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.
Too West Coast
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My ego, is big as Heathrow
Yup this a lethal, easy as a free throw
Yes this negro, is rather lethal
You about as lethal, as a mojito
Be my amigo, eat my burrito
You a fuckin' seagull, up in Francisco
I'm up in a Regal, still in my pea coat
This is less than zero, don't be a hero
Nigga I'm a pharaoh, with double barrels
Goose bumps, hair rose, when I shoot these arrows
at your Camaro, pullin down Melrose
Still down with Elkos{?} 'til the fuckin' cell close
Nigga don't test me, you're gonna fail those
They should arrest me, blow like Dizzy Gillespie
I don't aim where yo' vest be (bang)
[W.C.]
I'm too hot, to stop, walkin' up with two Glocks
Way more than two shots, that'll make your roof drop
House shoes, blue top, money like I move rocks
Dissin' will get you socked, and yo' bitch move wop
Whole crew popped, by this old school new shot
G niggaz still keep my weed in a shoebox
Dippin' rollin' through blocks, dippin' while the crew pops
Eatin' chicken dinners in my cutoffs and tube socks
Play my shit a lot of deejays they do not
Cause me and bitch niggaz don't mix like two cocks
Who knocks with them pocket rockets that'll shoot dots
Have your skull on the news lookin' like goulash
When they ask who the top don't mention us as foolish
Eat yo' ass up like a pack of barracudas
Put the barrel to ya, like we never knew ya
Send the metal through ya, Da Lench Mob shooters
[Maylay]
I know vatos and they get popped most
Niggaz that flip mo' chicken than Bosco's
Squattin' down the block low, hop in that hot fo'
And I can spot Poles when they not in cop clothes
Squabble with the combos, Maylay got those
Crates or case, boxloads like they came from Costco's
They be poppin' bottles, we knockin hollows
Promise by tomorrow I can have the spot closed
Talkin' pronto, somethin' like a lotto
Chips and cheese fuck meat, nigga these nachos
Speakin' on guap' though, cause that's a combo
Keep my green on the side like it was cilantro
Comin' with the honchos, that's in a stock Rolls
And everythang up out they mouth is like the gospel
It won't stop flow oh I'm not though
Lench Mob, big swanger, don't bang is the motto
[Chorus 4X: all]
Motherfuckers tell me, I'm too West coast
They act like they scared of me, I'm too West coast
The Grand Wizard
Ice Cube
[laughing]
(I am the West, Cube!)
(Got another one)
(I be tellin' these niggaz and bitches on the bottom)
(They need to drink some of this Kool-Aid)
(Drink the Kool-Aid bitch!)
In "Too West Coast," Ice Cube and his collaborators, W.C. and Maylay, assert their dominance as West Coast rappers who should be taken seriously. The song features aggressive lyrics and a heavy beat that exemplify the West Coast rap style, and the roster of all-star rappers strengthen the message. Ice Cube, who is known for his sharp lyrics and innovative style, opens the track with boastful statements. He claims that his ego is as big as Heathrow, a common reference to London's Heathrow Airport being one of the world's most prominent transportation hubs. He emphasizes his lethality and suggests that others are no match for him.
W.C. follows Ice Cube's lead and asserts that he is "too hot to stop," implying both his toughness and his power. Maylay opens his verse by saying he knows "vatos," a term for Latinos, who are usually associated with the West Coast. He also boasts about his street smarts and wealth, alluding to his success in the drug trade. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm too West Coast" with swagger, embodying the overall message of the song.
The song is a declaration of the West Coast's hip-hop supremacy, and it is given credence by Ice Cube's reputation and the respect he commands in the rap game. Moreover, the song's controversial lyrics and provocative style contributed to West Coast rap's rebellious image.
