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.
When I Get To Heaven
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But are you talkin' to me
I can't hear you with a mouth full of pig's feet
If I should need the swine flesh
Your body is a mess, but you're blessed
With a father, son, spirit and the holy ghost
But my whole neigborhood is comatose
Lookin' for survival
400 years gettin' our ass kicked
By so-called christians and catholics
But I watch 'em burn in a fire
See I'm a g, that's why I ain't in your choir
'Cause I see, cause I know
The church ain't nothin' but a fashion show
Get the devil to a 187
And they won't call me a nigga when I get to heaven
You're waitin' for the devil to come from the ground
Clown, take a look around
Just look at the cross that the priest is holdin'
A beast in sheep's clothing
But I'm rollin' with that knowledge of self
'Cause heaven ain't just wealth
So mister preacher, if I couldn't pay my tithe
Do I have to wait outside?
White man, please take another look
'Cause we couldn't be readin' out of the same book
'Cause youse a crook and I'm a brother
King James had sex with his mother
Is that your edition? Is that your religion?
Black man, you gotta make a desicion
'Cause God is comin' on day number seven
And he won't call me a nigga when I get to heaven
The same white man that threw me in the slammer
He bombed the church in Alabama
So if I cock the hammer, God won't mind
If I have to kill the human swine
'Cause God is a killer from the start
Why you think Noah had to build his ark
And God is a man from his feet to his hair
That's why you say 'amen' after each and every prayer
I just stare at the church man
Spendin' more money on the church band
But Elijah's got a plan
Got the white man screamin' 'Damn that Farrakhan!'
'Cause one day these babies are uprise
Much more than bowties and bean pies
Kickin' knowledge at 7-11
And they won't call me a nigga when I get to heaven
In Ice Cube's song When I Get to Heaven, he addresses his frustrations with organized religion, particularly Christianity. He begins by acknowledging that he cannot hear the preacher because he is too preoccupied with eating pig's feet. He then goes on to highlight the historical atrocities that have been committed against black people in the name of religion. Cube believes that churches are only concerned with putting on a show and looking good to their congregation. He fiercely rejects the idea that black people must conform to the expectations of white Christians to secure their place in heaven. Instead, he posits that heaven is attainable through knowledge of self, positive action, and resistance against oppression.
Cube suggests that black people must prioritize their own advancement over the whims of the church, which he associates with white supremacist institutions. He indicates that God is not concerned with race, but rather with one's actions and intentions. Thus, he believes that he will be welcomed into heaven despite the societal labels placed upon him in life. By the end of the song, Cube has positioned himself and his peers as agents of social change, capable of making a significant impact in their communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to the preacherman
Pay attention to what the preacher has to say
But are you talkin' to me
Are you directing your message towards me?
I can't hear you with a mouth full of pig's feet
I am preoccupied with something else and cannot receive your message
If I should need the swine flesh
If I find myself in a position where I desire pork
Your body is a mess, but you're blessed
Your physical appearance may not look great, but you are still fortunate
With a father, son, spirit and the holy ghost
With the Holy Trinity
But my whole neigborhood is comatose
The people in my community are inactive or unaware
Lookin' for survival
Struggling to survive
The devil made you a slave and he gave you a bible
The devil oppressed and enslaved you, yet the oppressors also introduced you to religion
400 years gettin' our ass kicked
The Black community has been oppressed and discriminated against for 400 years
By so-called christians and catholics
By people who claim to be followers of Christianity and Catholicism
But I watch 'em burn in a fire
I observe the people who caused harm to the Black community receiving their due punishment
See I'm a g, that's why I ain't in your choir
I am authentic and true to myself, which is why I do not conform to your religious practices
'Cause I see, cause I know
Because I observe and understand what is truly occurring
The church ain't nothin' but a fashion show
The church only cares about appearances and putting on a show
Get the devil to a 187
Kill the devil
And they won't call me a nigga when I get to heaven
If I am able to enter heaven, I will not be subjected to racial slurs
You're waitin' for the devil to come from the ground
You are expecting the devil to emerge from below
Clown, take a look around
Wake up and pay attention to what is happening around you
Just look at the cross that the priest is holdin'
Observe the symbol of Christianity held by the priest
A beast in sheep's clothing
The priest appears kind and gentle, but is actually cruel and malevolent
But I'm rollin' with that knowledge of self
I am choosing to focus on self-awareness and understanding
'Cause heaven ain't just wealth
Heaven is not merely a place of riches and material gain
So mister preacher, if I couldn't pay my tithe
If I am unable to make a financial contribution to the church
Do I have to wait outside?
