have listened to that song a couple of times for inspiration before he wrote this tripe." HAHAHAH very clever.
Anyways, many thanks for bringing this topic to light. It was very well-written and eloquent.
oh_gee
Comment;
All that Cube VS Cypress shit is for you D-Nice.... ;)
I´m sure you know way more than me about that beef ;)
-
Damn, only 2/5 for Greed... Extradition is also atleast 4/5 for me. I still can't realize how you can put Raw Footage over AMW and equal to Predator....
-
^^^^Just for the sake of this thread a repost my Raw Footage review again; ^^^^^
I hate;
2. got my locs on ft. jeezy - :-X
5. hood mentality - :-X
8. jack in the box - :-X
9. do ya thang - :-X
11. here he come - :-X
13. get use 2 it - :-X
I love;
3. it takes a nation Dope 4 out of 5
4. g-rap made me do it - Instant CLASSIC! 5 out of 5
6. why me - Cool. 3.5 out of 5
7. cold places - Nice. 3.5 out of 5
10. thank god Dope. 4 out of 5
12. get money, spend money, no money - Tight dark piano beat. 4.5 out of 5
14. tomorrow - Love the hook... 4 out of 5
15. stand tall - Cool. 3.5 out 5
16. take me away - grower... 3.5 out of 5
Overall conclusion;
When trimming it down to the 9 tracks I like,it sounds pretty tight.
But sadly there's 6 tracks that my ear can't stand :-\ :P
So my overall rating ends at;
3 out of 5
So far I got;
-Amerikkkas Most Wanted; 3/5
-Kill At Will; 3/5
-Death Certificate; 5/5
-Predator; 3.5/5
-Lethal Injection; 4/5
-The War Disc; 3.5/5
-The Peace Disc; 1.5/5
-Raw Footage; 3/5
-
you didn't like Fuck Dying? :o
i thought Penitentiary was good too
-
the torcha chamba had stan the guitar man, koze, stone and tootie.
i heard they are making a comeback....
-
you didn't like Fuck Dying? :o
i thought Penitentiary was good too
You know I'm a picky fuck. Everything below average got to go :P ;) :laugh:
Penitentiary was dope, Extradition is a slept on track as well. I would go as far as saying that is my favorite Cube album. One of his best beat wise. Now I don't think it is his best work but man I love that album start to finish.
-
wicked , great song, didnt know there is a video for it
Ice Cube - Wicked
http://www.youtube.com/v/xXzccr8eGag&hl=en&fs=1
Dope video.....
speaking of Wicked,there was a lot of Drama around this track.
First of; According to the Producer team Torcha Chamba,Cube didn´t pay em.
Second; King Sun claims Cube stole the concept for the track.
Will find scan some King Sun,Torcha Chamba,Cube interviews where they speak on this later.
In meanwhile I googled it,and found this litle piece;
http://www1.epinions.com/content_4989100164/show_~allcom/pp_~1/sort_~date/sort_dir_~asc/sec_~comment_list
Dayo a.k.a. the Balogun Apr 01 '07 7:04 am PDT
Just some comments and Thoughts... (Reply to this comment) (http://www1.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~4989100164/reply_~Just+some+comments+and+Thoughts...+) by oh_gee
I very much enjoyed your review of this overlooked beef. Why this feud is always forgotten is beyond me. I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard "No Rest For The Wicked." That someone, Cypress Hill in this case, had the b*lls to go after Ice Cube directly like that. Even the mighty N.W.A couldn't do it. All Dre, Ren and Eazy did was dedicate an INTERLUDE (not even a full song) to dissing Cube ("Message to B.A.") and then would only refer to Cube as the "one who left," but not by his actual name.
Comment;
He needs to listen 100 Miles and Real Niggaz.... :P
"No Rest For The Wicked" was a very bold, risky and gutsy move, especially knowing what Cube could be capable of and that he basically slaughtered the entire N.W.A camp with "No Vaseline."
Cypress knew there would be retaliation on Cube's part, but c'mon, "King Of The Hill"?? At best, "King Of The Hill" is a decent example of comedy rap, and a totally inappropriate and weak response to "No Rest For The Wicked."
I'd like to clarify some of the lyrics to the song "No Rest," if I may...
The line as you have it written: "Your homie came knocking', he had to chain my suit" is in actuality: "Your homie KAM left ya, The Chamba sued ya." This line is in reference to the problems that Cube was having with his former protege KAM and the Torcha Chamba, a producer who worked on Cube's "The Predator" album.
Comment;
Not a producer,it´s a team... DJ Train and .... can´t remember (will get to this later). :P
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Torcha+Chamba
In other matters:
- King Sun claimed that Cube stole his idea for the "Wicked" concept.
- DJ Muggs claimed he wasn't properly compensated for the 4 tracks he produced on "The Predator."
- Kam eventually dissed Cube with "Whoop! Whoop!" produced by DJ POOH, who in turn ALSO had beef with Cube because Pooh helped write the movie "Friday" and he felt that Cube took all of the credit (and money) for creating the original story/characters and then used these ideas in the sequels without him.
- The line in No Rest For The Wicked: "Caution, when you enter the zone" I believe is in reference to Kausion, a rap group produced and endorsed by Cube that had an album out that featured B Real on it, circa 1995.
- The whole afro issue... It is rather striking that both B Real and Cube sported the afro at around the same time, AND that they both suddenly had shaved heads at around the same time, too. That's what B Real was talking about when he said "Took a look at The Real One, afro gone, the next morning you didn't have yours on." That line makes more sense now.
But what I find totally non-sensical is that Cube, Mack and W.C. called themselves "westside connection," to prove that the westside was indeed connected, at the height of the east coast/west coast feud, yet they dissed Cypress Hill (a west coast group) and they also dissed Common on another song (a rapper from Chicago, not the east coast). So you had two west coast super powers going at it while the east coast is feuding with the west coast. How can you be "connected" when there's feuding going on on your own side?
And if Westside only refers to the Westside of California, then why are the Westside Connection taking on New York? I guess it's westside connection against the entire nation: East Coast, Mid-West, West Coast, Eastside.
Furthermore, as you've pointed out, rapper W.C. didn't even join Cube and Mack 10 as they dissed Cypress. And the westside is supposed to be "connected"??? Not even the group itself is connected!
Cube's line: "I don't know one rapper down wit your click" Is that so??? Ever heard of W.C.??? The OTHER GUY IN YOUR OWN GROUP??? He's down with the Hill! He didn't want to diss Cypress.
And if, according to Mack, Sen Dog is so wack he ain't worth dissing, then why was Ice Cube in the "How I Could Just Kill A Man" video lip-synching Sen Dog's portion of the chorus? And if he's not worthy of being dissed, then why did Cube take time to diss him? Doesn't seem like Cube and Mack were "connected" either.
"King Of The Hill" may work for some because it is very silly, and even I found one or two lines funny upon first listen. But hearing someone rhyming Ping-Ping with King Kong and Cheech & Chong gets annoying very quickly.
"No Rest For The Wicked," on the other hand, is the stuff nightmares are made of. The beat, the lyrics, the mood. B-Real sounds possessed as he delivers these rhymes. It's simply brutal, unrelenting and scary. It's so vicious that I can picture Cube breaking into a cold sweat and having an anxiety attack upon listening to it.
What makes "No Rest" even more frightening are the references to facts: the Kam situation, the Lench Mob situation, the King Sun situation, Cube going to school in the "valley," the afro/shaved head situation, the "pipe on the cover" situation.
Of course, bringing up FACTS are not, umm, pre-requisites to making a diss track. But if you're responding to a diss track that DID bring up many facts, you might want to step your game up and make reference to at least as many facts as your foe did.
Just my thoughts.
Also, you made some valid and hilarious observations in your essay:
"Umm, first off, Mackie, B-Real never dissed you in his song. And second of all, if these are the wack lines expected from you, and considering that B-Real did one heck of a job with "No Rest for the Wicked", best believe he will have "enough hear" to diss you back! (HAHAHA!!!!)
"telling his rivals to go listen to his classic 1991 diss "No Vaseline" stinks of irony; perhaps he should have listened to that song a couple of times for inspiration before he wrote this tripe." HAHAHAH very clever.
Anyways, many thanks for bringing this topic to light. It was very well-written and eloquent.
oh_gee
Comment;
All that Cube VS Cypress shit is for you D-Nice.... ;)
I´m sure you know way more than me about that beef ;)
Yeah that Cube/Cypress beef I really did not get into that beef too much. Those are 2 of my all time favs, that beef had the potential to get VERY UGLY but it didn't thank god. I wonder though why Muggs has not reached out to Cube or vice versa and those 2 work on anything else.
