Ice Cube is one of the founding artists of gangsta rap, and much of his musical output has contained harsh socio-political commentary. He was ranked number 8 on MTV's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, while fellow rapper Snoop Dogg ranked Ice Cube as one of the greatest MC of all time. AllMusic has called him one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists, as well as "one of rap's greatest storytellers". In 2012, The Source ranked him number 14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. In 2014, About.com ranked him number 11 on their list of the "50 Greatest MCs of All Time"
He released his solo debut album, "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted," in 1990 to critical and commercial success, although upon its release he was accused of racism and misogyny. He has since released 1991's "Death Certificate", 1992's "The Predator", 1993's "Lethal Injection", 1998's "War & Peace Vol 1 (The War Disc)", 2000's "War & Peace Vol 2 (The Peace Disc)", 2006's "Laugh Now, Cry Later", 2008's "Raw Footage", and 2010's "I Am the West."
Ice Cube was raised in South Central by his parents, both of whom were employed at UCLA. He began writing raps while attending George Washington Preparatory High School in Westmont, California, most notably "Boyz 'N Tha Hood", which later became famous when done by N.W.A in 1986. Cube finished his schooling at William Howard Taft Charter High School in Woodland Hills, a predominately white neighborhood in San Fernando Valley, some 40 miles from the high-crime neighborhood where his family stayed.
Cube and a friend, Sir Jinx, rapped as a partnership called C.I.A. at parties hosted by Dr. Dre. After a brief stint in a group called "HBO", Cube showed Eazy-E "Boyz 'N Da Hood," and the pair, plus Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, The Arabian Prince and MC Ren, formed N.W.A.
Cube took one year off to earn a degree in architectural drafting in Phoenix in 1987 but returned in time to participate in N.W.A's debut album, Straight Outta Compton. The album attracted much notoriety for the group, from the FBI and concerned citizen and parent groups. Cube did the lead verse for the album's infamous track "Fuck tha Police."
Ice Cube left N.W.A due to financial and personality conflicts in 1989. With Da Lench Mob and the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy's producers), Cube recorded his debut album in New York City. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted was released in 1990 and was an instantaneous hit as rap's popularity increased in mainstream society.
His 1991 follow-up, Death Certificate, was even more controversial. A few songs in the album featured Cube's hate of Uncle Sam and his politics, and a bonus track named "No Vaseline" was a diss to his former N.W.A bandmates. Also that year, he converted to the Nation of Islam. The album was re-released in 2003 with the bonus track "How to Survive in South Central," originally from the 1991 "Boyz N the Hood" soundtrack.
Controversy stirred about racist lyrics in his material: "Black Korea" (a song against Korean shopowners), referring to a former boss as "white Jew" in "No Vaseline", and songs such as "Enemy and Cave Bitch" (songs against "devils", a popular derogatory term at the time for white people). Partially to help deflect criticisms, Cube appointed a female rapper named Yo-Yo (who guested on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted) to the head of his own record label and helped produce her debut album, Make Way for the Motherlode.
That was followed by Cube's acting breakout as the grown-up version of Darrin "Doughboy" Baker in the 1991 coming of age crime drama "Boyz in the Hood." Writer and director John Singleton, another LA native, penned the role specifically Cube. Ice Cube was later named "Most Promising Actor" at the 4th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards in 1992, beating out his co-star Cuba Gooding Jr. and newcomer Brad Pitt from "Thelma and Louise."
Cube toured on Lollapalooza in 1992 and widened his fan base. He released The Predator in November (1992) which debuted at #1 on both the pop and rnb charts, the first album in history to do so. For that album, Cube decided to load some G-funk style beats which at that time was the big thing and some remix tunes which brought a new style to Cube, in which previously he had released some hardcore and extreme work. Singles from The Predator included "Today was a Good Day" and "Check Yo Self (remix)" which all had a 2 part music video.
After The Predator, Cube's audience began to diminish. Lethal Injection (1993) was not very well-liked by critics, and Dr. Dre and the West Coast G-Funk sound was dominating hip-hop. It wasn't until later that the album became popular. Taking a break from his own albums, Cube assisted on debuts from Da Lench Mob (Guerillas in the Mist) and Kam (Neva Again). He later dueted with Dr. Dre on "Natural Born Killaz."
Around this time in 1993, Ice Cube also worked with soon-to-be-acclaimed rapper Tupac Shakur with his album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. and appeared on a track with 2pac.
In 1994 Ice Cube released Bootlegs & B-Sides.
During this time, hip-hop started making a transition from the West Coast Funk Hip-Hop to a more gritty East Coast hip-hop. With Mack 10 and WC, Cube formed the Westside Connection in 1996, releasing their debut album Bow Down later that year. This album was in due to Ice Cube's theory that the East Coast lacked respect for West Coast hip-hop. Songs like "Bow Down", and "Gangstas Make The World Go 'Round" make reference to this. Sales were brisk, but it did not establish a large audience. This album was later perceived as a classic, especially on the West Coast. Cube released several more solo albums; however, he is now known more for his movies than his music.
