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.
Gangsta's Fairytale
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come sit on the lap of I-see-E
And let me tell ya a story or two
About a punk-ass nigga I knew
Named Jack, he wasn't that nimble, wasn't that quick
Jumped over the candlestick and burnt his dick
Ran up the street cause he was piping hot
Met a bitch named Jill on the bus stop
At that type of shit he's a pro
So Jack and Jill ran up the hill to catch a lil' nap
Dumb bitch, gave him the claps
Then he had to go see Dr. Bombay
Got a shot in the ass, and he was on his way
To make some money, why not?
Down on Sesame Street, the dope spot
There he saw the lady who lived in a shoe
Sold dope out the front, but in back, marijuana grew
For the man that was really important
Who lived down the street in a Air Jordan
Ride to the fellow Mister Rogers and hoes
Drove a 500 sittin on Lorenzoes
He broke out, Little Bo Peep, smoked out
Saw, her and her friends sellin' sheepskins
Yo yo I got them sheepskins
Yo, my empty sheepskins
Yo baby, what's up with that?
Hickory dickory dock, it was twelve o'clock
Cinderella ain't home must be givin up the cock
I don't doubt it, she is kind of freaky of course
Had a fight with Snow White, she was fuckin her dwarfs
Saw a fight over colors, too
Red Riding Hood, and Little Boy Blue
A bad influence? Yo I don't know
But Ice Cube'll tell the kids how the story should go
Yeah money, that's it, yeah money, that's it
This is Little Russ in the house
Rock that shit homey, rock that shit!
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
With a joint, drinkin' some 8-ball
Three little pigs in a Coup de Ville
Lookin' for, the wolf to kill
They're fucked up and they want revenge
Them and Humpty used to be friends
Now they're enemies cause he's a traitor
Pulled out the Uzi cruised by and sprayed him
Cinderella hoeing for the fellas
And Mister Rogers is gettin' mighty jealous
Of the cash that the pigs were makin'
Time for the pigs to get turned to bacon
Cause Mister Rogers found out quick
That Humpty Dumpty was blown to bits
They said that the motherfuckin' wolf was next
So Mister Rogers better watch his step
So he let the wolf know
We're gonna fuck up the pigs, and take their ho
Cause Cinderella is much too fast
Before twelve, givin' up ass
Double barrels all loaded and cocked
As soon as they show, they gonna get popped
They bailed down Sesame Street and caught em
Little Boy Blue is up front givin' orders
Little did they know Cinderella was a fink
She called the cops and got thrown in the clink
A bad influence? Yo, I don't know
But Ice Cube'll tell the kids how the stories should go
"A Gangsta's Fairytale" by Ice Cube is a song that twists the traditional nursery rhymes into a world of drugs, crime, and violence. Ice Cube takes nursery rhymes that are usually taught to young children and turns them into gangsta tales. In the first verse, Ice Cube tells a story about Jack and Jill but with a twist. Jack was not nimble; he jumps over the candlestick and burns his dick. Afterward, he runs into Jill and makes her his hoe. They go up a hill to catch a nap, and Jill gave him the claps. Jack went to see Dr. Bombay and get a shot in the ass. He begins to sell drugs on Sesame Street but realizes the real money comes from Lady Who Lived in a Shoe. Ice Cube also introduced other folk tales such as Hickory Dickory Dock, Cinderella, Snow White, and Red Riding Hood.
Line by Line Meaning
Little boys and girls, they all love me
Ice Cube is telling children that he is liked by them regardless of his gangster image
Come sit on the lap of I-see-E
Ice Cube invites children to sit on his lap as he prepares to tell them a story
And let me tell ya a story or two
Ice Cube prepares to tell children a story they've never heard before
About a punk-ass nigga I knew
Ice Cube introduces the villain in his story
Named Jack, he wasn't that nimble, wasn't that quick
Jack is introduced as an unimpressive and clumsy character
Jumped over the candlestick and burnt his dick
Jack burned himself while attempting to jump over a candlestick
Ran up the street cause he was piping hot
Jack ran away because he was in pain from the burn
Met a bitch named Jill on the bus stop
Jack meets Jill, who will be his partner in the story
Dropped a line or two, and he had the hoe
Jack easily charms and seduces Jill
At that type of shit he's a pro
Jack is an experienced player with many women
So Jack and Jill ran up the hill to catch a lil' nap
Jack and Jill engage in sexual activity
Dumb bitch, gave him the claps
Jill gave Jack a sexually transmitted infection
Then he had to go see Dr. Bombay
Jack went to a doctor for treatment
Got a shot in the ass, and he was on his way
Jack received a shot for his infection and was able to leave the doctor's office
To make some money, why not?
