Welcome to the new and improved Essential Album of the Week discussion thread!
Every Wednesday we will discuss an album from our Essential Albums list
Last Week: Too $hort - Shorty the Pimp
This Week: Ice Cube - The Predator
Stream/Purchase
Songs/Singles
Background/Description (courtesy of allmusic.com)
Released in the aftermath of the 1991 L.A. riots, The Predator radiates tension. Ice Cube infuses nearly every song, and certainly every interlude, with the hostile mood of the era. Even the album's most laid-back moment, "It Was a Good Day," emits a quiet sense of violent anxiety. Granted, Ice Cube's previous albums had been far from gentle, but they were filled with a different kind of rage. On both AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) and Death Certificate (1991), he took aim at society in general: women, whites, Koreans, even his former group members in N.W.A. Here, Ice Cube is more focused. He found a relevant episode to magnify with the riots, and he doesn't hold back, beginning with the absolutely crushing "When Will They Shoot?" The song's wall of stomping sound sets the dire tone of The Predator and is immediately followed by "I'm Scared," one of the many disturbing interludes comprised of news commentary related to the riots. It's only during the aforementioned "It Was a Good Day" that Ice Cube somewhat alleviates this album's smothering tension. It's a truly beautiful moment, a career highlight for sure. However, the next song, "We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up," eclipses the relief with yet more calamity. By the time you get to the album-concluding "Say Hi to the Bad Guy" and its mockery of policeman, hopelessness prevails. The Predator is a grim album, for sure, more so than anything Ice
... keep reading on reddit ➡
So I've been thinking about this all day at school and always felt if Ice Cube died after The Predator, he would've been put on a pedestal like Pac and Big and maybe even higher and more beloved than them or at least top 3 with them.
People forget that in 88-93, Cube was the biggest rapper on the planet and arguably the best rapper of all time. He released 3 classic albums, starred in Boyz N The Hood, released the greatest diss track, his contributions to NWA, plus all of the collaborations he did. If he died in his prime, he would've definitely been up there with Pac and Biggie.
Agree or disagree?
There are a few versions of this LP but release I’m looking for is the 2003 Reissue, Remastered US release of Ice Cube - The Predator; hopefully in at least VG+ condition all around.
This was one of my favorite albums growing up and as my best friend’s. He’s coming back home after a long 5 years of being overseas and I’d love to surprise him with it upon his return.
Thanks in advance!
It's a really great album, would love to have it on RHH. What's the origin of this meme?
Augusta, GA, Will use USPS Media Mail for shipping I believe it's around 3 bucks. $60 US, Price Negotiable. Currently going for $105 at it's lowest on Discog.
I have the 2003 US Remastered Reissue 2 x LP. Maybe played 1-2 times at most. Excellent Condition.
Hit me up if you are interested and we can work something out.
SOLD
- Amerikkka’s Most Wanted
- Death Certificate
- The Predator
- Lethal Injection
- Raw Footage
- Everythang’s Corrupt
- War and Peace Vol 2
- Laugh Now, Cry Later
- War and Peace Vol 1
- I am the West
Welcome to the new and improved Essential Album of the Week discussion thread!
Every Wednesday we will discuss an album from our Essential Albums list
Last Week: Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped
This Week: Ice Cube - Death Certificate
Stream/Purchase
Songs/Singles
Background/Description (courtesy of allmusic.com)
If Ice Cube's debut was a shocking attack that proved the N.W.A legacy would be stronger divided, his sophomore effort was a new kind of superstar pulling off the miraculous, a follow-up that equals its classic predecessor and tops it in some people's books. With a million copies of Death Certificate preordered, Cube was no longer the rock critics' darling. A million people listening was dangerous, especially since he was now slithering his influence into the suburbs. If the black rage didn't get you, the misogyny of "I'm gonna do my thing, with your daughter" probably would. Here, one of rap's greatest storytellers is able to draw hatred in under a minute with the short and direct "Black Korea," an angry protest song concerning Korean grocers that got him dubbed "racist" and "Ice KKKube" by some. The track is an extreme representation of how a much sharper and cutting this album is when compared with his debut, and even though the intro announces the full-length is divided into a "Death Side" and "Life Side," both are equally bleak. With the CD format, the two sides are indistinguishable and run over the listener with fast tales of drug dealing, drive-by shootings, and women who go from "Ms. Thing to Ms. Gonorrhea." This would be numbing if it weren't for the rapper's amazing lyrics, ground-shaking delivery, and insight like when "A Bird in the Hand" deals with the irony of selling crap
... keep reading on reddit ➡So I've been thinking about this all day at school and always felt if Ice Cube died after The Predator, he would've been put on a pedestal like Pac and Big and maybe even higher and more beloved than them or at least top 3 with them.
People forget that in 88-93, Cube was the biggest rapper on the planet and arguably the best rapper of all time. He released 3 classic albums, starred in Boyz N The Hood, released the greatest diss track, his contributions to NWA, plus all of the collaborations he did. If he died in his prime, he would've definitely been up there with Pac and Biggie.
Agree or disagree?
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