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 Peckin' Order
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underworld order must be maintained.
Without a strict and unforgiving
Chain of command chaos is inevitable"
Whats up youngsta since your the new booty
And don't know nothin' I gotta show ya bout
The peckin' order.
Things and move things.
See somebody gonna
Tell you what to do after I tell that
Motherfucker what to do.
It's the peckin' order (echo)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
We got the power to make you niggas sour
Big fish, whale like itchy cower
Steppin' out the shower it's the peckin' order
Ax ya daughter how we peck, inspect
High class ass the projects
Push my Lex to the California range
Southern lane
Infamous skeems is on the brain for my connect game
Put a strain on every leak and I chain (that's right)
We all get ?
Take a svornnotes to make a see notes
Doin' all tha howdy bullshit floats and niggas don't
Some niggas don't gangsta paradise say nothin' nice
Yeah we livin' so tight we need Jesus in our lives
It's the peckin' order
It's the order how we do things and move things
Only fuck wit the true things
Havin' heavy in the course whit the world of depression
Messin' wit the wrong bitches never learn our lesson
Stressin', no guessin', never question even when we playin'
We testin', confession
Do you still want to meet wit the killers
Hold accountable for anything you repeat
It's the peckin' order, ask your daughter how we peck
When we smoke you it's your best friend we suspect
It's the peckin' order
It's the order how we do things and move things
Only fuck wit the true things
Now come on, come on partner, come on.
(it's the pecking order)
I don't want to hear none of that shit man,
All that cryin' and beggin' and shit.
To be honest whit you that shit really don't even
Affect me in no kind of way partner.
You wastin' your motherfuckin' time.
(it's the pecking order)
Lets get this shit goin', lets get it over wit
Come on back here, back here, I can't make no motherfuckin' mess right here
Check this out homie, make it easy on yourself.
I know you want a motherfuckin' open casket
Where your people can see you and kiss on you.
But you are pissin' me off
And I will blow noodles out you motherfuckin' head
And none of that happens after that
So come back here, come on, right
Come on, ey but you know, one more thing before I do this
(Bam)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
The lyrics of Ice Cube's "The Peckin' Order" talk about how maintaining order is crucial, particularly when dealing with the underbelly of society. The first line emphasizes the importance of maintaining order, even in the deep, dark bowls of the underworld. Ice Cube then goes on to describe the peckin' order, which determines how things are done in this underground world. The peckin' order is a hierarchical structure that ensures that everyone knows their place and follows the orders of those higher up on the food chain. Ice Cube asserts that there is no room for confusion or chaos as there is a strict chain of command.
The remainder of the lyrics describe the violent world that Ice Cube inhabits, where survival depends on understanding the peckin' order. He describes how the people in this world have the power to make others "sour" or submit to their authority. He further emphasizes the importance of the peckin' order by warning those who defy its rules, that they may risk the lives of their loved ones. As the song progresses, Ice Cube invokes violent imagery, leading up to the sound of a gunshot that ends the song. In summary, "The Peckin' Order" is a gritty exploration of the power dynamics that exist within the violent underworld of the streets.
Line by Line Meaning
In The Deep Dark Bowls of the
Underworld order must be maintained.
In the depths of darkness, order is crucial to be kept maintained.
Without a strict and unforgiving
Chain of command chaos is inevitable
If there is no strict and structured hierarchy, chaos is bound to happen.
Whats up youngsta since your the new booty
And don't know nothin' I gotta show ya bout
The peckin' order.
Welcome newbie, as you are still unaware of how things work, let me teach you about the hierarchy of power.
Its the order in how we do
Things and move things.
The pecking order determines the way we do things and move things around.
See somebody gonna
Tell you what to do after I tell that
Motherfucker what to do.
You will be told what to do after someone else is told what to do by me.
We got the power to make you niggas sour
Big fish, whale like itchy cower
Steppin' out the shower it's the peckin' order
Ax ya daughter how we peck, inspect
We have the power to make you intimidated, even if you're a big shot. The pecking order dictates how we act and operate. Ask your daughter if you want to know how we go about pecking and inspecting things.
Havin' heavy in the course whit the world of depression
Messin' wit the wrong bitches never learn our lesson
Stressin', no guessin', never question even when we playin'
We testin', confession
We bear a heavy burden to navigate through the world of depression. The pecking order also teaches us not to mess with the wrong people or we will never learn our lesson. There's no room for guessing or questioning in the order, not even when we're joking around - we're always testing and daring others to admit their faults.
Do you still want to meet wit the killers
Hold accountable for anything you repeat
It's the peckin' order, ask your daughter how we peck
Do you really want to mess with the killers? You will be held accountable for everything you do or say. The pecking order governs everything, even the way we peck, which you can ask your daughter about.