Line by Line Meaning
My ego, is big as Heathrow
Ice Cube's ego is very large
Yup this a lethal, easy as a free throw
This is easy for Ice Cube, and he is deadly
Yes this negro, is rather lethal
Ice Cube is deadly
You about as lethal, as a mojito
The person he is addressing is not deadly at all
Be my amigo, eat my burrito
Ice Cube is inviting someone to be his friend, using a Latino slang term and suggesting they share a meal
You a fuckin' seagull, up in Francisco
Ice Cube is implying that the person he is addressing is like a seagull in San Francisco
I'm up in a Regal, still in my pea coat
Ice Cube is in a Buick Regal, still wearing his coat
Murder's what she wrote, this is mo' evil
The situation is very violent and dangerous
This is less than zero, don't be a hero
The situation is incredibly dangerous and that the person he is addressing should not try to be a hero and fight back
Nigga I'm a pharaoh, with double barrels
Ice Cube is powerful and dangerous, like a pharaoh with two guns
Goose bumps, hair rose, when I shoot these arrows
The people around are scared for their lives when Ice Cube shoots his guns
at your Camaro, pullin down Melrose
Ice Cube is shooting at someone's car and driving down Melrose Avenue in LA
Still down with Elkos{?} 'til the fuckin' cell close
He is loyal to Elkos until he is in jail
Nigga don't test me, you're gonna fail those
Don't provoke Ice Cube, as you will fail if you try to fight back
They should arrest me, blow like Dizzy Gillespie
He deserves to be arrested because he is dangerous and out of control. He also blows things up like the jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie played trumpet
I don't aim where yo' vest be (bang)
He is deadlier than that, aiming somewhere other than where someone might be strategically wearing a vest
I'm too hot, to stop, walkin' up with two Glocks
W.C. is too confident and prepared, walking with two guns
Way more than two shots, that'll make your roof drop
He has more bullets than he needs, and can shoot a lot more than just two
House shoes, blue top, money like I move rocks
WC is dressed very casually and comfortably, but he has a lot of money from dealing drugs
Dissin' will get you socked, and yo' bitch move wop
Disrespecting WC will get you physically attacked and your girlfriend will leave you
Whole crew popped, by this old school new shot
WC and his crew are very deadly and are using new, advanced weapons
G niggaz still keep my weed in a shoebox
His associates are holding his marijuana in an unconventional, discreet location
Dippin' rollin' through blocks, dippin' while the crew pops
They are smoothly driving through different neighborhoods, while his associates shoot people
Eatin' chicken dinners in my cutoffs and tube socks
After all the criminal activity, WC enjoys a casual meal wearing shorts and tube socks
Play my shit a lot of deejays they do not
A lot of DJs are not playing his music
Cause me and bitch niggaz don't mix like two cocks
He doesn't get along with people he deems weak or incompetent
Who knocks with them pocket rockets that'll shoot dots
The person knocking at his door should be wary, as he will shoot them
Have your skull on the news lookin' like goulash
If WC kills someone, they will end up in the news as a smashed up, bloody mess
When they ask who the top don't mention us as foolish
Don't dismiss WC and his associates as foolish or harmless
Eat yo' ass up like a pack of barracudas
He will destroy someone quickly and brutally, like a group of lunging barracudas
Put the barrel to ya, like we never knew ya
They will dispose of someone in a cold, decisive manner
Send the metal through ya, Da Lench Mob shooters
The shooters in WC's gang will kill someone with bullets
I know vatos and they get popped most
Maylay knows a lot of Latino criminals who frequently died violently
Niggaz that flip mo' chicken than Bosco's
Those criminals handle more drugs than the chocolate syrup Bosco's
Squattin' down the block low, hop in that hot fo'
Maylay and his associates drive unremarkable cars, like the Mid 70's Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
And I can spot Poles when they not in cop clothes
He can recognize Eastern European criminals when they are not disguised as police officers
Squabble with the combos, Maylay got those
Maylay and his associates are skilled in street fights
Crates or case, boxloads like they came from Costco's
Maylay has a lot of drugs and ammunition, and they're packaged in bulk
They be poppin' bottles, we knockin hollows
His rivals are celebrating with champagne while his associates pop bullets at them
Promise by tomorrow I can have the spot closed
He can take control of certain areas of drug dealing by the next day
Talkin' pronto, somethin' like a lotto
He is speaking quickly and decisively, much like buying a scratch off ticket
Chips and cheese fuck meat, nigga these nachos
He prefers vegetarian nachos over those with meat
Speakin' on guap' though, cause that's a combo
He is speaking about money, which is often linked with his drug business
Keep my green on the side like it was cilantro
Maylay keeps his marijuana on his side, like a condiment
Comin' with the honchos, that's in a stock Rolls
He and his associates ride in nice luxury cars
And everythang up out they mouth is like the gospel
They speak with authority, like they're religious leaders
It won't stop flow oh I'm not though
The flow of the drugs and money won't stop, but it's not Maylay doing it
Lench Mob, big swanger, don't bang is the motto
The Lench Mob, a music group, emphasizes driving nice cars without causing trouble
Motherfuckers tell me, I'm too West coast
People are accusing Ice Cube of being too violent and aggressive because of his California roots
They act like they scared of me, I'm too West coast
People respond to his personality like he's dangerous and potentially violent because of his roots in California
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER J. BELLARD, DE JON LAMONT UNDERDUE, O'SHEA JACKSON, TEAK ALGER UNDERDUE, WILLIAM L. CALHOUN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SouthCentralChannel
I'ts a shame that 80% of the people only know's Young Maylay from GTA : San Andreas
@shodkillings7963
Not really. Maylay doesn't go hard enough promoting his music.
@CaptainDasttie
And it still stupid that he buried the chance to get more promotion from Rockstar
@gamingpour
thats true
@chidieberenwadike4165
I'm glad he's moving on from Rockstar and focusing on his rapping career.
@dapoop5150
@@chidieberenwadike4165 moving on? Bruh GTA SA was 16 years ago
@ReaperJ117
Just straight up old school rawness. Makes drake and Wayne look like pop stars
@jacksondark8042
They're just trash. This is real shit
@brandijacobs7899
more like poop star's
@neverendinghustle
eat my burrito come on wtf, do you really get impressed by this rhymes. Cant deny that nigga Maylay lyrical as hell.