You Can Do It (Put Your B
O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, … Read Full Bio ↴O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the seminal rap group N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes). After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he began both a successful solo music career and an acting career which included roles in films such as Boyz n the Hood (1991), Friday (1995), for which he also co-wrote the screenplay, and Barbershop (2002). Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS series Are We There Yet?, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the main character.

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.

You Can Do It (Put Your B
Ice Cube Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Father]kkk
Now craig, its gonna be different living out here
don't let your uncle or your cousin
get you into any kinda shit now you hear me

[Ice Cube]
Pops, I'm grown now, cant no body get me in trouble no more
[Father]
Well I'm glad your saying that son,
and since your grown don't bring your black ass back home

[Ice Cube]
Yeah, yeah
Get your ass up and hurra
Uh, Ice Cube baby
Ninety-nine baby
I'm on the grind baby
All the time baby
Show me something

[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
Put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
Put your ass into it

[Ice Cube]
Tic-tic-boom
Hear me banging down these back streets
Bumpin' Blackstreet, fiending like an athlete
Life ain't a track meet (no)
It's a marathon
Fuck the cemetery that a nigga get buried on
We be clubbing till the day we die
Nigga ask the bartender if you think we lie
But if you think we high, nigga think again
Cause when it's sink or swim
You got to think to win
And if I drink this hen
Everybody will know it
Cause I ain't going for it
So pray to the Lord that I don't pull out
Cuss out and bust out
You can try to smoke an ounce to this
While I pronounce this shit
Baby bounce them tits
Mama move them hips
Baby shake them cheeks
I got dick for days
You got ass for weeks, yeah, yeah

[Ms. Toi] (Ice Cube)
Don't stop gettin' hitty
(That's real)
Don't stop nigga hit it
(I will)
[Ice Cube]
I'm gon' do it, (do it)gon' do it(do it)
Gon' do it, do it, do it

[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
Put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
Put your ass into it

[Ice Cube]
Now all I wanna do is have fun with my loved ones
The thug ones, relatives and my cousins
And I got 'em by the dozen
When they buzzin', quick to say fuck your husband
This is for my niggas locked away
Extra love for the ones who ain't got no date
But when we hit checkmate with Ice Cube the great
As soon as I get a word we can rush the safe
Fuck them license plates because life is great
It don't matter if you're rich and your folks ain't straight
I'm still coming with that underground gangsta shit
No matter how many niggas say we ain't the shit, bitch

[Ms. Toi] (Ice Cube)
Don't stop get it, get it
(That's real)
Don't stop nigga hit it
(I will)
[Ice Cube]
I'm gon' do it, gon' do it
Gon' do it, do it, do it

[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
Put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
Put your ass into it

[Mack 10]
I do hard core rhyming, hard time grinding
With will I pimp hoes
Other niggas wine and dine them
Gotta love this pup shit
Passing the mud shit
Pockets on flood shit
OG lyrical blood shit
I don't rent I buy shit
Niggas jealous of my shit
You unaware of this young nigga getting all the fly shit
While you're rooting and recruiting
Nigga 6-8 whooping
I was in the hood shooting cause I had the wife whooping
I come from padres gold in oversized jars
I past up strife and got star awards
No time for playa hating, Mack paper chasing
Came out the substation to the hip hop nation
The mo' hits the mo' bigga with illegal weight figga
Done develop the status of a platinum plus nigga
Bust the first asshole to show I can hit it
I keep pushing, don't quit it
Don't stop till I get it

[Ms. Toi] (Ice Cube)
Don't stop get it, get it
(That's real)
Don't stop nigga hit it
(I will)
[Ice Cube]
I'm gon' do it, gon' do it
Gon' do it, do it, do it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi] (Ice Cube)
Don't stop get it, get it
(That's real)
Don't stop nigga hit it
(I will)
[Ice Cube]
I'm gon' do it, gon' do it
Gon' do it, do it, do it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
[Ms. Toi]
You can do it put your back into it
[Ice Cube]
I can do it put your ass into it
Put your ass into it
We be clubbing
Freaky gyration is close to fornication
We be clubbing
Freaky gyration is close to fornication'
Yeah uh-huh, Ice Cube, Westside Connection
Know how we do?




We puttin' it down, constantly
Get your ass up and hurra

Overall Meaning

The song begins with a conversation between a father and a son, where the father advises his son not to get into any trouble and the son replies that he is grown now and no one can get him into any trouble anymore. The song then transitions to Ice Cube rapping about being on the grind and clubbing until the day he dies. Ms Toi then joins in and urges listeners to put their back and ass into it, essentially saying that with enough effort and hard work, anything is possible. Mack 10 chimes in with hard-hitting verses about his struggles and how he persevered through obstacles to reach his current status.


The song shows the struggle of African Americans and how hard they have to work to get ahead. Ice Cube’s lines “Fuck the cemetery that a nigga get buried on” and “No matter how many niggas say we ain’t the shit” points to the discrimination and difficulties that African Americans face in society. The song emphasizes the need to work hard, push through obstacles, and keep striving for success despite the oppression and obstacles in their way.


Line by Line Meaning

Now craig, its gonna be different living out here
Father warning son that his new place will be different.


don't let your uncle or your cousin get you into any kinda shit now you hear me
Father tells son not to get into any trouble with his relatives.


Pops, I'm grown now, cant no body get me in trouble no more
Son says that he's an adult now and nobody can get him into trouble.


Well I'm glad your saying that son, and since your grown don't bring your black ass back home Yeah, yeah
Father jokes with son and tells him not to come back home.


Get your ass up and hurra Uh, Ice Cube baby Ninety-nine baby I'm on the grind baby All the time baby Show me something
Ice Cube expresses his determination to keep grinding and asks for a challenge.


You can do it put your back into it I can do it put your ass into it Put your back into it Put your ass into it Tic-tic-boom
Ms. Toi encourages people to work hard and put in both physical and mental effort.


Hear me banging down these back streets Bumpin' Blackstreet, fiending like an athlete Life ain't a track meet (no) It's a marathon
Ice Cube describes his life as a marathon, not a sprint, and is always on the grind.


Fuck the cemetery that a nigga get buried on We be clubbing till the day we die Nigga ask the bartender if you think we lie
Ice Cube expresses his desire to keep partying and clubbing even after death.


But if you think we high, nigga think again Cause when it's sink or swim You got to think to win
Ice Cube warns people not to underestimate them and emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking.


And if I drink this hen Everybody will know it Cause I ain't going for it So pray to the Lord that I don't pull out Cuss out and bust out
Ice Cube talks about drinking and warns people not to provoke him.


You can try to smoke an ounce to this While I pronounce this shit Baby bounce them tits Mama move them hips Baby shake them cheeks I got dick for days You got ass for weeks, yeah, yeah
Ice Cube raps about partying and enjoying life with women.


Don't stop gettin' hitty (That's real) Don't stop nigga hit it (I will) I'm gon' do it, (do it)gon' do it(do it) Gon' do it, do it, do it
Ms. Toi urges people to keep going and reaching their goals.


Now all I wanna do is have fun with my loved ones The thug ones, relatives and my cousins And I got 'em by the dozen When they buzzin', quick to say fuck your husband
Ms. Toi raps about having fun with her family and friends and talks about rejecting men.


This is for my niggas locked away Extra love for the ones who ain't got no date But when we hit checkmate with Ice Cube the great As soon as I get a word we can rush the safe
Ms. Toi expresses love for her incarcerated and single friends and talks about making money.


Fuck them license plates because life is great It don't matter if you're rich and your folks ain't straight I'm still coming with that underground gangsta shit No matter how many niggas say we ain't the shit, bitch
Ms. Toi talks about not caring about fame or wealth and continues to make underground hip-hop.


I do hard core rhyming, hard time grinding With will I pimp hoes Other niggas wine and dine them Gotta love this pup shit Passing the mud shit Pockets on flood shit OG lyrical blood shit
Mack 10 raps about his life and his success with women, money, and music.


I don't rent I buy shit Niggas jealous of my shit You unaware of this young nigga getting all the fly shit While you're rooting and recruiting Nigga 6-8 whooping I was in the hood shooting cause I had the wife whooping
Mack 10 raps about his wealth and talks about his success with women and his past actions.


I come from padres gold in oversized jars I past up strife and got star awards No time for playa hating, Mack paper chasing Came out the substation to the hip hop nation
Mack 10 raps about his past struggles and his success with music.


The mo' hits the mo' bigga with illegal weight figga Done develop the status of a platinum plus nigga Bust the first asshole to show I can hit it I keep pushing, don't quit it Don't stop till I get it
Mack 10 talks about his musical success and determination to keep pushing forward.


Freaky gyration is close to fornication Freaky gyration is close to fornication' Yeah uh-huh, Ice Cube, Westside Connection Know how we do? We puttin' it down, constantly
Mack 10 and Ice Cube rap about sexual activity and brag about their success in making music.




Contributed by Bailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@tootrobinson2261

Who still listening wit me in 2024

@djpixi2151

😎✌️

@weesh10

Always

@zakzakzak510

Still from Algeria

@Tlazocamati365

Right here mama

@EIERDIEB79

Jo

40 More Replies...

@Promiseisme01

Who thinks this song is still fire 🔥

@dizziemisslizzie9884

👍👍👍👍👍
I still turn it up!

@brianjohnson4929

.....word.

@deatha1310

Bria Jones me

More Comments

More Versions