Now come on, come on partner, come on.
(it's the pecking order)
I don't want to hear none of that shit man,
All that cryin' and beggin' and shit.
Come on partner, let's go. The pecking order dictates that I don't want to hear any of your crying or begging.
To be honest whit you that shit really don't even
Affect me in no kind of way partner.
You wastin' your motherfuckin' time.
(it's the pecking order)
Honestly, your actions don't even affect me in any way. You're wasting your time because the pecking order will prevail no matter what.
Lets get this shit goin', lets get it over wit
Come on back here, back here, I can't make no motherfuckin' mess right here
Check this out homie, make it easy on yourself.
Let's get this over with. Come back here where I won't leave a mess. Make it easy for yourself.
I know you want a motherfuckin' open casket
Where your people can see you and kiss on you.
But you are pissin' me off
And I will blow noodles out you motherfuckin' head
And none of that happens after that
So come back here, come on, right
Come on, ey but you know, one more thing before I do this
I know you want an open casket funeral where your loved ones can say their goodbyes, but you've pushed me too far. I will shoot you in the head and there will be no open casket. Come on, let's get this over with. One last thing before I do it though.
It's the peckin' order (echo)
The pecking order governs everything, as echoed throughout the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: O'SHEA JACKSON, TIMOTHY TITUS WALKER, MARLIN CARLS DEMBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blckarts7161
In The Deep Dark Bowls of the
Underworld order must be maintained.
Without a strict and unforgiving
Chain of command chaos is inevitable"
Whats up youngsta since your the new booty
And don't know nothin' I gotta show ya bout
The peckin' order.
Its the order in how we do
Things and move things.
See somebody gonna
Tell you what to do after I tell that
Motherfucker what to do.
It's the peckin' order (echo)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
We got the power to make you niggas sour
Big fish, whale like itchy cower
Steppin' out the shower it's the peckin' order
Ax ya daughter how we peck, inspect
High class ass the projects
Push my Lex to the California range
Southern lane
Infamous skeems is on the brain for my connect game
Put a strain on every leak and I chain (that's right)
We all get ?
Take a svornnotes to make a see notes
Doin' all tha howdy bullshit floats and niggas don't
Some niggas don't gangsta paradise say nothin' nice
Yeah we livin' so tight we need Jesus in our lives
It's the peckin' order
It's the order how we do things and move things
Only fuck wit the true things
Havin' heavy in the course whit the world of depression
Messin' wit the wrong bitches never learn our lesson
Stressin', no guessin', never question even when we playin'
We testin', confession
Do you still want to meet wit the killers
Hold accountable for anything you repeat
It's the peckin' order, ask your daughter how we peck
When we smoke you it's your best friend we suspect
It's the peckin' order
It's the order how we do things and move things
Only fuck wit the true things
Now come on, come on partner, come on.
(it's the pecking order)
I don't want to hear none of that shit man,
All that cryin' and beggin' and shit.
To be honest whit you that shit really don't even
Affect me in no kind of way partner.
You wastin' your motherfuckin' time.
(it's the pecking order)
Lets get this shit goin', lets get it over wit
Come on back here, back here, I can't make no motherfuckin' mess right here
Check this out homie, make it easy on yourself.
I know you want a motherfuckin' open casket
Where your people can see you and kiss on you.
But you are pissin' me off
And I will blow noodles out you motherfuckin' head
And none of that happens after that
So come back here, come on, right
Come on, ey but you know, one more thing before I do this
It's the peckin' order (echo)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
It's the peckin' order (echo)
@ericstyranka9594
One of the most underrated albums of the 90's. Cube was at his best.
@efrenzytv1716
This is the greatest album of all time from the layout to to storylines and lyrics
@justind3493
A YouTube music channels rated this as one of his worst smh
@Billy.DaGoat
This whole album was crazy... 13 year old me back when it first came out. Listening to this with my older brothers good memories....
@jaysrandomnesschannel
I was 24...yet here I am! I tell my kids all the time that they'll NEVER look up their music 20+ years from now.
@lucasgladdensr7782
@Jay's Randomness Channel ²⁰²² S
@matt-tasticaus9565
If only the balls back then were present now. America wouldn't be where it is
@MattQrillz
Rural Australia bangin this at 12yo, flippin the bird to the local IGA owner after dakkin a mars bar
@igormcjazz3902
I'm a 90s teen...I was bumping this whole album on my 2 12 inch subs with a 1200watt Amp. All in a Pontiac 6000Le that I inherent from my papere. Some of the best life memories at 41yrs old to this day.
@chiefgb4051
I love this album