Am I still allowed to enter the church and worship?
White man, please take another look
White people need to acknowledge and address the issues faced by the Black community
'Cause we couldn't be readin' out of the same book
We do not share the same experiences or perspectives
'Cause youse a crook and I'm a brother
You are dishonest, while I am genuine and trustworthy
King James had sex with his mother
The Bible was written by flawed humans, including King James who committed incest
Is that your edition? Is that your religion?
Do you truly believe and follow the Bible, despite its controversial origins?
Black man, you gotta make a desicion
Black people need to make a conscious decision about their beliefs and values
'Cause God is comin' on day number seven
God's judgment day is approaching
And he won't call me a nigga when I get to heaven
If I am able to enter heaven, I will not be subjected to racial slurs
The same white man that threw me in the slammer
The white man who sent me to prison
He bombed the church in Alabama
He committed a violent hate crime against the Black community
So if I cock the hammer, God won't mind
If I have to use violence against my oppressors, God will understand
If I have to kill the human swine
If I must murder those who have harmed me and my community
'Cause God is a killer from the start
God has the power to take life, as evidenced by the story of Noah's Ark
Why you think Noah had to build his ark
To save humans and animals from God's destructive flooding
And God is a man from his feet to his hair
God is depicted as male with human-like physical features
That's why you say 'amen' after each and every prayer
That is why the word 'amen' is used to signify agreement and affirmation
I just stare at the church man
I scrutinize and observe the preacher
Spendin' more money on the church band
Investing more money in musical performances than in helping the community
But Elijah's got a plan
The Nation of Islam's leader, Elijah Muhammad, has a plan for uplifting the Black community
Got the white man screamin' 'Damn that Farrakhan!'
Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, inspires fear and opposition in white people
'Cause one day these babies are uprise
The young generation will rebel and fight back against oppression
Much more than bowties and bean pies
The Nation of Islam is more than just a fashion statement and culinary preference
Kickin' knowledge at 7-11
Sharing valuable information and insight, even at the local convenience store
And they won't call me a nigga when I get to heaven
If I am able to enter heaven, I will not be subjected to racial slurs
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN GALLOW, MARVIN GAYE, MARVIN P GAYE, O'SHEA JACKSON, JAMES NYX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Verso 1] Escuche al predicador ¿Pero me estás hablando? No puedo aquí con la boca llena de patas de cerdo No deberías comer carne de cerdo Tu cuerpo es un desastre, pero bendito Con el Padre, el Hijo, el Espíritu y el Espíritu Santo Pero todo mi barrio está en coma Buscando la supervivencia El diablo te hizo esclavo Y te dio una biblia Cuatrocientos años de conseguir que nos pateen el trasero Por los llamados cristianos y católicos Pero voy a verlos arder en el fuego Mira, soy G, por eso no estoy en tu coro Porque veo, porque yo se La iglesia no es nada más que un desfile de modas Haz que el diablo haga un ochenta y siete [Gancho] Y no me llamarán nigga Cuando llegue al cielo [Verso 2] Estás esperando que el diablo venga del suelo Payaso, mira a tu alrededor Solo mira la cruz que sostiene el sacerdote Una bestia, con ropa de oveja Pero estoy rodando Con ese conocimiento de uno mismo Porque el cielo no es solo riqueza Así que señor predicador Si no pudiera pagar mi diezmo ¿Tengo que esperar afuera? Hombre blanco, por favor echa otro vistazo Porque no podríamos estar leyendo el mismo libro Porque tu eres un estafador y yo soy un hermano King James tuvo relaciones sexuales con su madre ¿Esa es tu edición? ¿Esa es tu religión? Hombres negros, tienes