Ice Cube can still rap

Perhaps Cube came to a realization that he is not an A-list hip-hop actor (unless there is another Barbershop or Friday sequel in the works), what with Terrence Howard doing something like 20 movies this year, Andre 3000 making serious inroads (where is Idlewild anyways?), and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges poised to be the next big crossover star.  Regardless of his motives, Ice Cube took a break from Hollywood in 2005 to record his new album Laugh Now, Cry Later, scheduled to hit the streets on 06.06.06. 

Check the promo track: Why We Thugs_IceCube_ScottStorch

I had the opportunity to hit up a listening session for the new album earlier tonight at the Canal Room in NYC.  Sadly, there were no blunts or strippers to be passed around (where's Lil Jon when you need him?). But there was a open bar, unlimited buffalo wings, and some signature West Coast kahkied-up Cube.

This was my first experience at an official album listening party for a bona fide platinum rapper, and what an experience it was.  I always thought that official functions like this were full of record exec suits and hip hop journalists taking copious notes, but its really just a place to check out girls and collect free sample issues of Ozone magazine.  Think a club atmosphere, just without a dress code and without people dancing.  Did I mention there were unlimited buffalo wings?  Also, white girls are still in style- there were two blonde "ring girls" that held up cards that listed the track number and producer of each joint.  Here's a tracklisting (yes, I took copious notes before the Henny & Coke hit me):

DEFINITION OF A WEST COAST G’ (Intro)

Sketch

WHY WE THUGS

Ice Cube

Scott Storch

SMOKE SOME WEED

Ice Cube

Budda

DIMES & NICKS (a call from Mike Epps)

CHILD SUPPORT

Ice Cube

Teak & Dee

2 DECADES AGO (insert)

Sketch

DOIN’ WHAT IT ‘POSE 2DO

Ice Cube

Emile

LAUGH NOW, CRY LATER

Ice Cube

Sean C

STOP SNITCHIN’
Ice Cube

Swiss Beats

GO TO CHURCH

Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Lil Jon

Lil Jon

THE NIGGA TRAPP

Ice Cube

DJ Greenlantern

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

GROWIN’ UP

Ice Cube

Laylaw & D-Mac

CLICK, CLACK – GET BACK!

Ice Cube

Emile

THE GAME LORD

Ice Cube

Teak & Dee

CHROME & PAINT

Ice Cube & WC

Budda

STEAL THE SHOW

Ice Cube

Scott Storch

YOU GOTTA LOTTA THAT

Ice Cube & Snoop Dogg

SPITTIN’ POLLASEEDS

Ice Cube, WC, Kokane

Laylaw & D-Mac

HOLLA @ CHA’ BOY

Ice Cube

Lil Jon

Notice that there are minimal guest appearances, save for Snoop, WC, Kokane (?), and Lil Jon's ad libs.  The Strorch tracks were typical but not forced, and Lil Jon opened his vault to take everyone back to 02/03, with some grimy 808 drums and whistles galore, perfect for the club (that is, if you liked 02/03).  The rest of the album was straight West Coast mid-90s rider music, the kind of beats that Cube sounds the most comfortable screaming spitting over.

Lyrically, there were a few eyebrow-raising rhymes, but the only memorable hook was from Chrome & Paint, which has already garnered a decent amount of spins on LA radio stations. A few tracks included verses that bordered on underground conscious, like Cube really wanted to make a statement on the state of the ghetto; He even took a couple of jabs at president Bush, labeling him as a "fellow weed smoker" on Smoke Some Weed.  But whatever credibility Cube had on the Common/Talib side of the game were quickly squashed by hooks like "... want child support? Pull it out your ass!," on the track Child Support.  Oh, and like everyone else, he wants people to Stop Snitchin.

A few songs should make it on regular radio, and maybe even West Coast-averse NY stations.  Even though I'm rooting for the Northern Cali hyphy movement to represent in 2006, its good to hear Cube doing what he does best, spitting hard and coming correct. 