Jack decides to start selling drugs
Down on Sesame Street, the dope spot
Jack sells drugs on Sesame Street
There he saw the lady who lived in a shoe
Jack sees the character who lives in a shoe
Sold dope out the front, but in back, marijuana grew
The lady in the shoe sells drugs but grows marijuana in secret
For the man that was really important
The drug dealer who is the most valuable customer for the lady in the shoe
Who lived down the street in a Air Jordan
The drug dealer lives down the street and wears Air Jordan shoes
Ride to the fellow Mister Rogers and hoes
The drug dealer and his prostitutes go to Mister Rogers' house
Drove a 500 sittin on Lorenzoes
The drug dealer drove a Mercedes-Benz 500 series with Lorenzo wheels
He broke out, Little Bo Peep, smoked out
Little Bo Peep was drunk and high
Saw, her and her friends sellin' sheepskins
Little Bo Peep and her friends sold drugs and made a living selling sheepskins
Hickory dickory dock, it was twelve o'clock
It was midnight when something significant happened
Cinderella ain't home must be givin up the cock
Cinderella is probably having sex with someone
I don't doubt it, she is kind of freaky of course
Ice Cube implies that Cinderella is known to engage in promiscuous behavior
Had a fight with Snow White, she was fuckin her dwarfs
Cinderella had a fight with Snow White over the fact that Snow White was having sex with her seven dwarfs
Saw a fight over colors, too
There was a fight between two characters over colors
Red Riding Hood, and Little Boy Blue
Red Riding Hood and Little Boy Blue were the two characters involved in the fight
A bad influence? Yo I don't know
Ice Cube questions whether or not he is setting a bad example for children with his story
But Ice Cube'll tell the kids how the story should go
Ice Cube will take the responsibility of telling children the story in the right way
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty was sitting on a wall
With a joint, drinkin' some 8-ball
Humpty Dumpty was smoking marijuana and drinking a mixture of cocaine and alcohol
Three little pigs in a Coup de Ville
The three little pigs were driving in a fancy car
Lookin' for, the wolf to kill
The pigs were looking for the wolf to take revenge on him
They're fucked up and they want revenge
The pigs are under the influence and seek to take revenge on the wolf
Them and Humpty used to be friends
The pigs and Humpty Dumpty used to be friends before he betrayed them
Now they're enemies cause he's a traitor
The pigs see Humpty Dumpty as their enemy because they believe he betrayed them
Pulled out the Uzi cruised by and sprayed him
The pigs killed Humpty Dumpty with a firearm
Cinderella hoeing for the fellas
Cinderella is having sex with multiple men
And Mister Rogers is gettin' mighty jealous
Mister Rogers is becoming jealous of the pigs' success
Of the cash that the pigs were makin'
The pigs are making a lot of money from selling drugs
Time for the pigs to get turned to bacon
Mister Rogers decides that it's time to get rid of the pigs
Cause Mister Rogers found out quick
Mister Rogers discovered the pigs' drug operation
That Humpty Dumpty was blown to bits
Mister Rogers learned that the pigs have killed Humpty Dumpty
They said that the motherfuckin' wolf was next
The pigs plan to kill the wolf next
So Mister Rogers better watch his step
Mister Rogers had better be careful
So he let the wolf know
Mister Rogers decided to warn the wolf about the pigs' plan
We're gonna fuck up the pigs, and take their ho
Mister Rogers and the wolf will work together to take down the pigs and claim Cinderella as their own
Cause Cinderella is much too fast
Cinderella is promiscuous and difficult to catch
Before twelve, givin' up ass
Cinderella is sexually active and will have sex with anyone before midnight
Double barrels all loaded and cocked
Mister Rogers and the wolf are prepared to use their guns
As soon as they show, they gonna get popped
They plan to shoot the pigs as soon as they appear
They bailed down Sesame Street and caught em
Mister Rogers and the wolf chased the pigs and caught them on Sesame Street
Little Boy Blue is up front givin' orders
Little Boy Blue is in charge of the pigs' operation
Little did they know Cinderella was a fink
The pigs didn't realize that Cinderella was a snitch
She called the cops and got thrown in the clink
Cinderella called the police and was arrested
A bad influence? Yo, I don't know
Ice Cube again questions whether or not he is setting a bad example for children with his story
But Ice Cube'll tell the kids how the stories should go
Ice Cube decides to take responsibility for telling the story in the right way
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC SADLER, O'SHEA JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Drunken Slob
Now this is rap, actual lyrical skill and rhymes, beats that aren’t generic and in every song you hear. Also liked how some songs had some comedy to them
COPYWRITE
Del 🔥
Fiddin It
Ice Cube is such a talented artist. The lyrics, the beats. Nobody in todays rap can come close to him.
1999
@Fiddin It Cube didn’t write this song tho
o_o
@1999 no wonder, whoever wrote this was trippin talking bout humpty dumpty and shi
Marcus Majors
Cube is truly the west coast King
Dicky Suratman
What a masterpiece....Ice is a poet, no doubt.
killahjoker
Del The Funky Homosapien wrote this song for cube
Fink Ployd
@killahjoker Wait really? That's crazy. Del is a genius in his own right though.
Kobe12 1999
@Fink Ployd that Dr. Bombay reference always flew over my head until now