Ice Cube

Like Malcolm X staring out the window, Ice Cube was aiming fiery words at everyone in his way. No ifs, ands, or buts Ice Cube was an unapologetic, confrontational critic who bit his tongue for no one. The cut "Us" pointed the finger at the self-inflicted negative aspects of Black life. "True To The Game" called out sellouts while "When I Get To Heaven" questioned religious beliefs. Not even "conscious" rappers who were biggin' up the motherland were spared: "Motherfuckers that say they too Black/Put 'em overseas, they be beggin' to come back." But he leveled his harshest words against those he perceived to be harming the Black community. Cube's disdain for the white power structure reached a boiling point when a Billboard editorial accused his album "Death Certificate" of "hate mongering." the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Korea-American Coalition protested "No Vaseline" and "Black Korea" for anti-Semitism and Asian bashing called for the album's removal from stores. The Ugly truth was that the U.S. had never come to terms with many of its problems. Americans weren't ready to sit and talk, because they were still screaming to be heard. Courts had made segregation illegal, but the people were, in effect, still separated by choice, mostly based on race, money, and religion. Music had the ability to conveniently cross color lines, when regular folks didn't possess that luxury. Whether conservative or liberal, Black or white, or anything in between, everyone had chosen sides. Ice Cube had pledged allegiance to his side. And if it meant droppin' lyrical bombs, he was with that. This wasn't a game this was survival. Happy Bday to the West Coast "God."