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.
I'm Scared
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was free as can be white-black, I was free to be equal to anyone.
Listening to you, you are so prejudiced I just can't believe it! I am shocked! Your scaring me!
[Woman #2:]
What is he saying that you have a problem with?
What is he saying that you have a problem with?
What scares us is I think we hear violence.
[Woman #4:]
Think you don't know what the fuck it is you talkin' about.
[Woman #3:]
I'm so scared to go around the world next year, because I was never afraid to dismegnet on listening to you, it's really scary hearing what your saying, I'm very scared!
[Woman #2:]
What is he saying that you have a problem with?
What is he saying that you have a problem with?
[Woman #3:]
What scares us is I think we hear violence.
[Woman #4:]
Think you don't know what the fuck it is you talkin' about.
[Woman #3:]
They're saying questions about us fearing, wepsal fearing, you know, what will the black folks do and stuff, we should be running down the street, screaming and ranting and raving cause when you look at the sartistics, Who is the one guy? From the policemen? From the KKK? From the skinheads?
[Woman #3:]
What scares us is I think we hear violence.
[Woman #2:]
What is he saying that you have a problem with?
And why is it when a black man stands up to speak for his people, and all the people stand up to speak for their people, there's no problem with it?
What you saying?
He said black, he said juke.
And people talk... they talk like that.
But why is it when a black man stands up to speak for his people, you feel so threatened? And everybody's paranoid? And you talk about shot sigar gaytion? We live in hall and we live in wats, we live in Befestifison that's a form of 7 gaytion. We through Beafenher we get killed. So what are you talking about?
Ice Cube's song "I'm Scared" is a commentary on the pervasive nature of racial discrimination that runs deep in American society. The lyrics in this song represent the voices of four women who are having a conversation about the prejudices and fears they experience in their daily lives. The first woman is outraged that someone could be as prejudiced as the person they were just listening to, and is protesting against the statement that being white would make you superior to others. The second woman asks what exactly was said that bothers the first woman so much, and proceeds to ask the same question again later in the song to Woman #3.
Woman #3 expresses her fear of violence, which she feels is being suggested in the conversation they are having. She is apprehensive about traveling the world, as she has never before been afraid to do so. She is deeply concerned about the question being raised about the fears of the black folks and the weapons they might possess, as if she feels that her race is being framed as inherently aggressive and threatening. Woman #4 then dismisses these concerns, as she believes that whoever is speaking in the conversation doesn't know what they are talking about.
Line by Line Meaning
I was free as can be white-black, I was free to be equal to anyone.
A woman recalls feeling free to be herself without regard to her race, but is now taken aback by the prejudice she is hearing from Ice Cube in his lyrics, which are causing her to feel scared.
What is he saying that you have a problem with?
Another woman wants to know why Ice Cube's lyrics are causing the first woman to be so fearful.
What scares us is I think we hear violence.
A third woman expresses her concern that the content of Ice Cube's lyrics may incite violence.
Think you don't know what the fuck it is you talkin' about.
A fourth woman challenges Ice Cube's understanding of the issues he addresses in his lyrics.
I'm so scared to go around the world next year, because I was never afraid to dismegnet on listening to you, it's really scary hearing what your saying, I'm very scared!
The first woman reiterates her fear of the prejudiced and violent messages she perceives in Ice Cube's lyrics.
They're saying questions about us fearing, wepsal fearing, you know, what will the black folks do and stuff, we should be running down the street, screaming and ranting and raving cause when you look at the sartistics, Who is the one guy? From the policemen? From the KKK? From the skinheads?
The third woman expresses her frustration with how society often portrays black people as violent or needing to be feared, while ignoring the violent actions of certain individuals or groups, such as police officers, the KKK, and skinheads.
And why is it when a black man stands up to speak for his people, and all the people stand up to speak for their people, there's no problem with it?
The second woman questions why there is controversy when black people advocate for their own rights and interests, while it is generally accepted for people of any race to do so.
What you saying?
The second woman asks Ice Cube directly what message he is trying to convey.
He said black, he said juke. And people talk... they talk like that.
Ice Cube uses slang and references to black culture in his lyrics, much like many people do in their everyday speech.
But why is it when a black man stands up to speak for his people, you feel so threatened? And everybody's paranoid? And you talk about shot sigar gaytion? We live in hall and we live in wats, we live in Befestifison that's a form of 7 gaytion. We through Beafenher we get killed. So what are you talking about?
The second woman raises the point that Ice Cube's lyrics reflect real issues faced by black people, such as fear for their safety in their own neighborhoods, and questions why some people seem to be threatened or paranoid when these issues are brought to light.