-
you didn't like Fuck Dying? :o
i thought Penitentiary was good too
You know I'm a picky fuck. Everything below average got to go :P ;) :laugh:
Penitentiary was dope, Extradition is a slept on track as well. I would go as far as saying that is my favorite Cube album. One of his best beat wise. Now I don't think it is his best work but man I love that album start to finish.
interesting :)
well it's your opinion, so if somebody has a problem with it then too bad :laugh:
cause you won't get killed for not choosing Death Certificate or AmeriKKKa's most wanted ;)
-
you didn't like Fuck Dying? :o
i thought Penitentiary was good too
You know I'm a picky fuck. Everything below average got to go :P ;) :laugh:
Penitentiary was dope, Extradition is a slept on track as well. I would go as far as saying that is my favorite Cube album. One of his best beat wise. Now I don't think it is his best work but man I love that album start to finish.
interesting :)
well it's your opinion, so if somebody has a problem with it then too bad :laugh:
cause you won't get killed for not choosing Death Certificate or AmeriKKKa's most wanted ;)
Yeah I ain't crazy enough to believe that is his best album. But compared to his other ones I play the War disc waaay more than the others.
-
you didn't like Fuck Dying? :o
i thought Penitentiary was good too
You know I'm a picky fuck. Everything below average got to go :P ;) :laugh:
Penitentiary was dope, Extradition is a slept on track as well. I would go as far as saying that is my favorite Cube album. One of his best beat wise. Now I don't think it is his best work but man I love that album start to finish.
interesting :)
well it's your opinion, so if somebody has a problem with it then too bad :laugh:
cause you won't get killed for not choosing Death Certificate or AmeriKKKa's most wanted ;)
Yeah I ain't crazy enough to believe that is his best album. But compared to his other ones I play the War disc waaay more than the others.
exactly; so what if the production played a role for you? it's music at the end of the day ;)
otherwise you might as well listen to acapella's only
-
I think I am going to dust off my MC Ren albums and give them a spin next after I finish Cube. Got Laugh Now Cry Later and Raw Footage and AMW left here.
-
I think I am going to dust off my MC Ren albums and give them a spin next after I finish Cube. Got Laugh Now Cry Later and Raw Footage and AMW left here.
:o that should be interesting 8)
-
I think I am going to dust off my MC Ren albums and give them a spin next after I finish Cube.
Got Laugh Now Cry Later and Raw Footage and AMW left here.
Only got B-sides left of Cube's solo's.
We might as well add the WSC albums,right? ;)
We could. I take it most would agree Terrorist Threats is better than Bow Down right? ;)
just kidding
-
Ha - I forgot about Wicked - great song.
-
the torcha chamba had Stan the guitar man, koze, stone and tootie.
i heard they are making a comeback....
Didn't know that Stan the guitar man was part of the team.... interesting ;)
I'm pretty sure DJ Train (RIP) was part of the team as well.
not quite...
tootie is trains elder brother....
-
the torcha chamba had Stan the guitar man, koze, stone and tootie.
i heard they are making a comeback....
Didn't know that Stan the guitar man was part of the team.... interesting ;)
I'm pretty sure DJ Train (RIP) was part of the team as well.
not quite...
tootie is trains elder brother....
word?... didn't know that. ;)
-
2nd instalment in the saga;
Revisiting NWA´s discography part 2; Eazy-E (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=207040.msg2092852#msg2092852)
I think I am going to dust off my MC Ren albums and give them a spin next after I finish Cube.
Beat you to it, ;)
3rd instalment in the saga;
Revisiting NWA´s discography part 3; MC Ren (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=208566.msg2107717#msg2107717)
Revisiting NWA´s discography part 4; Dr.Dre & DJ Yella (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=209866.msg2121363#msg2121363)
-
Bumped Raw Footage for most of this weekend. Dope album, I have digged every album Cube has dropped so far indie, including WC's album. Could have been more politically charged but overall one of the best albums dropped last year IMO. Jack In The Box is my SHIT.
-
Bumped Raw Footage for most of this weekend. Dope album, I have digged every album Cube has dropped so far indie, including WC's album. Could have been more politically charged but overall one of the best albums dropped last year IMO. Jack In The Box is my SHIT.
it's not even that, but the amount of generic tracks & southern influence :P
-
Could have been more politically charged but overall one of the best albums dropped last year
-could have?
how about;
it SHOULD HAVE?
-best album last year?
I was mad hyped when gangster rap made me do it dropped,both the track & video got the instant classic status stamp. so I expected more shit like that...
Jack In The Box is my shit
them murder burgers is tasty.
Yeah I still think even with the few ehh cuts it was a dope album. Best overall? No. Thought the production was very dope throughout. Laugh Now Cry Later next.
-
Yeah I am a die hard Muggs fan. ;D
I ain't that big on Muggs either,he's alright.... but never really been on my radar. ;)
Thanks for that Maulkie & Yomo link. Appreciate it 8)
that album had the for the love of money beat on it before bone reused it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8SC5uZqUEE
-
Been bumping Laugh Now Cry Later for a minute. Really had a good balance of party cuts and political cuts along with just talking about what's going on in the world today. Production was dope throughout. I think Raw Footage is a better album but I bump LNCL more.
-
Been bumping Laugh Now Cry Later for a minute. Really had a good balance of party cuts and political cuts along with just talking about what's going on in the world today. Production was dope throughout. I think Raw Footage is a better album but I bump LNCL more.
I used to be lyrical, political
But now you want it sugarcoated like cereal
:laugh:
i'd say that Raw Footage is a bit better, as it has songs that i really like, such as: Gangsta rap made me do it, It takes a nation, Thank God, Why Me.
i can see why you listen to LCNL more though ;)
for me, Cube doesn't necessarily have to make an updated version of Death Certificate.
i don't have a problem with party tracks at all, as long as they don't annoy me, you know?
-
Been bumping Laugh Now Cry Later for a minute. Really had a good balance of party cuts and political cuts along with just talking about what's going on in the world today. Production was dope throughout. I think Raw Footage is a better album but I bump LNCL more.
I used to be lyrical, political
But now you want it sugarcoated like cereal
:laugh:
i'd say that Raw Footage is a bit better, as it has songs that i really like, such as: Gangsta rap made me do it, It takes a nation, Thank God, Why Me.
i can see why you listen to LCNL more though ;)
for me, Cube doesn't necessarily have to make an updated version of Death Certificate.
i don't have a problem with party tracks at all, as long as they don't annoy me, you know?
Good point, I am the same way.
-
Been bumping Laugh Now Cry Later for a minute. Really had a good balance of party cuts and political cuts along with just talking about what's going on in the world today. Production was dope throughout. I think Raw Footage is a better album but I bump LNCL more.
I used to be lyrical, political
But now you want it sugarcoated like cereal
:laugh:
i'd say that Raw Footage is a bit better, as it has songs that i really like, such as: Gangsta rap made me do it, It takes a nation, Thank God, Why Me.
i can see why you listen to LCNL more though ;)
for me, Cube doesn't necessarily have to make an updated version of Death Certificate.
i don't have a problem with party tracks at all, as long as they don't annoy me, you know?
Good point, I am the same way.
:cheers:
-
Cube should just skip those club tracks,and do what he's best at.
I will give him some credit, the club/party tracks he has made have been good for the most part. LNCL is a good album from start to finish. Tone is just more light then other albums.
-
Cube should just skip those club tracks,and do what he's best at
I will give him some credit,the club/party tracks he has made have been good for the most part
you really think so? the club shit is more dre's thing.
Yeah Cube has got some dope club/party cuts IMO. Not on the Snoop/Dre level of some of them but good.
-
Yeah Cubes my favorite artists hands down his first 5 albums to me where classics and I still bump them to this day...I'd rather fuck wit ol' school Cube instead of these new niggas with no substance....WEST COAST at it's finest back in 91.
-
Cube should just skip those club tracks,and do what he's best at
I will give him some credit,the club/party tracks he has made have been good for the most part
you really think so? the club shit is more dre's thing.
Yeah Cube has got some dope club/party cuts IMO. Not on the Snoop/Dre level of some of them but good.
I can´t remember any good club/party tracks by Cube.... so which tracks are you feeling?
I dig We Be Clubbin, Loved Ones, We Be Clubbin Remix, You Can Do It, 100 Dollar Bill Yall, You Gotta Lot Of That, etc ;D
-
Cube should just skip those club tracks,and do what he's best at
I will give him some credit,the club/party tracks he has made have been good for the most part
you really think so? the club shit is more dre's thing.
Yeah Cube has got some dope club/party cuts IMO. Not on the Snoop/Dre level of some of them but good.
I can´t remember any good club/party tracks by Cube.... so which tracks are you feeling?
I dig We Be Clubbin, Loved Ones, We Be Clubbin Remix, You Can Do It, 100 Dollar Bill Yall, You Gotta Lot Of That, etc ;D
lol :laugh:
Bop gun is much better IMO :laugh:
-
Cube should just skip those club tracks,and do what he's best at
I will give him some credit,the club/party tracks he has made have been good for the most part
you really think so? the club shit is more dre's thing.
Yeah Cube has got some dope club/party cuts IMO. Not on the Snoop/Dre level of some of them but good.
I can´t remember any good club/party tracks by Cube.... so which tracks are you feeling?
