Ice Cube

Cube's solo debut after bailing from N.W.A. This 1990 classic sports outrageously hot production from the Bomb Squad, who are known for their work with Public Enemy. Cube is lyrically devastating throughout, breaking down the grim realities of inner city life with ferocious flows. No matter where you rep, this record should be in every head's collection.

Musically it's as original as A Tribe Called Quest, and probably doper: with Eric Sadler thickening the mix and the vocalist bluntly banging the tracks home, it delivers the hard beats N.W.A's claque clamors about, not just for a few sucker punches but from beginning to end. Lyrically it's as piggy as it wants to be: despite his gift for rhyme and narrative, Ice Cube's politics revert to victim-of-a-racist-society belligerence except maybe on the willfully perverse (and hateful) "The N*gg* You Love To Hate." It was inevitable that some black misogynist would elevate his problem into an emblem of outlaw status. But I say f*ck the muthaf*cka, stay on his dick, etc.--anybody who's thinks it's cute to dub himself "the bitch killer" is armed, extremely dangerous, and fair game for the pickle jar. (Grade - B-)