Comments

[rocwell]

To me Cube has always been top 5, in spite of his 90's music missteps/lack of focus. So here's hoping he doesn't disappoint with this new stuff.

[anticip8]

Hey rocwell...what half of the 90s are you talking about? I hope you were referencing the late 90s 'cause Cube had it on smash from 90-94

[OMANXL1]

Always liked Cube; That Death Certificate joint was classic material!! Ice Cube was known for being gangsta, but he was also mad political!!!!!!!

[DORRIAN]

PEOPLE NEED TO START FOCUSING ON THE BUSINESS ASPECT OF HIP-HOP WORLD. THE VICE PRESIDENTS, THE CONCERT PROMOTERS, THE RADIO STATION OWNERS ect.... THESE ARE THE OVERLOOKED POSITIONS IN THE INDUSTRY THAT MANY ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS FORGET ABOUT WHEN DREAMING ABOUT MAKING IT BIG OR ACHEIVING SOMETHING RELEVENT IN THIS LIFE. IT'S UNFORTUNATE BUT MANY OF THE MORE EMPOWERING POSITIONS IN THE BUSINESS ARE NOT SOUGHT AFTER BY THE YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE HIP-HOP CULTURE. IN REGARDS TO TAKING BACK THE CULTURE ONE MUST REALIZE THAT IT HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH THE BOARD ROOMS NOT THE SHOW ROOMS! THE BEAUTY ABOUT MOST OF THESE POSITIONS IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO RAP OR HAVE ANY MUSICAL TALENT TO OBTAIN THEM. GO TO WWW.MARIONSMUSIC.BLOGSPOT.COM
TO FIND OUT WHERE TO LOOK TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THESE POSITIONS. THIS SITE IS ALSO GOOD FOR HELPING ASPIRING ARTIST GET THERE CAREERS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS. GET TIPS ON WHY YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN RECORD DEAL AND MUCH MORE CHECK IT OUT AT WWW.MARIONSMUSIC.BLOGSPOT.COM

[volt the abstract]

Dave Morris of TORO Magazine writes "Expect a comeback full of trunk-rattling beats, on par with his N.W.A. classics." for Ice Cubes new album Laugh Now, Cry Later. Also find out what music to download or not to download in TORO's 2006 summer issue.

www.toromagazine.ca

Dave Morris is a musical genius

[FREDDY G]

WHAT I THINK OF ICE CUBE IS PURE ORIGINALITY YOU KNOW THE BEST THER IS.THERES NEW MUSIC RISING LIKE THE SOUTH WITH THEYR SNAP MUSIC YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK THAT SHIT IS WEAK . WITH ICE CUBE BACK ON THE RAP GAME AINT NOBODY GUNNA FUK WITH THE WEST.THE WESTCOAST DON BIG FISH IN A SMALL POND. THE KING OF GANGSTA RAP "ICE CUBE"

[JENNIFER MEJIA]

I THINK ICE CUBE COULD STILL RAP BECAUSE HE IS A WESTCOAST G AND KNOWS HOW TO MAKE HIT RECORDS LIKE MACK 10"IN CALIFORNIA" AND THE FIRST SONG HE EVER WROTE "BOYZ N THE HOOD""SMOKE SOME WEED" AND "HOW TO SURVIVE IN SOUTH CENTRAL. ICE CUBE KEEP DOING YOUR THANG WESTSIIIIDE!!!

[nicole]

Definitely Ice Cube could still rap men!!!!... Check out Ice Cube’s song lyrics at www.mylyricscentral.com.

[Cheryl]

HEY EVERYONE!! CHECK OUT UPCOMING WEST COAST RAPPER NIPSEY HUSSLE!!!

GO TO THE FOLLOWING SITE TO HEAR HIS TRACK "ROLL THE WINDOWS UP"

http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=p6xEnjyYTWz8SXmOCZvBWGekelBmHS_F&UserName=Unknown

OR VISIT HIS WEBSITE:
www.nipseyhussle.com