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.
Terrorist Threat
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
I can be that threat that make you change your life
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
Terrorist threats, terrorist threats
It's about fuckin' time
niggaz ta came up with some real shit
and start bustin'on you bitch niggaz and kill some shit
high shells and cocktails, rags on faces
a terrorist fuckin' it up in chucks with fat laces
in my cutoffs I stand with triggery canon
nah bitch, I ain't from the Taliban I'm from the niggaban
westside, roll 'em motherfuckers up
call me Dub McVeigh about to blow this motherfucker up
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
I can be that threat that make you change your life
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
Terrorist threats, terrorist threats
We got you niggaz scared like a snitch and a gangsta cook out
and when the meter read red all cowards get took out
back with more firepower than before
to us a nuclear bombin' is just a drug war
and I got no gangstarizm and stardom
and got niggaz shakin' that ain't even from Harlem
spit rapid fire down in the whole place
and it's hard to breathe with duck tape on your face
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
I can be that threat that make you change your life
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
Terrorist threats, terrorist threats
I'm from that WSCG car
beat you up in ER from my PR
nigga, superstar, smokin' on a cigar
little homies know who the OG's are
been the shit since '86 and even right now
and gotta brag to this bitches 'bout my lifestyle
no mistake the westsider for Al-Quieda
this ain't soopafly nigga I'm a spida
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
I can be that threat that make you change your life
(duck nigga, westcoast)
I can make a promise now to take your life
(westside, bustin' that janky.)
Terrorist threats, terrorist threats
"an open microphone can be dangerous"
The opening line "an open microphone can be dangerous" sets the tone for what follows, which is a powerful and explicit criticism of the racial inequalities and injustices present in American society. The lyrics are essentially a call to arms; Ice Cube urges his listeners to take a stand against the oppression they face and fight back against those who seek to marginalize and silence them. The repeated refrain of "terrorist threats" is particularly provocative, as it draws attention to the way that certain groups are labeled as "terrorists" based on their race or ethnicity, even when they are not actually involved in any violent or criminal activity.
Throughout the song, Ice Cube uses vivid and confrontational language to paint a picture of a society on the brink of collapse. He describes using "high shells and cocktails," wearing "rags on faces," and standing with a "triggery canon," all of which suggest the need for violent resistance. He also links the struggle against oppression to the struggle against government corruption and greed; he raps about "nuclear bombin' is just a drug war," implying that the government's war on drugs is both misguided and hypocritical.
Ice Cube is making a powerful critique of a society that he sees as deeply flawed and unjust. He sees a system that systematically oppresses certain groups based on their race or ethnicity and seeks to silence those who speak out against it. His call to arms is a defiant and unapologetic rejection of that system, and a call to those who face its injustices to stand up and fight for their rights.
Line by Line Meaning
an open microphone can be dangerous
I have a message to deliver and it can incite violence.
I can make a promise now to take your life (westside, bustin' that janky.)
I'm not afraid to use violent means to get my point across.
Terrorist threats, terrorist threats It's about fuckin' time
The violence and terror is necessary for change to occur.
call me Dub McVeigh about to blow this motherfucker up (duck nigga, westcoast)
I'm willing to commit violent acts to make my point and effect change.
We got you niggaz scared like a snitch and a gangsta cook out and when the meter read red all cowards get took out
Our violent actions are meant to intimidate and scare our adversaries into submission.
it's hard to breathe with duck tape on your face (duck nigga, westcoast)
Our tactics are brutal and inhumane and meant to inflict fear and pain.
I'm from that WSCG car beat you up in ER from my PR
I'm from a gang and I'm willing to use violent means to assert my power and dominance.
no mistake the westsider for Al-Quieda this ain't soopafly nigga I'm a spida
I may look like a terrorist, but I'm a gangster who is just as willing to commit acts of violence.
Writer(s): William Calhoun, Dedrick D'Mon Rolison, O'shea Jackson, Derryck Thornton
Contributed by Wyatt N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vincenthehedgehog
Ain't afraid to say True Crime LA was my first time hearing
@generationsofblueshirts346
2022 n still 🔥
@ne_wtanke
In 2023
@miami8089
This was one of my favorite songs from the album.
@MrBigp72
+Miami 808 YOUR MOM WAS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE MOMS FROM THIS ALBUM
@Theyoungingjpv2
your white stay off this
@Micro13bk
+Phil Brown weak ass joke...
@mkmobilegaminginthephilippines
hardest hitting track on the album.
@kryplj
Damn Str8
@matthewwheeler2231
Hell yeah it is