Contributed by Lily E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@espantapajaross
Traducción de texto
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Mujer # 1:] Me criaron para ser blanco-negro, me criaron para ser igual a cualquiera. Escuchándote, ¡tienes tantos prejuicios que no puedo creerlo! ¡Estoy impactado! ¡Me estás asustando! [Mujer # 2:] ¿Con qué está diciendo que tienes un problema? ¿Con qué está diciendo que tienes un problema? [Mujer n. ° 3:] Lo que nos asusta es que creo que escuchamos violencia [Mujer # 4:] Creo que no sabes de qué diablos estás hablando [Mujer # 3:] Tengo tanto miedo de salir al mundo el año que viene, porque nunca fui una persona con prejuicios hasta que te escuché, da mucho miedo escuchar lo que estás diciendo, ¡estoy muy asustado! [Mujer # 2:] ¿Con qué está diciendo que tienes un problema? ¿Con qué está diciendo que tienes un problema? [Mujer # 3:] Lo que nos asusta es que creo que escuchamos violencia [Mujer # 4:] Creo que no sabes de qué diablos estás hablando [Mujer # 3:] Están diciendo preguntas sobre nosotros temiendo, los blancos temiendo, ya sabes, qué harán los negros y esas cosas, deberíamos estar corriendo por las calles, gritando y despotricando y delirando porque cuando miras las estadísticas, ¿quién es el indicado? ¿moribundo? ¿De los policías? ¿Del KKK? ¿De los skinheads? [Mujer n. ° 3:] Lo que nos asusta es que creo que escuchamos violencia [Mujer # 2:] ¿Con qué está diciendo que tienes un problema? ¿Y por qué cuando un hombre negro se pone de pie para hablar por su pueblo y todo el pueblo se pone de pie para hablar por su pueblo, no hay problema con eso? Pero dices Dijo "negro", dijo "judío" Cuando la gente habla ... habla así Pero, ¿por qué cuando un hombre negro se pone de pie para hablar en nombre de su pueblo, te sientes tan amenazado? ¿Todo el mundo está paranoico? ¿Y hablas de segregación negra? Vivimos en Harlem y vivimos en Watts. Vivimos en Bedford – Stuyvesant. Esa es una forma de segregación. Caminamos por Bensonhurst. Nos matan. Entonces, ¿de qué estás hablando?
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@lovatog14
0:43 so damn relevant today and damn near thirty years later shit still hasn't changed.
@danielgeci4513
The day you stop being fooled by the elites and realize the race war is their distraction so we don't see the class war they are perpetuating is the day we can progress as a society. You're comment is so narrow minded and ignorant it makes me sad to think after 30+ years most ppl are still duoed like you. GL living in your imaginary world where this is a black thing not a poverty thing. And yes I get racism makes the black population disproportionately in poverty, but that is done and all we can do is move forward, united, as ppl in poverty against the machine of the elites, not as a bunch of bickering races who can't organize themselves into a cohesive unit to battle the actual corruption and systems that demand 90% of the population remains poor. Trust me those elites do not care about your color man they only care there is enough poor ppl for their systems of governments and economies all backed by military force, to make them wealthy and powerful.
Please for the love of God stop thinking this way and I'm not diminishing the struggles of being black. My grandson is mixed and daughter in law black. I get it as well as any white man can, but so many are missing the forest for the trees here. It's a class war!!!!! Can we unite against the actual enemy please? I'm no Eminem,.and while I didn't grow up on 8 Mike road literally, I grew up minus the complexion in what many would call the "black experience" in America. I grew up with a rocky family life with abuse and drugs, dad in jail by 3yo never to be seen again, by highschool raised by my grandparents or using other addresses to go to a better school etc etc. Ik what it's like to feel out of place, but more to the point ik what it's like to be beat by a cop, have my rights violated and even been unjustly punished for things I didn't do, not that I'm an innocent man, free of wrong doings btw, but I have seen the corrupt power of the system first hand and how bail is used to leverage a plea to preserve the DA's conviction rate and make the private county jail system money. I could go on and on, but the thing I am.trying to say is I experienced this because I was poor and grew up poor in a poor neighborhood around bad things and when that happens the system and authorities abuse you. This is why it's class warfare not about race. I've had drugs "planted" just so me and my car could be shook down, I'm not black I was just poor and in a poor neighborhood so I can't afford lawyers and nobody will believe a scumball like me from a sh** hole like this. This is why it happens ppl. It happens because poor ppl cannot fight back with lawyers and rights and such so In essence we don't have them. Being free in America has a cost of entry and if you exist below the poverty line you don't have enough money to enter their America.
@4ELEVENTV
March 2020. We are no better than we were in 1992.
@tachometer-flac
1992 vs 2020
https://i.imgur.com/jN01Z5Z.jpg
@17WayzPod
June 2020 is what brought me back to this album the crazy thing is cube predicted the 1992 riots on death certificate and gave us commentary on the unfolding situation on the predator💯
@paulfolkard2493
lockdown june 2020 brought me back - riots malaise & disturbances of the peace.
@williemclean7999
Facts
@radkesrods1184
worse!
@DavidRichardson95
The Phil Donahue Show with Louis Farrakhan brought me here. And after watching that interview I more fully understand it now.
@thaintriguing1
Kyle Mc you must be a scared little white boy listening to rap and have no clue what it really means.