que tomar una decisión Porque Dios viene el día número siete [Gancho] [Verso 3] El mismo hombre blanco que me tiró al slamma Bombardeó una iglesia en Alabama Así que si amartillé el martillo a Dios no le importará Si tengo que matar al cerdo humano Porque Dios es un asesino desde el principio ¿Por qué crees que Noah tuvo que construir su arco? Y Dios es un hombre desde los pies hasta los cabellos Por eso dices "amén" después de todas y cada una de las oraciones. Solo miro al hombre de la iglesia Gastando más dinero en la camioneta de la iglesia Pero Elijah tiene un plan Tengo al hombre blanco gritando, "Maldita sea, ese Farrakhan" Porque un día estos bebés se levantarán Mucho más que pajaritas y pasteles de frijoles Pateando el conocimiento en el Seven-Eleven
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YAK G
Burn, Hollywood, Burn
O'Shea has made songs bashing Koreans, whites, Christians, and Jewish people as well as his own people. To this day he has never apologized and even continues to spread his hostility. Ice Cube is a hateful man to whom many people still continue to look as some example of black power.
However, it would be a stretch to believe that Ice Cube's prejudiced rhetoric stems from a philosophy of black power. His very presence in Hollywood and in the music industry cries the exact opposite. The same Jewish people he has called out, the same white women he hates, and the same African Americans he has bashed are some of the very people who employ him, star with him, and write his scripts.
Ice Cube is not only a fake gangster, but he's also a fake revolutionary. Some like to cheer him on as he talks about "the man" in his music but fail to realize that not only is he a part of the system, but also to a large degree he is the system. Who is the top rapper in Hollywood if not Ice Cube? Ice has risen to the top of the music and film industries, which have not yet changed to embrace true equality. The only way he could succeed in them is if he compromised in order to fit in. If Ice was any threat to the status quo, he would be blacklisted and put on the shelf just as others have been in the past.
Even though he rarely puts his own views up for public scrutiny, he has no problem with ridiculing others. For example, anyone who thinks "We are all praying to the same God" should take note of how Cube has portrayed everyone who doesn't practice Islam. A prime example is Friday, a film written by Ice Cube that included a corrupt, adulterous, weed-smoking preacher played by Bernie Mac. Just imagine his outrage if an Islamic Imam were shown in such a light!
Radical Islam and the Nation of Islam
Ice Cube has promoted the Nation of Islam beginning in his 1991 album, Death Certificate.
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Please note that the Nation of Islam teaches that the white man is the devil; this separates it from most schools of Islam. When Ice Cube speaks about devils in his music or as he did in the video clip, he’s talking about whites. Even with all of his talk, he still went on to do a couple of commercials for St. Ides beer, part of a company with no African American leadership! I guess this is his idea of Black Power.
What’s amazing to me is that it’s common knowledge that African Americans don’t own the music or movie industry. He can’t have it both ways by hating and advocating separatism while at the same time working hand-in-hand with those he says are the oppressors. Although the clip below is some years old, Ice still continues to profess views in his music that are completely opposed to those he lives by.
But since Allah is apparently working with New Age minister Ice Cube, it’s important to see what he is ministering to the youth.
Message to the Youth
Since the early '90s, Cube has infused gangster rap stories with the teachings of the Nation of Islam in order to indoctrinate the youth. Some of their views have included anti-Semitic rhetoric, the belief that Wallace Fard Muhammad, the religion's founder, is the Savior, as well as some nutty UFO teachings.
