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.
The First Day Of School
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Interlude:]
[Operator:] Dr. Brains, telephone. Pagin' Dr. Brains, telephone, please! [footsteps]
[Mother:] [screaming] [crying]
[Nurse:] C'mon! C'mon, lady... push it once more!
[Doctor:] I see the head...
[Mother:] [screaming] [crying]
[Nurse:] C'mon!
[Doctor:] C'mon... push!
[Nurse:] C'mon, honey!
[Doctor:] PUSH!
[Newborn:] [crying]
[Doctor:] It's a boy. [beat starts]
[Dr. Khalid Muhammad:]
The black man and black woman have no FURTHER!
No beginnig and no ending... BEFOOOORE Alpha...
And AFTER... Omega!
History and historians'll record...
The black father and mother of morality... medicine... music, and mathematics.
The father and mother of all the nation of religion, philosophy... art... science and civilization!
NO FURTHER!
All they can say about the black man...
Is he WAS, he's HEARS... and he SHALL BE!
Before HIM there were none.
And after HIM... there will be NO MORE!
Before we can make a way for the peace maker...
We must KILL... and get rid... of the peace breaker. [beat fades-out]
Ice Cube's song "The First Day of School" has a powerful introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The song opens with the sounds of a heart monitor beep in the background which leads to a phone call for the doctor. It moves to screaming, crying and the sounds of a woman giving birth as the doctor instructs her to push. The child is born and the beat starts playing. The next sound that is heard is Dr. Khalid Muhammad’s voice. Dr Khalid Muhammad speaks of the black man and woman having no end and beginning. He speaks of them being before Alpha and after Omega, the history and historians will record. They were the father and mother of everything. The Black father and mother of morality, medicine, music, and mathematics. The father and mother of all nations of religion, philosophy, art, science, and civilization.
This song is perfect at showcasing the black struggle, legacy, and history. It’s a powerful introduction that leads to the recognition and honoring of the black lives that came before us. Dr. Khalid Muhammad's speech is motivational and inspiring to the black community.
Line by Line Meaning
The black man and black woman have no FURTHER!
The history of the black man and woman precedes all else, as they are the progenitors of morality, medicine, music, and mathematics.
No beginnig and no ending... BEFOOOORE Alpha...
The lineage of the black man and woman transcends both beginning and end, predating even the first letter of the alphabet.
And AFTER... Omega!
Their lineage also extends beyond the final letter of the alphabet, encompassing all of existence.
History and historians'll record...
The achievements of the black man and woman will be recorded in history books and by historians.
The black father and mother of morality... medicine... music, and mathematics.
The black man and woman are the original creators and bearers of concepts like morality, medicine, music, and mathematics.
The father and mother of all the nation of religion, philosophy... art... science and civilization!
The black man and woman are the parent figures of all nations, and the founders of religion, philosophy, art, science, and civilization.
All they can say about the black man...
The impact and legacy of the black man and woman are immeasurable and cannot be completely described or contained.
Is he WAS, he's HEARS... and he SHALL BE!
The black man and woman have existed in the past, persist in the present, and will continue to exist in the future.
Before HIM there were none.
The influence of the black man and woman precedes all others, as there was none before them.
And after HIM... there will be NO MORE!
Their legacy will continue to endure, and there will be no other like them.
Before we can make a way for the peace maker...
Before we can achieve peace, we must first rid ourselves of those who cause violence and discord.
We must KILL... and get rid... of the peace breaker.
In order to establish peace, we must eliminate the sources of conflict and unrest.
Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@grade8fabrication
American Me sample....best intro I've heard on a rap album possibly
@frankorona6782
This a terrifying but awesome intro... The horror of your first day in the penal system....the first day of your prison sentence!!!
@roberthardeman2023
This intro was from the movie called America Me
@rafa7622
@@roberthardeman2023 *American
@chocsithica2825
Went to sleep listening to this album when I was a kid. Its one of the best rap albums ever for me:)
@TWN321
No doubt... classic Ice Cube before he became more civilized lol!! :-)
@illwitness
I use to sleep listening to this and the MMLP album.
@andremichelleburch7766
Classif Cube. When Hip Hop meant something.
@gregcampbell3052
Ice cube is the greatest ever
@alvarohernandez7862
Brings back memories..