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.
Death
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We can no longer live our lives
Then let us give our lives for the liberation
And salvation of the black nation
Saints, saviors, soldiers, scholars, healers and killers
No longer dead, deaf, dumb and blind out of our mind!
Brain-washed with the white men's mind
No more homicide!
No more suicide, infanticide and, genocide!
Look that goddamn white man in his cold, blue-eyes
Devil don't even try, we bebe's kids!
We don't die, we, multiply!
You heard the death side
Open your black eyes for the rebirth
Resurrection, and rise!
The lyrics of Ice Cube's song "Death" are a call to action for the black community to fight for their liberation and salvation. The first line, "Let me live my life!", is a plea for freedom from systemic oppression and racism. The second line, "We can no longer live our lives", acknowledges that the black community has been denied the ability to fully live their lives due to the systems of oppression in place. Ice Cube then suggests that if they cannot live their lives, they should give their lives in the battle for the freedom of the entire black nation.
The following lines praise different members of the black community, including saints, saviors, soldiers, scholars, healers and killers, and call for their awakening from a state of being "dead, deaf, dumb and blind out of our mind" due to the influence of the "white men's mind". The rest of the lyrics are a call for an end to different forms of violence directed towards the black community and a demand for rebirth, resurrection, and rise.
Overall, the song is a powerful call to action for the black community to fight for their freedom and to reject the influence of the dominant white culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me live my life!
We want to live our life according to our own choices.
We can no longer live our lives
We cannot live life the way we want to because of the oppression and racism faced by the black community.
Then let us give our lives for the liberation
And salvation of the black nation
We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the freedom and protection of the black community.
Saints, saviors, soldiers, scholars, healers and killers
People from all walks of life- spiritual leaders, fighters, intellectuals, doctors and even the ones who have taken lives have come together for a common cause.
No longer dead, deaf, dumb and blind out of our mind!
We refuse to remain ignorant and unaware of the atrocities against our people by the oppressive systems in place.
Brain-washed with the white men's mind
We refuse to be influenced by the dominant white culture and ideologies that have been forced upon us.
No more homicide!
No more fratricide!
No more suicide, infanticide and, genocide!
We demand an end to all forms of violence, be it against our own people, our children, ourselves or the whole community.
Look that goddamn white man in his cold, blue-eyes
Devil don't even try, we bebe's kids!
We refuse to be intimidated by the white man's power and we are determined to fight back against their oppressive ways.
We don't die, we, multiply!
We may lose lives but our movement, ideas and spirit will continue to multiply and live on.
You heard the death side
Open your black eyes for the rebirth
Resurrection, and rise!
We are declaring the end of the oppression and beginning of a new era where the black community is reborn and rises to its fullest potential.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOBBIE EARVIN, MARK S. JORDAN, O'SHEA JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miko-chan o*U*o
No one should ever die like this, may Beverly rest in peace.
Geraldine Carpenter
How sad I feel for him and the family, she was so young.
K. Marie
Wow that’s so heartbreaking. I never knew that. RIP Beverly 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Nancy Stamper
Prayers for your family❤️
Jaci Why
Sadness. 22 years old. Tragedy.
Vanessasmartypantzz Smartypantzz
My sister was shot to death by her husband a few houses down from our dads. I was 24 years old when she was killed. She was only 25 and the mother of 3 small children. Her children had watched her die. Sadly i know exactly how he feels. We were a year apart. But she was my only mother figure as our mother left us with alone with our alcaholic father at 10 and 11 years old. We were all. eachother had
722%Cupcakes
@Vanessasmartypantz prayers My sister
Rhoda Gilliam
Sorry to hear this. So sad. But you have my sympathy.
Ready Now
Dag. First King Von, Rapper Brax & now I see Ice Cube’s sister! All gone so young. Smh RIP
FABULOUS OFFICIAL
Am sorry for him