I dig We Be Clubbin, Loved Ones, We Be Clubbin Remix, You Can Do It, 100 Dollar Bill Yall, You Gotta Lot Of That, etc ;D
I "hate";
We Be Clubbin, Loved Ones, We Be Clubbin Remix, You Can Do It
I like;
100 Dollar Bill Yall, You Gotta Lot Of That
That´s just me ;) :P
-
Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
from When i get to heaven:
'Cause I see, 'cause I know,
The church ain't nothin' but a fashion show
isn't he a muslim? :P
the Islam is based on Christianity & Judaism
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Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
from When i get to heaven:
'Cause I see, 'cause I know,
The church ain't nothin' but a fashion show
isn't he a muslim? :P
the Islam is based on Christianity & Judaism
Nah he ain't Muslim
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Aight just got finished bumping Lethal Injection
This album had a more laid back feel to it then his previous work. More of a G-Funk feel to it. Really Doe is still my shit from this album. Ghetto Bird (nice to see the influence from this song on State Of Emergency on Game's album), Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth, Lil Ass Gee
Subject matter is still poignant, but it is a bit calmer, but west coast to the fullest.
from When i get to heaven:
'Cause I see, 'cause I know,
The church ain't nothin' but a fashion show
isn't he a muslim? :P
the Islam is based on Christianity & Judaism
Nah he ain't Muslim
wasn't he a Muslim at one point then?
-
^^^
Believe so... he never went as far as Ren into it. But again,better to get it straight from the horses mouth. Cube and Ren speak on Islam in their interviews with Rap Pages in 93. You know where to find it.
will do :)
Cube didn't do a lethal injection track by track analysis, did he?
i couldn't find it in your topic
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no you misunderstood, i was wondering whether Cube ever did a track by track review of Lethal Injection, not whether the article, that you were referring to, contains a track by track review ;)
anyway, here it is:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2387/2110796662_1bedfc7bdf_b.jpg)
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^^^^^go read the text of my quote, then you'll understand why i didn't post the rap pages article
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http://hiphopisntdead.blogspot.com/search/label/Ice%20Cube
Westside Connection - Terrorist Threats (December 9, 2003)
In 1995, disgruntled West Coast gangsta rapper-ternt-actor O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson recruited two of his fellow California-based artists to help him do battle against every single rapper that wasn't based in their home state, in an effort to prove to nobody in particular that hip hop was best served under the hot Cali sun. Igniting a feud that seemingly came out of nowhere (but in reality was both created by and instigated by the hip hop media), these three amigos launched their first volley, "Westside Slaughterhouse", on Mack 10's debut solo album Foe Life, and used Chicago rapper Common as a punching bag. However, Lonnie Lynn is, apparently, nobody's bitch, and he quickly ripped Cube a new asshole on "The Bitch In Yoo", causing O'Shea to suffer an odd loss, considering that he was the same guy that dismantled N.W.A. with nothing but his words.
Undeterred, Cube, Mack 10, and WC (of The Maad Circle) formed the Westside Connection, a hip hop supergroup whose sole purpose was to bring the West Coast back into prominence, a feat that was damn near impossible at the time, as New York and the rest of the East Coast was exercising its dominance over the genre. Their debut, Bow Down, which was released in 1996, attacked rap music stereotypes, other rappers (Cypress Hill got it the worst), and anybody else that dared stand in their way, all while being almost defiantly West Coast in its sound. Bow Down ended up being Ice Cube's last actual good album, and it helped elevate both Mack 10 and WC into the realm of successful artists. Bow Down ended up moving over one million copies, earned four-and-a-half (out of five) mics in The Source (a questionable rating, considering that The Source was one of Westside Connection's targets), and generally rocked. Go ahead, listen to the album again. Trust me, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
While Bow Down was a call to arms for the West Coast to step their game up, both lyrically and musically, 2003's Terrorist Threats, the eventual follow-up, was an indifferent publicity stunt, a one-act play performed by three older artists who were appalled at what these youngsters were up to. At this point, the careers of all three men had hit a roadblock, so much so that Cube was seen more as an actor than as a rapper, and they figured that, since Bow Down was so fucking successful, why the hell shouldn't they try to capture lightning in a bottle twice? Hey, anything to try to make some extra cash, right?
Terrorist Threats featured a typically antagonistic title, but Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC were all oblivious to the reason that the crew banded together to begin with, choosing instead to record an album full of rap music that was wholly indistinguishable from their peers on the radio. Sparks of their past concerns with hip hop cropped up on two tracks (which will be mentioned below), but for the most part, Cube's mind took the day off, Mack 10 opted to rhyme about nonsensical shit, WC tried his best to save face, and the numerous guest stars all showed up to the studio to collect their paychecks, leaving the original concept of the WSCG, or the West Side Connect Gang, to die a slow death on the shelves of fucking Sam Goody.
Terrorist Threats spawned no real hit songs (although its first single, "Gangsta Nation", got a lot of airplay on MTV), and somehow still sold over half a million copies, although if you look around, you'll find that absolutely nobody has one of them. This album effectively ended Mack 10's relationship with the crew: after a falling out with his mentor O'Shea, he was kicked out of the group, and although Interweb rumors persist that he was replaced with The Game, another West Coast jackass who loves to start beef for no reason, no third album has ever materialized.
Sigh.
1. A THREAT TO THE WORLD (INTRO) (FEAT KEITH DAVID)
Keith David is one of those character actors who works his fucking ass off. He's worked with Ice Cube before (on Barbershop), hence his appearance here. His narration makes this rap album intro much more dramatic than absolutely necessary, but I'll always like the guy, if only because he's in John Carpenter's They Live. That scene in the alley between him and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, where the latter is trying to get the former to put on glasses? Motherfucking classic.
2. CALL 9-1-1
Young Tre's beat already confirms the worst: the organic West Coast sounds of Bow Down have been replaced in favor of what the trio thought was popular in 2003. As such, this reintroduction to the WSCG is a major disappointment.
3. POTENTIAL VICTIMS (FEAT KEITH DAVID)
Did Cube just dedicate this song "to all my white n----s"? The fuck? WC blows his two rhyme partners out of the fucking park (at least that guy still has the hunger behind the mic), but the most memorable aspect of this crap was Keith David's hilariously deadpan threats running throughout the song.
4. GANGSTA NATION (FEAT NATE DOGG)
The first and, as far as I know, the only single off of Terrorist Threats. I've always wondered why nobody has ever pointed out that Fredwreck's beat is essentially a sped-up version of Kanye West's instrumental for Beanie Sigel's "The Truth". Then it occurred to me that I'm probably the only guy who would ever try to compare those two songs together. Anyway, Nate Dogg's hook is a winner, as usual, while Cube and Dub-C both manage to sound good even though this song was a fairly obvious radio effort. Mack 10, on the other hand, showcases a flow that proves that he is the weakest link in the WSCG chain. And yet, the song wouldn't really work without him. Strange, eh?
5. GET IGNIT
This song is frustrating. The Westside Connection were originally conceived as an attempt to draw attention away from the East with the aid of tight beats and thoughtful (and thoughtless) lyrics. However, shit like this only helps inform listeners why the mainstream audience stopped giving a fuck about the West Coast in the first place. Pass.
6. PIMP THE SYSTEM (FEAT BUTCH CASSIDY)
I thought this metaphor was a bit too easy to draw upon, but Cube, Mack 10, and WC's correlation between prostitution and the music industry is still pretty decent. Mack 10's assertion that "pussy don't pay you like EMI" is just funny to me. Butch Cassidy's hook offsets the harder edge that the crew was chasing after on the instrumental, but this still wasn't that bad.
7. DON'T GET OUTTA POCKET (FEAT K-MAC)
O'Shea's gibberish at the beginning of the track sets the bar pretty low already, but the back-and-forth between the four rappers somehow makes this track worse than you were expecting. How in the hell does that happen?
8. IZM
The beat (credited to Bruce Waynne, who is clearly not Batman, and some guy named Dirty Swift) is pretty good, but it sounds like it would be a better fit for Tha Alkaholiks. Ice Cube obliterates any memory of Death Certificate's lyrical potency with an inane verse that he probably penned in between setups while filming Barbershop. What a waste.
9. SO MANY RAPPERS IN LOVE
Attacking sellout rappers who write love songs solely to get radio play and to garner a female audience is inspired: Bow Down was chock full of lyrical bile being spewed toward the conventions of hip hop at the time (the East Coast, magazine critics, Cypress Hill, Q-Tip). However, this concept deserved a much better execution, or at least a completely different chorus, which sounds almost as bad as those on a lot of Kool Keith's self-produced work.
10. LIGHTS OUT (FEAT KNOC-TURN'AL)
This is the best that O'Shea Jackson has sounded since "Gangsta Nation", and he utilizes this slight resurgence to attack two guys that share his surname, Samuel L. and Jesse Jackson. (No relation.) Damizza's beat is the very essence of the West, and even though Knoc-Turn'al's hook is fairly fucking awful, the song itself is pretty good otherwise.
11. BANGIN' AT THE PARTY (FEAT K-MAC, SKOOP, & YOUNG SOPRANO)
This one song is a prime example as to why Ice Cube and the rest of the Westside Connection are no longer relevant to hip hop: this was recorded with every intention of rocking the clubs. Wow. This was eight different varieties of useless. And yes, they just rhymed "tardy" with "party", shades of Real Housewives of Atlanta. I never thought I'd reference that on this blog, but I feel that the mention above of They Live will help offset it.
12. YOU GOTTA HAVE HEART
I don't purchase Westside Connection albums to hear positive messages directed toward the youth. If I wanted that shit, I would have bought The Carter III, thanks.
13. TERRORIST THREATS
Yet another beat that would have been better suited for Tha Liks. I'm convinced that Mack 10 swiped Tash's beat CD and brought it to the WSCG studio sessions as a lark. Well, at least this abomination was motherfucking short.
14. SUPERSTAR (DOUBLE MURDER = DOUBLE PLATINUM)
Cube's first verse is some of the best satire I've heard in hip hop in a long while. Mack 10 and Dub-C stick with the theme, with varying degrees of subtlety, but O'Shea's words carry the track. More commentary such as this (and less blatant commercial attempts) would have been appreciated on Terrorist Threats. Oh well.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Terrorist Threats is all over the place, and most of the project sounds so poor that you'll be forced to double-check the Westside Connection's debut album to prove that these are the same three guys that channelled their anger so well on Bow Down. Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC opt to travel with the grain this time, instead of going against it, resulting in an album interchangeable with most other no-name Left Coast artists, only managing to come up for air sporadically with something that sounds remotely decent. The beats sometimes knock, but they're wasted so often on these three that you'll be tempted to complain to your city councilman. Terrorist Threats only manages to suicide-bomb about an hour of your valuable time, which is one hour more than what you should devote to this bullshit.
BUY OR BURN? There is no reason for anybody to purchase this, which sucks, as Bow Down was so fucking good. This is the anti-Bow Down: instead of bucking trends, the WSCG follow them like that little scrawny pup running after the bulldog in those old Warner Brothers cartoons. For fans of Ice Cube (those of you who still exist at this point), spinning the tracks listed below will be sufficient, and if you're not an Ice Cube fan, why the hell are you still reading this write-up? We'll see you next time.
BEST TRACKS: "Gangsta Nation"; "Lights Out"; "Superstar (Double Murder = Double Platinum)"
-Max
August 27, 2009
Ice Cube - Death Certificate (October 31, 1991)
Death Certificate was O'Shea Jackson's second solo full-length album, following AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and the Kill At Will EP, both released in 1990. With this controversial disc, Ice Cube managed to have his image banned in the entire fucking state of Oregon. No, really, I'm serious: due to the inflammatory and racist nature of Death Certificate, it was against the law to use Ice Cube's image to advertise anything in the entire state of Oregon. It was even illegal to use ice cubes in your soft drinks to help keep them cool.
Now that's gangsta!
Death Certificate found O'Shea touching ground back in California, after escaping to New York to rip shit over Bomb Squad instrumentals after leaving N.W.A. He eschewed the East's (fairly accurate, mind you) imitation of Left Coast beats for the real thing, assigning production duties to The Boogie Men (a three-man team made up of DJ Pooh (who would later collaborate with Cube on the Friday screenplay), Bobcat, and Rashad), Sir Jinx (Dr. Dre's cousin, and a guy who had been working alongside O'Shea since his high school days in C.I.A.), and Cube himself. This resulted in a sound that managed somehow to be both angrier and abstract: some of the tracks utilize so many samples that the instrumentals became strange mutated amalgamations for Ice Cube to rhyme over.
Death Certificate is notable for being incredibly racist, misogynistic, and just plain incendiary. Ice Cube is even more pissed off than he was on his debut, and his primary targets are the United States, women, Asians, white people, other black people, and, with a response that everyone was waiting for with bated breath, N.W.A. Cube's "No Vaseline" (titled as such because he truly felt that Eazy-E and Jerry Heller were fucking over Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella without...oh, never mind) is credited with essentially destroying an entire crew, a feat that hasn't yet been topped in hip hop. (The Game likes to say that he destroyed G-Unit single-handedly, and while they don't really sell any albums anymore, that's truly more of a reaction from the public as to the crappy music they produce and not because people actively stopped buying their shit, and besides, G-Unit is still together.Sadly.)
Death Certificate sold over one million copies and is often cited as Cube's masterpiece. After this disc, critics lashed out at Cube for softening his style, but the way I see it, you can only be pissed off for so long before it stops sounding credible. That's why Eminem's more recent output sounds nothing like his early work. Even if Cube never manages to make this kind of music again, being that he's super rich with a children's movie franchise and all, one can always pick up Death Certificate and grow increasingly upset that he hurled so many racial epithets at you, since he spews enough bile to offend everybody.
Unless you live in Oregon, of course.
1. THE FUNERAL
More cinematic than what you might have expected, but this is still a rap album intro. Starts off the “Death” side pretty succinctly, though.
2. THE WRONG N---A TO FUCK WIT
Ice Cube says that “you can new jack swing on my nuts” and absolutely nothing happens to him. Phife Dawg casually refers to A Tribe Called Quest's music as “strictly hip hop, not a new jack swing”, and Q-Tip takes one to the eye (courtesy of Wrexxx-N-Effect). My guess is that, at this point in time, most rappers in the game who weren't named Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, or DJ Yella were scared shitless of O'Shea. And in hearing this, it's not hard to imagine why. The beat switch in the middle is awkward, but this is quite the introductory track.
3. MY SUMMER VACATION
I was never impressed by this track, probably because of the George Clinton “Atomic Dog” sample, which had grown old to me by the time I first heard this. Although this beat does inform listeners that the Bomb Squad production days for O'Shea are over, so I guess it does serve its purpose.
4. STEADY MOBBIN'
One of Cube's more famous singles, which is so well known that even Prince Paul jacked the song for his A Prince Among Thieves hip hop opera. This shit still sounds engaging today. I'm concerned for O'Shea at the end, though: is he implying that his ejaculate emits from his penis in a fashion that mimics that of tiny pieces of confetti? Maybe he should get that shit checked out.
5. ROBIN LEACH
Kind of a stupid-ass skit. Although I must admit that I laughed out loud at the “We will provide you and your bitch...” line.
6. GIVIN' UP THE NAPPY DUGOUT
Incredibly misogynistic, and women everywhere will most certainly not appreciate this, but if you look at this from a male perspective (which you're supposed to), it's actually...still incredibly misogynistic. Minus the parts where it's mentioned that the girl in question is only seventeen, most of the guys who read this will wish that they knew a woman like this in their real lives. The commercial for condoms at the end was also amusing (and well placed).
7. LOOK WHO'S BURNIN'
The condom commercial segues into “Look Who's Burnin'”, which should have been a public service announcement promoting the use of condoms, but Cube eventually turns it into a sexist rant against prudish girls who refused to fuck him, but ended up with a venereal disease when they gave it up to someone else (as if Cube would have created a protective barrier around the vagina using only his semen). Bleh.
8. A BIRD IN THE HAND
In just over two minutes, Ice Cube cements his status as one of the better socially aware rappers of our time. (Not so much today, but back then, yes.) He documents how easily one can go from looking for a low-paying job to selling drugs, and does so with both anger and humor. Brilliant.
9. MAN'S BEST FREIND
O'Shea raps a short ode to his gun. This is longer than it has to be: we get it, you love your weaponry.
10. ALIVE ON ARRIVAL
Ice Cube gets shot in a drive-by and dies while in the hospital waiting room. His attention to even the tiniest of details (the doctors are more concerned as to whether the shooting was gang related than they are with his actual health; he tells time by stating that he sat through two episodes of M*A*S*H) brings the simple to understand-yet-difficult to comprehend (in a social context) lyricism to light. Nice! But depressing as shit.
11. DEATH
I could have done without this sermon posing as an interlude, but it caps off the first half of the album, so it isn't entirely useless.
12. BIRTH
The second rap album intro on Death Certificate, the one that starts off the “Life” side. Once again, it serves its purpose, but I still don't care for it.
13. I WANNA KILL SAM
A comparison between slavery and the U.S. Military probably wouldn't go over as well today, but even back in 1991, this shit was controversial as hell. Methinks Ice Cube needs a group hug, even though all of his arguments are valid.
14. HORNY LIL' DEVIL
O'Shea Jackson versus all white people ever. The white man is attacked pretty relentlessly, but white women are chastised mainly because of the sizes of their typically flat asses. Clearly, that complaint is a product of its time: I'm sure you've all noticed a rising number of white women who now have much nicer asses. Maybe Cube put something into the water?
15. BLACK KOREA
Sure, it's racist, but this one-verse wonder is also a reaction to the events of the time (especially in California). I'm curious to know if this song ever helped matters whenever he stopped into a convenience store for a brew, though. (Side note: how was this song deleted from the UK pressing of Death Certificate for the possibility of inciting racial conflict, but “Horny Lil' Devil” wasn't?)
16. TRUE TO THE GAME
The first verse sounds like O'Shea strung together a compendium of hip hop catchphrases and created a verse out of them. It picks up when Cube starts putting crossover artists on blast. However, the Cube and Jinx beat is fairly dull, and O'Shea's lackadaisical flow leaves a lot to be desired.
17. COLOR BLIND (FEAT DEADLY THREAT, KAM, MAAD CIRCLE, KING TEE, & J-DEE)
This posse cut addresses gangbanging in a way that isn't super responsible, but is truthful nonetheless. Cube sets things off and then lets the other kids play, and everyone does a good job, even fucking Coolio, who everyone forgets was once a part of the Maad Circle. Yes, I'm still talking about the “Fantastic Voyage” guy.
18. DOING DUMB SHIT
I thought Cube had an interesting take on a guy's first sexual experience in the first verse, but the rest of the song falls into the category of “O'Shea doing dumb shit”.
19. US
Cube starts off with another racist rant, but then turns the camera onto his own people, complaining about how drug dealers are just as bad as everyone else because the money they make goes towards their own greedy exploits and not back into the community. Not like any neighborhood would ever (knowingly) support a community center or elementary school built out of drug money, but still. The way the song just ends is also kind of inspired.
20. NO VASELINE
Although he was content with doing his own thing and looking ahead to the future, after N.W.A. used their Efil4Zaggin as an album-length excuse to trash O'Shea, Ice Cube dismantled each individual member over one of the harshest and, oddly, most theatrical (because of the long intro) dis tracks in hip hop history. You'll notice that, soon after this song dropped, Dr. Dre proved Cube right by leaving Ruthless Records due to a money dispute, and Eazy-E shifted his focus to attacking Dre, leaving O'Shea running a victory lap. Generally considered as one of the best dis songs ever, and it probably still pisses off Dre and Ren whenever it pops up on their iPods.
The following is a bonus track that was tacked on to the end of Death Certificate.
21. HOW TO SURVIVE IN SOUTH CENTRAL
My understanding is that this song was added onto second pressings of Death Certificate after Boyz N The Hood gained in popularity (thanks to Cube's performance as Doughboy). It doesn't really fit into either part of the album, and should be skipped at all costs. It doesn't help that Cube actually sounds bored, reading his lines while dollar signs fill up his pupils. Oh well.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Death Certificate is Ice Cube's angriest and most concise album (a strange statement, considering its 21-track length, but still). He addresses the topics most important in his life with clarity, cohesion, and full respect of the listener: not only does he not adopt a condescending attitude, if a subject only warrants one or two verses, Cube chooses to end the song, rather than drag shit out like a lesser artist might. For that reason, Death Certificate is O'Shea's finest work. Cube's ranting combined with West Coast musical backing created the perfect marriage, one which Cube would never be able to annul later in his career. No wonder the man turned to acting: there is no way to top this shit.
BUY OR BURN? Buy this shit. Seriously. It's not for the faint of heart or easily offended, but there is musical genius to be found on here. If you are only cognizant of O'Shea Jackson because of Friday and Are We There Yet?, prepare for a mindfuck.
BEST TRACKS: “Steady Mobbin'”; “Alive On Arrival”; “A Bird In The Hand”; “No Vaseline”; “Color Blind”; “The Wrong N---a To Fuck Wit”
-Max
Reader Review / My Gut Reaction: Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later (June 6, 2006)
(Okay, I know that I said yesterday’s Reader Review was the last one, but I have something different for you two to enjoy. I’ve been sitting on Kevin’s review of Ice Cube’s Laugh Now, Cry Later for a while now, because it didn’t fit the parameters of the assignment, in that I hadn’t written about the disc first. The thing is, I had never actually listened to this album in the first place. So, to make things interesting, I’m combining his write-up with a Gut Reaction post of my own, which is why there are more italicized words than usual. I’ll let Kevin start things off, and you’ll see me in a couple of paragraphs.)
Instead of starting with an introduction of my chosen rapper and album, I’m going to start with an introduction to myself (not that I’m expecting you to care). I admit to not having good taste in rap (not that I listen to Lil’ Wayne or Soulja Boy, and the like), so my views may be different than most of the readers. I do occasionally listen to the more commercial stuff, and I have a poor appreciation for lyrics (half of rap to me is about lyrics, a quarter about delivery and a quarter about beat, to be mathematic about it) (which would actually imply that you care more about the lyrics than anything else on the song, but I digress). But still, my four friends who enjoy anything to do with rap and hip-hop are all 50 Cent lovers, so at least I’m a cut above them! (Hold on, punchy, let’s actually finish the review first.)
I’m writing about Laugh Now, Cry Later, gangsta rapper and amateur actor Ice Cube’s long-awaited comeback album. (I’m not so sure about the “amateur” part of that last sentence – he was pretty fucking good as Doughboy.) After spending many years acting in boring movies of all sorts (Are We There Yet?, I’m looking at you!), he decided to (finally) return to the studio and make an album. I didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest. This could have been a return to his Death Certificate days, full of scathing lyrical assaults, or it could be as bad as Are We Done Yet?. I’ll leave you hanging there. Without further ado, here goes my review!
(Actually, there’s still a little bit of ado, since I’m mashing up two separate review styles. The basic concept of my Gut Reaction to Laugh Now, Cry Later, Ice Cube’s seventh solo album (and his first in six years, after making a bunch of movies – oh, wait, that’s what Kevin was referring to) is this: I fully admit that I stopped paying attention to Ice Cube the rapper after the first Westside Connection album was released. I think that most of my readers and fellow bloggers will agree with me when I say that O’Shea Jackson has lost quite a bit of his step in the hip hop game, and while he’s still a more proficient lyricist than, say, almost anybody from the South (note I used the word “almost”, and no, I don’t feel that Lil’ Wayne is a lyricist), that backhanded praise is akin to being the best fry cook at McDonald’s.
So when I received Kevin’s request to review this disc, I was reluctant at first, since I had never listened to it and, honestly, never really wanted to. But I’ve held on to this write-up for so long that I feel it’s only fair to share it with the rest of my two readers, and, on a lark, thought it would be fun if I also listened to the disc, just to see what all the fuss was about. (Laugh Now, Cry Later was the first release on Ice Cube’s independent record label, and it went on to sell more than half a million copies, which is virtually unheard of for an indie hip hop release with little to no promotion.) I believe I did my best to not let Kevin’s opinions sway my vote in any way, as I only skimmed through his e-mail the first time around and am only really reading his thoughts after having already written out my notes.
Let’s see how this works out.)
1. DEFINITION OF A WEST COAST ‘G’ (INTRO)
Kevin: I get the idea that most people around here care little for boring rap introductions, and as such, will care little for an introduction that features one line from Cube himself.
(Max: Well, that was worthless.)
2. WHY WE THUGS
K: The album starts off with a real banger. Scott Storch provides a booming track that what could happen when a good rapper takes one of his beats (insert “Candy Shop” reference here). There really is no better way for Cube to say “I’m back, bitches!” than this.
(M: Scott Storch’s beat isn’t bad at all, but O’Shea’s attempt to spin social commentary comes off as even more elementary than if it had been written by various members of the Dino 5.)
3. SMOKE SOME WEED
K: Then there’s this shit: a typical, Snoopy-style song about the weed. (I assume he’s talking about Snoop Dogg, but I left his words in context because the idea of the Peanuts gang performing a ballad about marijuana makes me chuckle.) I’m a firm anti-drug man, so I have little interest in the song’s content, but the beat featured exotic rain sticks, flutes and women echoing “Some some weeeeeeeeeeeed” in the background. And it was produced by a guy named Bud’da. How fitting.
(M: While we’re obviously a long way past “Fuck Tha Police”, I actually found myself liking this song. Bud’da’s beat grew on me in the nearly-four-minutes it took for this song to unravel across my ears. The singing on the hook made me want to insert a knitting needle into my brain stem, though.)
4. DIMES & NICKS (A CALL FROM MIKE EPPS) (FEAT MIKE EPPS)
K: I didn’t listen to this track properly, but I’m pretty sure it was another pointless excerpt about weed.
(M: I get the joke (Mike Epps begging Cube to make another movie so that he can hook him up with some work), but it’s not very funny, especially because Mike Epps is decent enough to make money without O’Shea’s help. He was one of the better things about The Fighting Temptations. Epps, the guy who played Bunk Moreland on The Wire, and, oddly, Montell Jordan, stole the movie right out from under Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce.)
5. CHILD SUPPORT
K: This song is another banger. Cube speaks as the father of gangsta rap, looking down upon his children. How interesting. My favourite line has to be the simple “You want child support?/ Get it out ya ass, bitch!” which he shouts throughout the song. The beat is also quite good, although a bit to similar to “Why We Thugs” (it’s produced by Teak & Dee, whom I believe are producers on Cube’s label).
(M: I swear this shit just played out on my computer, but I cannot support my own theory.)
6. 2 DECADES AGO (INSERT)
K: Identical to the first track in running time, layout, and appeal. Which is zilch.
(M: …)
7. DOIN’ WHAT IT ‘POSE 2DO
K: Meh. Cube just goes on about how much better he is than you. If this were his first album, I’d think he’s another one of those southern rappers who started rapping about 10 minutes ago and mysteriously accumulated a large amount of money. Or so they claim.
(M: Cube almost seems embarrassed to be performing on this song about halfway through this sorry-ass song. Maybe even he realized that this type of track was beneath the man who made The Glass Shield.)
8. LAUGH NOW, CRY LATER
K: This is an excellent recovery from the slip-up in the track before. It makes you think that Diddy is worth something in the hip-hop world (since he “produced” this track alongside his Hitmen production team). His lyrics are tight in this one. I highly recommend it.
(M: Meh.)
9. STOP SNITCHIN’
K: The energy level dips a bit. It’s still a good track, but I just can’t get into the Swizz Beatz instrumental. That, and the fact that the title sounds like a 50 Cent track. He also refers to his movie career in this track (as well as on quite a few others presented on here).
(M: Tammy Faye Baker? Yeah, Cube, that reference is relavant to today’s hip hop audience. The Swizz beat, which is pretty fucking awful anyway, doesn’t mesh well with the intro to this song, in which Cube pretends that he’s writing-slash-performing this track from behind bars. Which I’m not buying, by the way: I’m pretty sure a quick search on TMZ.com will prove that O’Shea was standing in line to purchase a week’s worth of groceries during the time of this song’s recording.)
10. GO TO CHURCH (FEAT SNOOP DOGG AND LIL’ JON)
K: The bad thing is that this is as commercial as Cube could ever get. The good thing? This is actually a decent track. Despite a boring-ass Lil’ Jon beat (yep, I hate all his beats, though this one is better than most of his others) and a boring-ass chorus (just a whole load of shouting, really: it is Lil’ Jon, after all), both Cube and his guest, Snoop, do well in this song. The lyrics are so-so but everything seems to work. (Hold on: a “boring-ass” beat, a “boring-ass” chorus, and some “so-so” lyrics still manages to equal an entertaining song? Can somebody please explain this new math to me?) Cube even decides to take a poke at Mike Jones (“I ain’t Mike Jones/Keep my name out your mouth bitch”). That one made me laugh. (It wasn’t technically a jab at Mike Jones, but I’ll let that comment go, as it is his perspective.) Unfortunately, Ice Cube decided to let Lil’ Jon handle the third verse (and he can’t rap), so only the first half of the song is worth listening to.
(M: I remember hearing this song on the radio, right around the time that producer Lil’ Jon was realizing that, in order to extend the shelf life on his career, he would have to atop resting on his Chappelle’s Show laurels and actually create some good music, or, failing that, something that was at least catchy and female-friendly, which explains his current status as Pitbull’s glorified hypeman. Both Cube and Snoop Dogg sound as if they should have given up hip hop years ago, although I humbly admit that both men have since recorded some very entertaining tracks. So, this song is basically Lil’ Jon’s fault. Or possibly Dave Chappelle’s.)
11. THE N---A TRAPP
K: This song is amazing. DJ Green Lantern creates an ominous, melancholy beat which Cube proceeds to devour. He compares the ghetto to a mousetrap, as the title suggests, and it is full of catchy lines, such as, “It's a hustle called capitalism/Got my n----s in prison, all stuck in the system (yeah) / Recognize who's a hustler/George Dubl-ya / He's the one that's sittin’ back, fuckin’ ya”. It is a true old-school song which you’d expect to find on a 1990’s album rather than something from the new millennium. Brilliant.
(M: DJ Green Lantern (him? Really? That’s kind of interesting) provides an awfully boring beat, but Cube doesn’t sound entirely terrible, even though he manages to rhyme about condoms and Flavor Flav within the span of three bars.)
12. A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (INSERT)
K: The previous songs shot my hopes up, only to have them dashed by this boring insert.
(M: This is just an interlude (don’t be confused by the much classier term “insert”) which justifies the formation of gangs. It has a cool title, though: A History of Violence is a badass flick that you two should check out if you haven’t already.)
13. GROWIN’ UP
K: Laylaw & D-Mac (whoever they are) (for the record, they’ve been around for a while, and have created beats for Cube in the past: Laylaw also helped out Above The Law when they first dropped) make a slick beat, which is ambient and gentle (contrasting the raw, gritty beats found throughout the rest of the album). This is as close to an autobiography as Cube will probably get. “Oh shit, it's N.W.A. / Them niggas on tour and they comin’ our way / Lil' Eminem is still tucked away / In that trailer park, just bumpin’ our tape” is another line that made me laugh. There’s also a sample of Minnie something-or-other in the chorus, which works quite well. ("Minnie something-or-other"? Even if you’re not familiar with Minnie Ripperton’s work, you should at least lift the name from the album credits or something.)
(M: Cheesy as hell, but it is good to hear Ice Cube’s version of N.W.A.’s growth and his departure, especially from his more mature point of view, in which he acknowledges both his anger toward his estranged bandmates and the love he still has for them today. Offering to help mentor Eazy-E’s son was a little much, though.)
14. CLICK, CLACK – GET BACK!
K: This song the polar opposite to the one before. However, the beat is a monster and Cube tears the track up. The lyrics are quite weak, but it’s still worth a spin.
(M: I’m going to take the three minutes it takes for the song to finish to ponder what N.W.A.’s Efil4Zaggin would have sounded like had Cube not left the crew. Now that could have been some potent, genre-changing shit. Unlike this hot tranny mess.)
15. THE GAME LORD
K: What the hell? When he talks about being the “game lord” in the chorus, is he talking about the rap game or video games in general? I’m inclined to lean toward the former, but the fact that the beat sounds like something from an old-school Nintendo game doesn’t help me to distinguish.
(M: The title alone is ridiculous enough to negate this entire song.)
16. CHROME & PAINT (FEAT WC)
K: I didn’t really care for this one, either. Predictably, it’s about cars (or at least the chorus is). WC outshines Ice Cube on this one, so I guess that’s got to be noted.
(M: WC essentially proves why he still has possession of Ice Cube’s phone number in his Blackberry, while Mack 10, the third guy in the Westside Connection, has had to resort to delivering my flatscreen television last weekend.)
17. STEAL THE SHOW
K: Just…no. This is basically about money, cars and hoes. Scott Storch creates a horrendous beat, and Cube seems to be completely unmotivated. Press “next” immediately.
(M: What the fuck is this shit?)
18. YOU GOTTA LOTTA THAT (FEAT. SNOOP DOGG)
K: Another song which has Tha Doggfather as a guest and Lil’ Jon on the beat (and is, coincidentally, also one of the singles). Unlike “Go to Church”, however, this song sucks. The beat is pathetic and it’s a total mess. Skip again.
(M: “You gotta love that?” You can’t tell me what to do.)
19. SPITTIN’ POLLASEEDS (FEAT WC & KOKANE)
K: Are the “pollaseeds” of the title actually sunflower seeds, or is it some gangsta ritual I’m not in on? I can see Cube in the music video proudly flaunting his sunflower seed packets in our faces. Getting back to the song, it’s not as bad as the two before it, but that’s not saying much.
(M: I kind of like the laid-back, late-summer-day-at-a-backyard-barbecue feel of the production. WC once again overrules Ice Cube’s contribution, which starts off with a weird and ineffective rant against fake rappers, backpackers, and critics of West Coast rap. Still, I really liked this song, goofy title notwithstanding.)
20. HOLLA @ ‘CHA BOY
K: Another Lil’ Jon-produced track. This one sucks, too.
(M: Five producers I would rather see Ice Cube work with instead of Lil’ Jon: Black Milk, Butch Vig, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Mutt Lange, and Jerry Bruckheimer. I’m thinking that Cube was sitting on these beat tapes that he bought off of John Little while he was still a force within the industry, well before he became a fucking joke, and decided to use them anyway, since it wasn’t as if he was going to get his fucking money back. The fact that Cube references a character from Chappelle’s Show kind of derails my theory, though.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: After listening to Laugh Now, Cry Later again, I feel a bit disappointed. When I first bought it, I was hooked on it for hours. I even bumped the tracks I didn’t like. Now I like it much less, for some reason. Rappers never age gracefully and I am more-or-less certain that Cube will never be able to surpass his N.W.A. and AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted days. But don’t let my negative attitude mislead you: over half the songs are play-worthy and, despite a subpar finish, the album as a whole still stands.
BUY OR BURN?: Buy it. Around half the songs on the album are decent. Ice Cube has sold out a bit on this album but, nonetheless, both radio listeners and hardcore-rap heads will find something on here to enjoy.
BEST TRACKS: “Why We Thugs”; “Child Support”; “Laugh Now, Cry Later”; “The Nigga Trap”; “Growin’ Up”
-Kevin
(MAX’S FINAL WORD: Although I found a few of the tracks decent enough, it becomes blatantly obvious by…oh, let’s just say the first track, that the Ice Cube of yesteryear is but a faded memory, one which has been replaced by this guy, an O’Shea Jackson lookalike who doesn’t need to rap to make his money, and, as such, does a half-assed job at it. Laugh Now, Cry Later is commendable in that it was an independent success (I cannot recall ever seeing a video for any of these songs, although I’m sure somebody shot at least one) that managed to chart pretty high in Billboard, but other than Kevin, I’m not aware of anybody that actually has this album in their collection, and now I know why. I thought this was an interesting experiment, but I never would have gotten to this album otherwise (okay, maybe I shouldn’t say “never”, since I would have had to eventually), but at least now I know that I don’t ever need to listen to it again.)
