Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube's Finest Moment

Ice Cube didn't need to be in N.W.A. in order to be a classic MC. After he departed the group in 1989, he starts recording under his own name, in which he can express his ideas well without anything holding him back. After many listens to this album, I can easily say that this is the best thing that has ever been released by an N.W.A. affiliated member? Why do I say that?

First off, Ice Cube was one impressive lyricist. While he kept his gangsta rap roots that he got from N.W.A., he also adds a conscious twist to his lyrics not unlike Public Enemy and KRS-One/BDP. Cube addressed real-life situations in his songs, whether it would be police brutality based on the Rodney King incident("Endangered Species"), unplanned pregnancy and trying to get out of it ("You Can't Fade Me"), talking to the kids ("A Gangster's Fairytale") or even a battle of the sexes involving female rapper Yo-Yo in "It's a Man's World". Whatever situation Cube brought up, he always knew how to bring it up perfectly through his rhymes.

The Bomb Squad's production is ace. The samples used, featuring newscasts and other sayings based on Cube's lyrics, blend in a perfect sense. It's completely original and even stands the test of time with its style.

Along with this West Coast classic, we also have the "Kill at Will" EP included as well, being originally released in late 1990, not many months after this. The EP tracks feature a remix of "Endangered Species", in which Chuck D from Public Enemy raps a completely new verse, the multi-instrumental beats used with Cube's rapping in "Jackin' for Beats", and the single "Dead Homiez" that focuses on killings in urban society. "Kill at Will" has 4 newer tracks, 2 remixes of AMW tracks and a short interlude.

This is definitely the package to pick up if you want to hear Ice Cube at the top of his game. Even after over 15 years, it still sounds as refreshing as it was back then. June 24, 2008

A great, if imperfect, blast from the past

'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' by Ice Cube is one of the most highly regarded hip-hop albums of all time. Unlike some of the overrated hip-hop albums I've heard that are supposed to be legendary, 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted's' praise is (mostly) warranted, though it should be known that there are a few weak spots on Ice Cube's solo debut.

Ice Cube's delivery is ace and his flow is spot-on, and on here he goes from serious ('AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted', 'Endangered Species') to silly ('A Gangsta's Fairytale' and 'I'm Only Out For One Thang'). Due to the Bomb Squad's "bomb" production (ha ha, a pun), this album - relased way back in 1990 - sounds better production-wise than some albums I've heard just eight years ago. Most the album is good, humorous, gangsta (and, sometimes, even sexist and racist, though I feel that it is not to be taken seriously here and if you don't look for it you wont be offended). Ice Cube is an excellent lyricist and story-teller, but there were a few tracks I wasn't really feeling. 'Get Off My... And Tell Yo... To Come Here' is a waste, and 'It's A Man's World' is boring and repetitive. The vast majority of this album is good stuff though, so cop this one if you haven't already. It's been out for over 17 years, after all, so what are you waiting for? May 11, 2007

You'll never catch him!

Ice Cube leaving NWA was the best move because mentally he was light years ahead of them. This album is more gangsta than conscious but it still has its gems like THE N***A YA LOVE TO HATE, AMERIKKKA'S MOST WANTED, YOU CANT FADE ME, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE PROJECTS, TURN OF THE RADIO(this song inspired Dead Prez's mixtape), A GANGSTA'S FAIRYTALE, ROLLIN WITH THE LENCH MOB, WHO'S THE MACK, JACKIN FOR BEATS, THE PRODUCT and DEAD HOMIEZ. Filler: Im Only Out For One Thang(featuring Flava Flav or Slava Slave)is the only track that is weak. Bottom Line: Amerikkka's Most Wanted is a magnificent debut by one of the most important emcee of our time. Its a must have for any rap fan who remembers what Ice Cube was. February 23, 2007

One of Six Seminal Hip Hop Records Panned By Rolling Stone

As a big fan of the book, "Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists", there was a section where certain seminal hip hop records were bashed by Rolling Stones. Ice Cube's monumental gangsta rap debut was one of them. Critics said, "the relentless profanity grows wearisome, bombsquads production loses steam, and Cube's attitude towards women are simply despicable". However, "Amerikkka's Most Wanted" (A suberbly provacative title) is criticized for all the wrong reasons. Most critics based assumptions on shock value and profanity but Cube's message was loud and clear. He was going to shut down racist white Amerikkka with one of the most visceral and revolutionary records that I have ever heard.

Straight out the box, Ice Cube is not out to make friends with, "The N***** Ya Love To Hate". Reality is a hard thing to digest and he let people know by dropping jewels like, "When I'm shootin let's see who drop/ The police, the media, and suckers that went pop/ And mother******* that say they too black/ Put 'em overseas they be beggin to come back/ They say we promote gangs and drugs/ You wanna sweep a n***** like me up under the rug/ Kickin s*** called street knowledge/ Why more n****** in the pen than in college. It was like Huey Newton speaking from a gangsta figures perspective and collaborating with Public Enemy... he became the black CNN. Songs such as "Turn Off The Radio" could never happen on a major label again. He was saying, "Program directors and dj's ignore me/ because I simply said F*** top forty/ Top thirty, top twenty, and top ten/ Until you put more hip hop in/". Most happy songs didn't make much sense on radio (still don't) and Cube knew hip hop was a weapon that people could see in the broad.

"Amerikkka's Most Wanted" also cemented Ice Cube as one of the genres greatest storytellers. The way he freaked nursery rhymes, for the kids, on "A Gangsta's Fairtale" was unbelievable. It was informing kids to watch out for scandolous women and stds. "Once Upon A Time In The Projects" was so vivid, it brought you straight to Compton, as if Ice Cube was saying his rhymes right beside you with an angry expression on his face. "Endangered Species" is one of the most politically intense charged rap songs ever on wax. "Every cop killer goes ignored/ They'll just send another n***** to the morgue/ A point scored; they could give a f*** about us/ They rather catch us with guns, and white powder/ - If I was old, they'd probably be a friend of me/ Since I'm young, they consider me the enemy/ You should listen to me cause there's more to see/ Call my neighborhood a ghetto cause it houses minorities/".

Overall, it's easy to see why hip hop purists say hip hop today just isn't good as that old school s***. Hell, even Rolling Stones, who dismissed this record, realized the records greatness and later gave this debut a 5 out of 5 stars rating. What's more amazing is the aforementioned songs aren't even my top two favorites. The title track and "Who's The Mack" knocked me off the edge of my seat. You can find gangsta rap anywhere today but this had such a powerful message with such proper beats, that unlike its modern day contemporaries, stands the test of time. Like rapreviews.com said, "One of the most important records ever made...if someone says to you rap is simple, throw this on and dare them to write something better - - none of them ever will". August 22, 2006

Gangsta then.Even more Now!!!!!!!!!!

Cube was kickin' that gangsta s**t then.Still today.But he bursted on the solo scene.He didn't need NWA they needed him.
This is the many examples of how a gangsta album should be done.

Drugs,hoes.gangs,crime,projects,ghetto,guns,jail,money,ruff,toughrugged and raw.His best argubably.The raps,rhymes,and subjects
still are goin' on and make sense today. July 27, 2006

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