OK! This is my first review and I absolutely have no idea how to write an album review, but I felt like I really need to give it a try, and because I’m listening to This Ice Cube’s Album, I decided for this, to be my first. Even though there are lots of other Bands (Beatles, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana) and Artists (Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton) and even Rappers (2Pac, Eminem, Nas) Who I personally prefer to Ice Cube. Anywayz Enough about me, let’s do this...
After 6 years of not putting out any album and doing nothing but Family and Comedy movies, everybody lost their hope on Ice Cube’s Rapping Career when he put out “Laugh Now, Cry Later”. An album with not so much thinking about Lyrics, but mostly about using the Modern beats and changing his style a little. The Album was one of my Favourite albums by him and maybe my 2nd Fav right next to The Predator. After that album I was hooked again and waiting for his new album and just wishing he’s not going to wait 6 more years to drop a new album. Finally The first single released from the album, "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It", was released January 3, 2008. After listening to the first verse I was so happy because it was a real serious song with a great message and an amazing beat which I didn’t really expect to hear from a single. Most of the time I don’t like singles on the albums and I like songs that are underrated. Anywayz the album was finally released on August 19, 2008. I’m going to do a track-by-track review because I really enjoy reading them more. I don’t know why so many people hate that kind of review. IMO it gives a good info about each song and helps you decide which songs to keep on your Ipod.
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1- "What Is a Pyroclastic Flow?" : Definition of WHAT flow?! Wtf is Pyroclastic?! Can someone help me. I don’t get it. But hey if there is one rapper who can use any word he wants in his songs and get away with it. But this intro is definitely useless in my opinion. 2/10
2- "I Got My Locs On" : I definitely appreciate it if Old skool rappers don’t rap with Garbage new artists.. Because when a hip-hop legend is trying to flow like his new jack co-star. It's awkward and depressing. This song is a really slow and disappointing song for me which made me think maybe this album is not what I think it’s going to be, and the first single was the only good song.4/10
3- "It Takes a Nation" : after a really bad opener, this song comes in with a hard beat and great lyrics which made me think this should have been the real opener. delivery so good you might think it's 1991 all over again:
"I got King Kong in my trunk, King Kong in my doors
My nuts play ping-pong from the noise
You can hear me from a block away
I'm sittin next to yo' ass and can't hear, what you got to say
My sh*t is loud, my ears is ringin
My paint job is wet, my chrome is gleamin
I feel like a vet ballin on these rookies
An old school bully, you must have played hooky
I bring it like a bookie my aggression is depressin
Don't give a mother**ker time to learn his lesson!
A LUNATIC! Y'all know what I represent
The only rapper who wanna fistfight the President!"
What more can I say about this song? 8/10
4- "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It": The single which I talked about before. A Piano based beat hard as a rock with Ice Cube spitting his best lyrics on it. Great message is in those lyrics which is so many people blame everything on not only Gangsta Rap, but Music overall. Just like people blamed Marilyn Manson for Columbine High School massacre. Parents who are so angry about what their kids have done blame everything and everybody for it and can’t understand it’s all their fault and the fact is they’re not parents. At the end of this song ice cube goes on and gives a message to all fake rappers and Oprah:
“Oh yeah and anotha thing for all ya niggas that don't do gangsta rap
Don't get on tv talkin' about gangsta rap
Cause 9 times at of 10 you don't know the f**k you 're talkin' about
Talk about that bullsh*t rap you do
And stay the f**k out of mines”
Enough Said 10/10
5- "Hood Mentality" : Another song starting with Keith David talking about the so called “Hood Mentality” and The the Teak Da Beatsmith beat is a set-up for Ice Cube to start talking about negative urban environment stereotypes. I enjoyed this song , but it’s not not more than an Avarage song. 6.5/10
6- "Why Me?" is another classic song from this album. Ice Cube goes on and talks about so called Gangsters shooting each other down. And sometimes shooting innocent people down, which might even be part of their family without them knowing it. Basically he’s telling everybody that killing doesn’t make you a gangster. A great song with great message beat. 9/10
7- "Cold Places"presents an apocalyptic view where even funerals can be sponsored by corporations, yet Cube still urges listeners to survive by keeping their heads up and staying aware. Ok beat and ok lyrics makes me give this song 6/10
8- "Jack N the Box": ANOTHER song with Keith David giving intro. This is a song which Ice Cube just goes on talking about how much money he has and how much famous he is. Which I hate. The new hip-hop is all about money and fame. No message = garbage. Still I like the beat and Delivery he gives. So im gonna give this song 5/10
9- "Do Ya Thang": Second single and the “Party” Song of the album. I really like the beat of this song and the flow is ok. Again not a great msg. He’s simply telling everybody to get their money and don’t care about what anybody else think or say.. 6.5/10
10- "Thank God": The 3 second of the song I thought Keith David is coming again I was getting mad actually. Then I realized It’s the Ice Cube himself comin and talking about what he Rapped in “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do it”. And a good beat which he delivers some good Lyrics on and he tells everybody "Stop looking for the best rapper, God damn it, here he is!", hmmm ok?! 7/10
11- "Here He Come": A slow, BORING beat makes it impossible for me to even pay attention to the lyrics. One of the worst on the album.2/10
12- "Get Money, Spend Money, No Money": as the title suggests, he’s talking about his money. And telling other people he doesn’t really give a F**k if they lost all their money. Not a bad beat and ok delivery but not a highlight in the album 5/10
13- "Get Use to It": A song featured his old friend and group mate WC and the 2000s Ice Cube : The Game. I really don’t like this beat. And I didn’t hear any lyrics that catch my attention. It’s basically telling people to get use to them. Again just a filler. 4/10
14- “Tomorrow”: in this one Ice Cube takes downloaders to task for jacking more than just beats. And telling them to buy his album basically and not download it. Ok beat full of Baby Dubb's some of the dirtiest funky horns. Ok lyrics. 6/10
15- "Stand Tall": My second Favourite song on this album right after “Gangsta Rap Made me Do it”, This song has a real good message. First starting with telling people he aint like other fake rappers by :
“Stand tall, live your life to the limit
Cause haterism seem like a ***ing epidemic
And look at Ice Cube, I ain't no gimmick
I'm straight from the hood, I got to represent it”
And on the second verse telling people not to expect him only talking about how much money he got and talking about Dope.
“Here comes another rapper with a song about hope
All you wanna hear is a song about dope
And how a nigga got mo' money than the Pope
But he'll never tell you when he drop the soap
Nope! Ice Cube is here to drop you a note
Cause some of our folk used to hang from ropes
And some of our people used to hang from trees
Now the only thing hangin muh'f**ker is DEEZ”
And on the rest of the song he goes on telling all his black brothers and sisters to be thankful for what they got and don’t let how and where they were born control their destiny. Great song with soulful beat and great flow. 10/10
16- "Take Me Away" the closer of the album with a ok beat and some good lyrics. Not so good to be a high light and not so bad to be a Con. An average good closer. 7/10
This was done in 1 hour and half. I know some people put lots of time on their reviews. Tell me easily how awful or good this review is and tell me what I can change about it. Remember this is my first review. So don’t be so hard. Thanks
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