In 1998 Ice Cube released War & Peace Vol 1: The War Disc
In 2000 Ice Cube released War & Peace Vol 2: The Peace Disc
In 2003 Ice Cube along with W.C. & Mack 10 released Terrorist Threats as the West Side Connection.
In December 2004, after a long break from recording, he reached #2 in the UK singles chart with the club favourite, "You Can Do It" (featuring Mack 10 and Ms Toi), released as a single 5 years after it was first included on movie soundtracks such as
Ice Cube was influenced by and took his name from African American pimp-turned-author Iceberg Slim, who published his autobiography Pimp in 1969. At one point, Ice Cube was scheduled to play the lead role in a movie adaptation of Pimp, but the project appears to be halted.
Cube's oldest son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., made his feature film debut in the 2015 N.W.A biopic "Straight Outta Compton," portraying his father.
Cold Places
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To all my people goin' through it on a daily basis
And it seem like the world is full of cold places
Keep yo' head up, fuck what they said cause
you can do it and the man will get you through it
I believe that, homey I believe that
If I can picture that, I'll bring a picture back
They say "Gangster, gangster! Tell me how you do it
How you get through it and them other niggas blew it"
I keep my eye on the prize then pursue it
Chase it like a cheetah chuck it out and subdue it
So self-educate, nigga don't hate
Cause the game I got, is Madden oh-eight
Fuck with Cube, I'm better than YouTube
Fuck with them dudes them niggas is new school
The game don't change just the players
The rhymes don't change just the fuckin' rhyme-sayers
They make it up as they go along
But I'm goin' on 25 years strong
The shit I say might get you through the day
Or change your whole life, in a major way
The shit they say, might catch you a case
The shit I say, feel like your birthday
[Chorus]
[Ice Cube]
You know what? Momma said it'd be days like this
Straight hell on earth, but come up out the abyss
She said "Don't let 'em see you crawl, don't let 'em see you fall
All they wanna do is laugh when you tear your drawers"
It's a cold world nigga bring a bomber jacket
If it's another hustle out there I'ma crack it
Fuck the new dance I'ma learn how to eat
Get my mind right, stay up out these fuckin streets
They keep callin' me
They keep callin', all the lil' homies keep fallin'
In them same traps niggas can't figure out
In the fast lane boy but the bridge is out
Make my blood boil, get yo' life spoiled
Get you in the system, get you in the soil
And your funeral was sponsored by Unocal
Saw you UVN, nigga digital
[Chorus]
I know, it's fucked up how they do us
Pretend they really care, but then they Jerry Lewis
Take that money that was allocated to us
Put us in some fucked up trailers then sue us
Watchin' Katrina, is worser than Ike and Tina
See New Orleans get bitch-slapped by FEMA
Louisiana got racist-ass politics
Free the Jena Six (Nigga free the Jena six!)
Your honor, Osama, Obama
Even, yo' momma, ain't fuckin' with my comments
They want us to quit, forget
And not give a shit about these sick-ass politics
A lunatic is in the White House
Make me wanna go do a lick right now
But they'll make a nigga bow down
in the penitentiary, a billion dollar industry
[Chorus]
I believe that, homey I believe that
If I can picture that, I'll bring a picture back
In the song Cold Places by Ice Cube, he addresses the struggles of daily life and the harsh realities of living in a world that can sometimes feel like a very cold place. He speaks directly to his audience, encouraging them to keep their heads up and persevere despite the adversity they face. He also touches on his own journey to success and how he has been able to overcome obstacles and stay relevant in the rap game for over 25 years.
The chorus of the song is a message of hope and inspiration, with Ice Cube urging his listeners to keep pushing through the tough times and not let the negativity of others bring them down. He believes that with determination and hard work, anything is possible and the forces that seem to be holding us back can be overcome.
In the verses, Ice Cube speaks to a variety of different issues that impact black communities in America. He touches on the struggles of urban poverty, the challenges of staying out of trouble and away from violence, and the need for self-education and personal responsibility. He also calls out the hypocrisy of politicians who pretend to care about their constituents but are actually more concerned with enriching themselves.
Throughout the song, Ice Cube's message is one of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. He shows that even in the coldest of places, there is still a way to keep moving forward and find success.