(Well, I’m sure that was awkward to read. If this happens again, I’ll probably need to clean up the format a bit. If you found this experiment interesting enough, have suggestions as to how it should be layed out next time (if there is a next time), or just want to see more Reader Reviews and want me to shut the fuck up, leave me some comments below.)
Written By: Max 5 comments
November 6, 2008
Ice Cube - Kill At Will EP (1990)
So the question is: do you accept Ice Cube's gift gratefully, or do you decline and walk away slowly, with your back against the wall? What's the correct way to thank someone for giving you a gun? Is a pie sufficient? A shiny gold pen? Do you hand-write the thank you note, or is e-mail the way to go?
While you ponder those queries, I'll let you know that Ice Cube dropped his Kill At Will EP shortly after his debut solo disc, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, found its way onto the love lists of critics nationwide. It helped to maintain his status in the game while he was appearing on screens as Doughboy in Boyz N The Hood, John Singleton's epic street tale (okay, maybe not epic, but it's still pretty fucking good).
Kill At Will ended up being the first hip hop EP that sold enough copies to earn a golden RIAA plaque, which was shortly followed by a platinum plaque. Although sales alone isn't considered to be much of a barometer when it comes to creativity, Kill At Will is often considered to be some of O'Shea's best work.
Insert introductory sentence here.
1. ENDANGERED SPECIES (TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE) (REMIX) (FEAT CHUCK D)
Considering the fact that Chuck D contributes new lyrics, this remix is better than it has any right to be, but the original track hit a lot harder, in my opinion.
2. JACKIN' FOR BEATS
Plays exactly as it reads: O'Shea steals beats from a ton of other acts and rhymes over them all with ease, a practice that is still done to death today by today's artists, although it tends to be limited to mixtape freestyles and not proper albums. Doughboy even finds the time to jack "The Humpty Dance", which is just funny to me. This shit remains pretty damn good today.
3. GET OFF MY DICK & TELL YO BITCH TO COME HERE (REMIX)
The original, for what it's worth, is much better.
4. THE PRODUCT
Cube's lyrics, which, admittedly, aren't that great on here anyway, are lost amid a mess of a Bomb Squad beat, which sounds as if they had so much going on in their lives that they forgot to make the music sound good.
5. DEAD HOMIEZ
The beat is decent, not much to write your mother about, but if you're discussing hip hop with your mother anyway, I'm sure the conversation will eventually turn to the lyrics, which are among Cube's best writings ever. "How strong can you be, when you see your pops crying?", indeed.
6. JD'S GAFFILIN', PT. 2
Do you recall the comment I made about the original "JD's Gaffilin'" skit from the first album? The statement still holds true now, except that this skit isn't fucking funny at all.
7. I GOTTA SAY WHAT UP!!
On this outro, O'Shea goes out of his way to thank every single rapper in existence that isn't anybody in N.W.A. The last bit at the end is pretty much Cube's final statement on his past. (At least, it was, until N.W.A. dissed Cube on their next album, but we'll get to that when we get to that.) I think it's pretty funny that DJ Muggs uses pretty much this exact same beat for his "Puppet Master", which featured B-Real and...Dr. Dre. Think about that! Or not, I don't mind.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall, I was really disappointed with Kill At Will, but, then again, it's basically made up of outtakes from the AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted sessions (I'm really surprised that he didn't just put "The Bomb" on this EP, instead of tacking it on as the last song in his debut). "Dead Homiez" is good, and "Jackin' For Beats" is a hip hop classic for a gaggle of reasons, but as a total seven-track package, you can't shake the feeling that these leftovers were served simply to make the record label some extra money, not unlike how labels re-release year-old albums today with quote-unquote "special features". Speaking of which...
BUY OR BURN? Luckily, I don't have to make this decision for you. The entire EP was tacked on to the recent reissue of AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, an album I already told you two to buy anyway, so I suppose a lot of you will end up with this disc by default. I wouldn't go out of my way to grab it separately, though.
BEST TRACKS: "Dead Homiez", "Jackin' For Beats"
-Max
July 14, 2008
Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (May 16, 1990)
While in high school, Friday's O'Shea Jackson took a liking to hip hop music, and started a group with his friend, Sir Jinx, called C.I.A. Sir Jinx just so happened to have a cousin named Andre Young (ever since I started HHID, I'm constantly surprised by the bloodlines contained within hip hop's family tree), who produced their only released EP, which is either called The C.I.A. EP or My Posse (depending on if you trust Wikipedia), in 1987. That same year, Macola Records, who distributed The C.I.A. EP, released the so-called "debut" album from Barbershop's Ice Cube's other rap group, N.W.A., and, as a result, C.I.A. was no more, although Sir Jinx and The Glass Shield's Ice Cube still continued to prosper together.
After the 1988 releases of the seminal Straight Outta Compton and Eazy-E's solo debut, Eazy-Duz-It, The World's Most Dangerous Group (also the name of their barbershop quintet) renegotiated their contract with Eazy's business partner Jerry Heller, who helped him run Ruthless Records, Eazy's label. MC Ren, Dr. Dre, and DJ Yella signed their new contracts without delay, with dollar signs in their eyes (Arabian Prince had already left the crew at this point), but Torque's O'Shea Jackson requested that a lawyer read what Heller had drafted prior to signing anything. After consulting his legal representative, Anaconda's Ice Cube was advised of how much he should have been getting paid for his work, considering that he wrote the majority of those two aforementioned albums. He felt that he was entitled to his fair share, and also noted that there were issues within the contract itself that prevented him from fully profiting from his work: instead, the money would conveniently find its way back into the pockets of Eazy and Heller. First Sunday's Ice Cube requested a new contract be drafted, and was flatly denied by both Eazy and Heller: as such, he broke the hell out and flew out to the East Coast before recording started on any new N.W.A. project. Eazy, Dre, and Ren responded in song by dissing the shit out of their former bandmate, but, as we all know by now, it turns out that Cube was right all along about their money situation being fucked up, and the ramifications of those contracts are still felt in hip hop to this day.
John Carpenter's Ghosts Of Mars's O'Shea Jackson may have defected to the East Coast for a spell, but his heart was still firmly set in California. He linked up with Public Enemy's producers The Bomb Squad, essentially trading in one innovative and controversial hip hop collective for another, and quickly crafted his solo debut album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, in 1990. The sound was an amalgam of West Coast sensibilities and the East Coast's penchant for sampling from unorthodox sources, and was an immediate hit in all areas of the country (even possibly Montana, although I have no proof of this). Critics hailed the album for its charged lyrics and musical styling, but bashed the blatant racism and misogyny: these critics apparently had no idea what they were in for when Cube released his follow-ups.
Boyz N The Hood's O'Shea Jackson followed up his debut album with his acclaimed film debut in, well, Boyz N The Hood, playing one of the most memorable characters in the John Singleton canon, Doughboy. I believe there was even some Oscar talk back in 1990, but of course, nobody thought a rapper deserved an Oscar for acting back in those days. It didn't matter, anyway, since Three Kings's Ice Cube stuck with his first love, making music, for a good while, until he discovered that there was simply more money to be made in Hollywood than in the music industry (thanks, bootleggers!), turning to flicks such as Are We There Yet? to finance the new guesthouse on his huge lot of land.
Yes, kids, if your gangsta rap is done properly, you, too, can reap the rewards.
1. BETTER OFF DEAD
Well, I was hoping to hear a musical tribute to the John Cusack classic ("Two dollars!"), but instead, we get a creepy-sounding intro featuring Cube getting fried in the electric chair. Notable for featuring a corrections officer demanding "Switch!", a sound bite that would be re-used over and over again in hip hop.
2. THE N---A YOU LOVE TO HATE
After getting his ass electrocuted (and living to tell about it), Cube steps in with the same fierce delivery that earned him praise and a legion of fans. It is admirable that he doesn't outright go into "Fuck N.W.A." mode, instead choosing to focus on other sitting ducks, although the Bomb Squad chops up multiple N.W.A. Ice Cube vocal samples, so as to remind the listeners (and, apparently, Cube) how we got to this point.
3. AMERIKKKA'S MOST WANTED
The Bomb Squad beat here is passable at best: it's not nearly as confrontational and hard-hitting as you would expect a title track to be, especially with this fucking title.
4. WHAT THEY HITTIN' FOE
This one-verse wonder is just barely under the minute-and-a-half mark, but Cube continues to captivate while the instrumental incorporates, at minimum, seemingly forty-seven different beats concurrently.
5. YOU CAN'T FADE ME / JD'S GAFFILIN'
A good, and yest disturbing as shit, track, in which we find our hero O'Shea confronted with the possibility that he may have fathered a child with (gasp!) an ugly girl. He runs through his train of thought at the time, which happens to include a couple of abortion techniques that no clinic would consider administering. His description of avoiding all of his boys in order to sleep with said ugly girl is amusing, though. "JD's Gaffilin'", an interlude hilariously listed as track 5 1/2 on the album's back cover, comes off as the loneliest stand-up routine ever recorded.
6. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE PROJECTS
Reggie Noble loves this song, and chances are you will, too. Other than the fact that O'Shea uses the word "object" at the end of his story, instead of the term "moral", which is what he meant to use had he not been pressured to actually rhyme his verses, this exemplary example of Cube's storytelling is still fucking photo-realistic today.
7. TURN OFF THE RADIO
This advice actually holds more weight today than it did in 1990. Come on, tell me I'm wrong. That's right, you can't do it.
8. ENDANGERED SPECIES (TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE) (FEAT CHUCK D.)
Cube and Chuck D. (from Public Enemy, but hopefully the hip hop fans that check out my blog didn't need me to add that qualifier) trade verses over an incendiary Bomb Squad beat. There is nothing more to say, other than: this shit just sounds good.
9. A GANGSTA'S FAIRYTALE
O'Shea's retelling of many popular children's fairy tales is funny, but gimmicky, and you'll probably only listen to it the once. The kid featured shouting on the interludes is also annoying as fuck: you guys couldn't get a better child actor?
10. I'M ONLY OUT FOR ONE THING (FEAT FLAVOR FLAV)
Flavor Flav takes some time out of his busy reality television and sitcom schedule, jumps into an awaiting time machine, and finds himself on Ice Cube's debut solo album. Cube sounds like he's just messing around (in a good way), but, well, let's just say Flav isn't known for his mic skills for a good goddamn reason.
11. GET OFF MY DICK AND TELL YO BITCH TO COME HERE
Before the sub-genre of rock music known officially as "Crappy Emo Shit" took song titles to ridiculous lows, Ice Cube submitted his contribution to a contest nobody was administering. (He would later top this with the Kill At Will EP, on which he includes this song title, but adds the word "remix" to it, thus retaining the title for an additional six months.) I gotta tell you, I appreciate the fact that Cube didn't feel the need to pad this song into a five-minute crapfest that's four minutes too long: he keeps it short and sweet.
12. THE DRIVE-BY
In ego trip's Big Book of Rap Lists, Prince Paul himself called this one of his favorite hip hop skits, simply because the characters are listening to Young MC's "Bust A Move" while shooting up some poor guy who's only claim to fame is getting shot the fuck up on an Ice Cube record. The song selection makes for a funny contrast, but otherwise, a skit is a skit is a skit. Now if Paul had produced the skit...
13. ROLLIN' WIT THE LENCH MOB
A track about hanging with your weed carriers that doesn't actually feature said weed carriers rhyming all over it? Brilliant! And the song itself is entertaining as hell.
14. WHO'S THE MACK?
In a complete 180-degree turn from the previous tracks, Cube takes on an observant role in this social commentary, running down a list of actions that result in women being used, bused, and generally played by men. The delivery is the least angry that Cube has been on the entire album, and the song is better for it.
15. IT'S A MAN'S WORLD (FEAT YO-YO)
The intro to this track, which is much too long, leads one to believe that this will be a natural extension of Cube's early N.W.A. song "A Bitch Iz A Bitch", but once Yo-Yo starts rhyming, the tone shifts into a battle of the sexes that is both hilariously profane and proof that both sides need each other to coexist.
16. THE BOMB
Most critics of AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted feel that this final track is the worst on the entire album, and I'm inclined to agree with everyone, considering that the feel of this song doesn't mesh with the preceding fifteen tracks. It doesn't help that the song sounds bland as hell.
FINAL THOUGHTS: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted proves that Ice Cube was a born solo artist. He may have been just a tad bit lost without his boy Dr. Dre manning the boards, but the Bomb Squad picked him up, dusted him off, and helped him create some of the bets music of his career. His delivery is as vile as it was on Straight Outta Compton, but he is undeniably likable, making this album an excellent, straightforward listen, with the exception of that godawful final track.
BUY OR BURN? Buy this album. Every fan of hip hop should have this in their collection, and as for the fans of Are We Done Yet?: um, do your parents know you're reading this blog? I mean, there are a lot of italics used on here.
BEST TRACKS: "You Can't Fade Me"; "The N---a You Love To Hate"; "Once Upon A Time In The Projects"; "Who's The Mack?"; "Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside)"
-Max
June 19, 2007
Westside Connection - Bow Down (October 22, 1996)
I bet nobody saw this one coming. I figure, since it's clear that I have an East Coast bias, what better way to include the West on my blog than by featuring an album that was created solely to dis the shit out of the East Coast?
Westside Connection is a collective made up of boring-ass rapper Mack 10, the mighty W.C. (of Maad Circle fame), and some guy who uses "Ice Cube" as his rap moniker. These three artists were already successful with their solo careers (in the case of W.C., I mean "success" as "people in Cali liked him but he sold zero copies"), but were nonplussed with everyone's obsession with the hip hop output of the East Coast at the time. To add insult to injury, there was that whole coastal rivalry thing, which resulted in the pointless deaths of Tupac Shakur and, later in 1997, Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace. Cube and company (this fall, on PBS) were simply not happy with the way the West Coast artists were being slighted, especially since the East was getting all of the good press.
(I imagine that's how both the East and the West now feel about the South...)
Anyway, Bow Down was a diss-filled album that took aim at anyone and everyone who was seen as a supporter of the East during the time. Chicago stalwart Common seems to get it the worst, since he had the gall to retaliate when Mack 10 released "Westside Slaughterhouse" (from his first solo album Foe Life) and O'shea Jackson (no relation to Curtis) made fun of his song "I Used To Love H.E.R." (which is now widely accepted as one of the best hip hop songs ever made). Don't feel too bad for Common, though; with his only diss track, he won the war (listen to "The Bitch In Yoo" if you don't believe me.)
Bow Down eventually sold over one million copies, and is now considered one of the finest West Coast offerings ever released. The Source even gave it four-and-a-half mics (out of five), labeling it as a "near classic", which is fucking hysterical and ironic since The Source is actually one of the targets on the album.
Go figure.
1. WORLD DOMINATION (INTRO)
Usual rap album intro bullshit, but seeing as this is a concept album about how when you hate on other people, you're really hating on yourself, I'll let this one slide.
2. BOW DOWN
No four-bar break here. Cube tears into you immediately, like a rabid squirrel running late, over a hard-ass beat. By the way, the whole "hard-ass beat" thing? Consistent throughout the entire album. Amazing, I know.
3. GANGSTAS MAKER THE WORLD GO ROUND
The second single (the first being "Bow Down"). It's a complete departure from the last song, but still sounds good. I don't even mind Mack 10 on here as much.
4. ALL THE CRITICS IN NEW YORK
The aforementioned song where The Source turns into one giant pussy just waiting to get fucked. And then, as if to prove Cube and company right, they buy into the hype and give up the high rating. No wonder there were credibility issues with "the hip-hop Bible", and this was before all of that Benzino shit...
5. DO YOU LIKE CRIMINALS?
Yeah, a song for the chicks (or, as they are referred to here, "bitches"). Probably the weakest song on here, but it's still slickly produced and mixed well.
6. GANGSTAS DON'T DANCE (INSERT)
For the uninitiated, "insert" is a fancy way of saying "interlude".
7. THE GANGSTA, THE KILLA, & THE DOPE DEALER
My favorite song on here, and one of the best things Ice Cube has ever been a part of, and I've seen Three Kings. This song samples Nine Inch Nails's "Hurt" (from The Downward Spiral) to great effect, as each of the three artists takes on one of the titular personas. What do you mean, you figured that out when you read the title? The song is still fucking awesome.
8. CROSS 'EM OUT AND PUT A 'K'
Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest gets called out on this song. Did you know that Q-Tip was actually one of the reasons the whole coastal rivalry started? Seriously. On "Keep It Moving", off of the Beats, Rhymes, & Life album, he even mentions it, claiming that someone misinterpreted his words. Very interesting...
9. KING OF THE HILL
Taking a quick break from attacking the East, the Connection set their sights down the street. This is a harsh Cypress Hill diss that includes my favorite new-school Ice Cube lines ever: "I have a voice you should fear/I drink a beer, bust a rap and end your fucking career!". Great song, even if W.C. doesn't appear at all. (I'm sure he was somewhere in the studio, possibly getting some Doritos from the vending machine.)
10. 3 TIME FELONS
Doesn't completely suck, but the momentum is fading...
11. WESTWARD HO
Fading...
12. THE PLEDGE (INSERT)
...
13. HOO-BANGIN' (W.S.C.G. STYLE) (FEAT K-DEE, ALLFRUMTHAI, & THE COMRADES)
The beat is bangin' (no pun intended), but I liked it the first time I heard it: the original Mack 10-only version was part of a double-A-sided single put out by Priority Records to promote The Substitute soundtrack (the other song included was Ras Kass's "Miami Life"). This remix is alright, and probably the best way to announce that the album is over.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Bow Down is actually pretty fucking good. The lyrics are on point (for the most part, the three artists stick with the theme, and somehow it never gets old), the production is hard, and overall, it's very entertaining.