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.
Robbin' Hood
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I can sell you the American dream,
I can sell you anything
I got to get out, I'm getting put out of my house
I got to pack up, my refrigerator and couch
It's a set up, but the bank wants me out
This suggestible weight, it choke me out
They gave me a loan and I had no clout
They gave me a house, for me and my spouse
Call my momma and my aunt,
Y'all should re-finance,
I let them dance with the devil,
Dig their own grave and I gave them the shovel
Fuck, my daddy built that house
And when he got drunk he almost killed that house
Is this the American dream, or the American scheme?
That got me walking in these American streets?
Its kinda sad when you have to get a hernia,
Cause you help your grand mama move her furniture
If I can sell you the American dream,
I can sell you anything
Look at this maggot, with a stimulus package
I can give a fuck about a Dow Jones average
What the fuck you do when your paycheck is average?
Law abiding citizen turn into a savage,
Got to feed the children, got to feed the habit
Fell into a rabbit hole, chasing that rabbit
Now I'm in wonderland feeling like the Son of Sam
I'm at your west coast branch, gun in hand
I'ma feel like superman,
Walk by the teller, better call the trooper, man
It's the revenge of the lambs,
"big bad wolf, we're sick of these scams"
Sick of these plans, sick of this dance
Walk into his office took the nine out my pants
You're not a man, you're a serpent
Then I pray to God nigga nine get to workin'
I never get the working
You know I heard they hood robbin',
Your money or your life and there ain't no stoppin' 'em,
I never get the working
You know I heard they hood robbin',
Your money or your life and there ain't no stoppin' 'em,
Ain't that a bitch,
When you got to steal from the poor,
And give to the rich
Ain't that a bitch,
When you got to steal from the poor,
And give to the rich
Uh, drug dealer M.D.
Doctor feel good, give you what you need
In California, prescribe that weed
Oxycontin and codeine
Turn your grand mama into a fiend
And see the cyanide first hit ain't free
I know you bout to die, but let me see your I.D.
I know you bout to lie, but can you pay this fee?
If you can't pay, then please have a seat
You can't see a doctor but you could see a priest
We can't save your life until we get some insurance
Your premium is paid, add that insurance
I hope you got endurance,
They got me on hold and I'm under they influence
Nurse high as a kite,
In charge with my life,
And everything is lost,
Without blue cross
You know I heard they hood robbin',
Your money or your life and there ain't no stoppin' 'em,
You know I heard they hood robbin',
Your money or your life and there ain't no stoppin' 'em,
Ain't that a bitch,
When you got to steal from the poor,
And give to the rich
Ain't that a bitch,
When you got to steal from the poor,
And give to the rich
Whatever you need, we got it for cheap right here baby
This America, it ain't gon' cost ya nothin'
But a arm and a leg
Maybe one of them motherfuckin ears, ha ha
Don't trip, just put in on ya credit card,
Put it in ya baby' name, ha ha
The song "Robbin Hood" by Ice Cube is a critique on the American dream and its consequences. The first verse is a reflection on how the American dream can be sold and how it can be easily bought by people who are struggling to make ends meet. The harsh reality of the American dream is then emphasized in the second verse, which describes how the bank's greed has led to the singer's expulsion from his house. He is now forced to carry his furniture with him and is at the mercy of the police, who might use force to get him and his stuff out of the house. The singer feels betrayed by the system, which allowed him to buy a house without having any financial backing, leading him to question whether the American dream is a dream or a scheme. The last verse is a criticism of the American healthcare system, where profit-taking has taken precedence over patient care, and the poor are left to die if they can't afford it.
Line by Line Meaning
Man I ain't gonna be shit in the morning after drinking that
I will feel terrible tomorrow because of how much I drank
If I can sell you the American dream,
I can sell you anything
The American Dream is a powerful idea that can make people believe anything is possible
I got to get out, I'm getting put out of my house
I got to pack up, my refrigerator and couch
It's a set up, but the bank wants me out
Or the L.A.P.D. will smoke me out
This suggestible weight, it choke me out
They gave me a loan and I had no clout
They gave me a house, for me and my spouse
Call my momma and my aunt,
Y'all should re-finance,
I let them dance with the devil,
Dig their own grave and I gave them the shovel
Fuck, my daddy built that house
And when he got drunk he almost killed that house
Is this the American dream, or the American scheme?
That got me walking in these American streets?
The financial system, the law, and society are working against me, despite my best efforts. The fact that my ancestors built this country only to be oppressed by it highlights the ever-increasing wealth gap and systemic inequality.
Its kinda sad when you have to get a hernia,
Cause you help your grand mama move her furniture
It's unfortunate that people have to physically harm themselves to take care of their elderly loved ones because they can't afford to pay for help
Look at this maggot, with a stimulus package
I can give a fuck about a Dow Jones average
What the fuck you do when your paycheck is average?
Law abiding citizen turn into a savage,
Got to feed the children, got to feed the habit
Fell into a rabbit hole, chasing that rabbit
Now I'm in wonderland feeling like the Son of Sam
I'm at your west coast branch, gun in hand
I'ma feel like superman,
Walk by the teller, better call the trooper, man
It's the revenge of the lambs,
"big bad wolf, we're sick of these scams"
Sick of these plans, sick of this dance
Walk into his office took the nine out my pants
You're not a man, you're a serpent
Then I pray to God nigga nine get to workin'
When people are in a desperate position, they are capable of taking drastic measures to get what they need to survive. The people who are exploiting the system will eventually have to face the consequences of their actions
You're not a man, you're a serpent
Then I pray to God nigga nine get to workin'
The exploitative people in power are not acting in good faith and should be dealt with harshly
Uh, drug dealer M.D.
Doctor feel good, give you what you need
In California, prescribe that weed
Oxycontin and codeine
Turn your grand mama into a fiend
And see the cyanide first hit ain't free
I know you bout to die, but let me see your I.D.
I know you bout to lie, but can you pay this fee?
If you can't pay, then please have a seat
You can't see a doctor but you could see a priest
We can't save your life until we get some insurance
Your premium is paid, add that insurance
I hope you got endurance,
They got me on hold and I'm under they influence
Nurse high as a kite,
In charge with my life,
And everything is lost,
Without blue cross
The medical industry is deeply flawed and puts profits before people. The cost for basic healthcare is exorbitant, and it's only getting worse
Whatever you need, we got it for cheap right here baby
This America, it ain't gon' cost ya nothin'
But a arm and a leg
Maybe one of them motherfuckin ears, ha ha
Don't trip, just put in on ya credit card,
Put it in ya baby' name, ha ha
There is always someone willing to exploit your desperation for profit in America. Don't be fooled by the illusion of a bargain - you will always end up paying for it in the end
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: O'SHEA JACKSON, TRISTON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S Flow
This WHOLE album is straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Mike Sistrunk
S Flow it's a hell of alot better than most of today's rap
Chad Lewis
Hear hear!
Black Mamba 4 Life
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
BODZY
I bought this album when I was 16 years old am 45 now and still love this album
Cdt.Causetout
"The cash and the jewels or the eleven o'clock news"...
Original G-Rap from the golden age. Way up there with the best!
Shoe3003
the synth is so damn good
Jeff Jordan
Classic Cube!!!!!!!
Lane Johnston
Can't say nobody better than cube
Black Mamba 4 Life
I Can't Either