Line by Line Meaning
To all my people goin' through it on a daily basis
Ice Cube acknowledges the struggles that people face every day
And it seem like the world is full of cold places
The world can be a cruel and harsh place to live
Keep yo' head up, fuck what they said cause
Ice Cube encourages people to stay strong and not listen to naysayers
you can do it and the man will get you through it
Despite challenges, people can persevere with determination and help from others
I believe that, homey I believe that
Ice Cube believes in the power of perseverance and determination
If I can picture that, I'll bring a picture back
By envisioning success, Ice Cube hopes to inspire others to do the same
They say "Gangster, gangster! Tell me how you do it
Ice Cube responds to those who question him and his success
How you get through it and them other niggas blew it"
Ice Cube explains that determination and hard work are key to success
I keep my eye on the prize then pursue it
Ice Cube focuses on achieving his goals and works hard to get there
Chase it like a cheetah chuck it out and subdue it
Ice Cube aggressively pursues his dreams and overcomes obstacles along the way
So self-educate, nigga don't hate
Ice Cube advises people to educate themselves and not be negative towards others
Cause the game I got, is Madden oh-eight
Ice Cube compares his own skills and success to a popular video game
Fuck with Cube, I'm better than YouTube
Ice Cube believes he is superior to others, including popular online video creators
Fuck with them dudes them niggas is new school
Ice Cube dismisses others who are new to the game
The game don't change just the players
Despite changes, the game remains the same - only the people involved change
The rhymes don't change just the fuckin' rhyme-sayers
Ice Cube explains that even though new people come along, they are still rapping about the same things
They make it up as they go along
Ice Cube points out that some people don't have a plan, and they are just winging it
But I'm goin' on 25 years strong
Ice Cube emphasizes his continued success and relevance over many years
The shit I say might get you through the day
Ice Cube hopes that his words will provide comfort and inspiration to his listeners
Or change your whole life, in a major way
Ice Cube believes that his words can be life-changing and impactful
The shit they say, might catch you a case
Ice Cube points out how others can make mistakes and get into trouble
The shit I say, feel like your birthday
Ice Cube's words are like a gift, and make people feel good
You know what? Momma said it'd be days like this
Ice Cube recalls his mother's advice about tough times
Straight hell on earth, but come up out the abyss
Despite tough times, there is always hope for a better future
She said "Don't let 'em see you crawl, don't let 'em see you fall
Ice Cube's mother taught him to never give up or show weakness
All they wanna do is laugh when you tear your drawers"
Others will take pleasure in seeing you fail, so keep pushing forward
It's a cold world nigga bring a bomber jacket
The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, so be prepared
If it's another hustle out there I'ma crack it
Ice Cube is always looking for new opportunities to succeed
Fuck the new dance I'ma learn how to eat
Ice Cube prioritizes his own success and survival over following trends
Get my mind right, stay up out these fuckin streets
Ice Cube focuses on self-improvement and avoiding negative influences
They keep callin' me
Others continue to ask Ice Cube for advice and guidance
They keep callin', all the lil' homies keep fallin'
Even though Ice Cube is successful, others face challenges and hardships
In them same traps niggas can't figure out
Many people are trapped in cycles of poverty and struggle
In the fast lane boy but the bridge is out
People may move quickly towards success, but obstacles can get in the way
Make my blood boil, get yo' life spoiled
Ice Cube is angered by societal injustices that ruin people's lives
Get you in the system, get you in the soil
The legal system can be oppressive and even deadly for some people
And your funeral was sponsored by Unocal
Corporations and other powerful entities may profit from the deaths of marginalized people
Saw you UVN, nigga digital
Media coverage of a person's death may be fleeting and superficial
I know, it's fucked up how they do us
Ice Cube acknowledges how society mistreats certain groups of people
Pretend they really care, but then they Jerry Lewis
Some people pretend to care about issues but are really just putting on a show
Take that money that was allocated to us
Money that was supposed to help marginalized groups may be misused or diverted
Put us in some fucked up trailers then sue us
Some people and organizations may not truly want to help, but instead exploit those in need
Watchin' Katrina, is worser than Ike and Tina
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina exposed the deep failures and inequalities in American society
See New Orleans get bitch-slapped by FEMA
The government's response to Hurricane Katrina was largely seen as inadequate and slow
Louisiana got racist-ass politics
Racism and discrimination are deeply entrenched in some parts of American society
Free the Jena Six (Nigga free the Jena six!)
Ice Cube calls for justice and equality for marginalized people, highlighting a specific case
Your honor, Osama, Obama
Ice Cube lists different people who hold power and influence in society
Even, yo' momma, ain't fuckin' with my comments
Ice Cube believes in the power of his words and opinions, and is not afraid to speak his mind
They want us to quit, forget
Those in power may try to silence or ignore marginalized groups
And not give a shit about these sick-ass politics
Many people feel disillusioned and angry about the state of politics and social issues
A lunatic is in the White House
Ice Cube criticizes the current president and his actions
Make me wanna go do a lick right now
Some people may feel the urge to commit a crime or act out in response to societal injustices
But they'll make a nigga bow down
Those in power and the legal system may punish those who resist or protest
in the penitentiary, a billion dollar industry
The prison industrial complex is a profitable system that harms marginalized people and communities
I believe that, homey I believe that
Ice Cube reiterates his belief in the power of perseverance and determination
If I can picture that, I'll bring a picture back
Ice Cube hopes to inspire others with his words and success
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DE JON LAMONT UNDERDUE, O'SHEA JACKSON, TEAK ALGER UNDERDUE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind