Ice Cube moved to New York for the making of this record and recorded his raps over typically explosive Bomb Squad beats. The dense layers of heavy drums, squealing synth, frantic horns and screeching guitars. Although the layering is not as dense as it is on ''It Takes a Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back'' the low end is definitely heavier, making the deep crashing sounds of percussion similar to those of ''Straight Outta Compton''.
''*** All a Y'all'' are Cube's last words in the skit which dramatises his imagined execution. Very apt, as this record takes aim at everyone. Ice Cube doesn't seem to enjoy much in the world except rapping, finding out he’s not the father of a baby and having his dick sucked. These are the only things Ice Cube claims to enjoy on this record.
As soon as the switch is pulled on Ice Cube on death row, the funky yet heavy beat of ''The Nigga Ya Love To Hate''. Proudly proclaiming that he doesn't care that there are so many Cube haters, but is still even angrier at the way he is treated. This is definitely the best track of the whole record, with its fantastic sing-a-long chorus of ''*** You Ice Cube!!'' in this song Ice Cube tells us how much he hates the country, the police, the media and
MC Hammer.
First single from the record ''Amerikkka's Most Wanted'' follows the same theme of the last track, but has a funkier beat, more samples and less swearing. This track is also written as a brag, but with the twist of his growing paranoia of the police hunting him down. He makes it clear that they never caught him before, but they are out in force since he started to rob from white people. This is the first taste of the new afro centric Ice Cube ending with ''Any mother ***er with a colour is most wanted.''
The record drives forward with heavy fast beats until ''You Can't Fade Me'' which is a narrative of returning to see an old friend who turns out to be pregnant with Ice Cube's baby. Hilariously his first thought it to ''Kick the bitch in the tummy'' he becomes increasingly worried about his rep and child support money. Never becoming worried about the Ho'. This is a shameful attitude, and doesn't make Ice Cube very likable but the narrative is not one of Ice Cube's own experiences, much like most of the gangsta rap previous to this record. The baby turns out not to be his, but his next door neighbour.
The record brings back the Ice Cube of old with some good old gangsta rap for ''Once Upon a Time in the Projects''. A tale about a night of fun filled felony with a gangsta girl. The beat is a slow one built up around a funk guitar loop. In the song Cube meets her gangbanging brother, her pot smoking mum and her pregnant thirteen year old sister. On their ‘’date’’ Ice Cube unknowingly visits a crack house which is busted by the police, who attack Cube because his T-Shirt said he was dope, they assume he is the dealer. Cube gives out the important message never to go out with a crack smoking gun toting girl with a pregnant sister. Thanks, where would I be without you Cube…
Ice Cube collaborates with Chuck D on the track ‘’Endangered Species’’ which is about the increasing murders of young black men. This is the same theme of the film Boyz-N-The Hood that starred Ice Cube as Doughboy a character closer to the persona of Ice Cube’s raps. This rap is about the dangers and idiocy of black on black crime, which benefits the racist system. Not an obvious choice for the records single, as it is not very catchy, but was probably more to get the interest of Public Enemy fans.
The next collaboration is with Public Enemy member Flavor Flav, for the fun sexually charged ''I'm only out for one thing'' Flavor Flav's humour and Ice Cube's usual misogyny makes the two a great couple for this hilarious ode to blowjobs, lap dances and sex.
Ice Cube tries to make up for the misogyny on the record with this track. Bringing in the help of
Yo-Yo one of the most credible woman rappers (Voice of Kendl Johnson in the video game GTA: San Andreas). This track is a battle rap between the two. Ice Cube dissing her for being a woman, while Yo-Yo disses him for being a man, the way he treats women. With heavy sampling of
James Brown's ''This is a Man's World'' making it for a bouncy danceable battle rap.
This record makes for a great example of East meets West in hip hop, recorded before the Death Row vs. Bad Boy feud. Although Ice Cube would go on to record better records than this one, none of them are quite like ‘Amerikka’s Most Wanted’ which is a great and vicious start to a great solo career.