This alone should tell the reader that Ice Cube's music is beyond something that could be brushed off as simple entertainment. Here is Khalid Muhammad's intro to the song "Cave B***h," to which we will go back to later in this article:
Give me a black goddess sister I can't resist her. No stringy-haired, blonde hair, blue-eyed, pale-skinned buttermilk complexion. Grafted, recessive, depressin', ironing board backside straight up and straight down. No frills, no thrills, Miss Six O'clock, subject to have the itch, mutanoid, caucazoid, white cave b***h...
Top 5 Ice Cube Disses
Here are the top five Ice Cube disses in no particular order.
1) Monster Kody Scott Disses Ice Cube
Former Eight Tray Gangster Crip Sanyika Shakur, aka Monster Kody Scott, spoke out about Ice Cube’s fake image harmfully leading people to think that being a gangster is an easy life.
2) Tupac Disses Ice Cube
The late Tupac Shakur dissed Ice Cube's fakeness shortly before Shakur's death.
3) Shorty Disses Ice Cube
Here, Shorty, one of the former members of Cube's Lench Mob crew, disses him in a song titled "Fake Azz Gangsta." Ice being a fake gangsta seems to be the reoccurring theme here. That and the fact that he falls out with so many people close to him, as you will see.
4) DJ Pooh and Kam Diss Ice Cube
Like Shorty, Kam and Pooh are also former Da Lench Mob members. Like everyone else, Kam speaks on Cube being a fake gangster. In it, you can hear Kam say that Ice Cube's wife wears the pants in the house. This is relevant because Ice Cube was once part of a rap group called Westside Connection, made up of him, WC, and Mack 10.
Since the group has gone separate ways, Mack 10 has said that the reason they broke up was due to an incident he had with Ice Cube's brother-in-law. From what Mack says, Ice Cube's wife played a major role in the group's breaking up due to Mack 10 and her brother having problems.
5) Common Disses Ice Cube
Even Common has called Ice Cube a hypocrite in his song "The B** in Yoo." The entire song breaks Cube down, calling in St Ides and Cube's Muslim posturing as examples of his fakeness.
In Conclusion
The fact of the matter is that Ice Cube’s time is up in music. This new generation doesn’t want to see older men wearing Dickies and Chuck Taylors and telling gangsta fairy tales. Neither do his past fans because they have all grown up and are trying to raise their children not to be like what Ice promotes in his lyrics.
Some of what he was saying in the past was true and relevant to a certain segment of the community. However, the overall message and image that he likes to portray are harmful. His role as the primary writer for N.W.A. almost single-handedly made terms such as b***hes and n!ggas popular and acceptable to the youth. He must be held accountable, and we can’t continue to view people who make money at our expense as “making it” any longer.
Just because in his films he, as a Black man, may be the writer or leading actor or he may bring onboard a black director doesn’t mean that the way we are portrayed or the overall system isn’t exploitive. His music has steadily gone downhill, and it’s time for him to apologize to the past generation and retire. Stop buying his music, stop going to his shows, and stop supporting his movies. It’s over for this guy!
Harry furball
this album is so good, idk why people dont like it that much. very deep and atmospheric, the produciton from QD3 is so fucking good.
Cobo10
Oh yeah. My favorite cube album. Super underrated
JoJoWorld
best cube album
Robert Tanner
I loved it
Reuben Singh
I know
Johannes
I remember when I saw this album in the store as a teenager and spend my last money for it. Then listening First time at home was a celebration. The mood of the music felt so great, never heard something like this before.
JoJoWorld
that’s wassup bro, wishing you long life
Kadeem Theking
Song gives me chills every time I hear it
T Smyff
I was in my teens the last time I sat and listened to this song and I can honestly say it blew my mind open ....next stop were the books message to the black man, and then behold a pale horse
,i stayed woke
From that point on !
Cube has paid so much dues so early on
I could never be mad at him for getting to the money now!
Enas AGU
I was on the same tip today. I felt i havent heard this whole album from start to finish in years. Since i was about 13. Today i remembered why i liked it so much. Tho whole album is 🔥 but this cut is 100