The Predator
| The Predator | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Ice Cube | ||||
| Released | November 17, 1992 March 11, 2003 (2003 remaster) July 20, 2010 (2010 remaster) |
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| Recorded | 1991-1992 | |||
| Genre | West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, g-funk, hardcore hip hop | |||
| Length | 56:27 | |||
| Label | Priority/EMI Records 0499 2 57155 2 1 P2-57155 (original release) 7243 5 43339 2 7 P2-43339 (2003 remaster) |
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| Producer | Ice Cube, DJ Pooh, Sir Jinx, Torcha Chamba, DJ Muggs | |||
| Ice Cube chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Predator | ||||
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The Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film.[1] Though not his most critically successful album, commercially The Predator is Ice Cube's most successful album, reaching double platinum status in the United States, and it contains his most well-known single, "It Was a Good Day." The Predator is his only number one album on the Billboard 200 to date, selling 193,000 copies in its first week.[2] It has sold 2,210,283 to date, according to Nielsen Soundscan.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Overview
In the opening song, "When Will They Shoot," Ice Cube addressed criticisms of anti-Semitism he received for his last effort, Death Certificate:
- White man is something I tried to study,
- But I got my hands bloody, yeah.
- They say I can sing like a jaybird
- But, nigga, don’t say the j-word
Elsewhere "We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up" is directed at the LA Police officers acquitted in the Rodney King trial; an event that ignited the 1992 LA Riots. The similarly themed "Who Got the Camera?" imagines a scenario in which a Black man is subjected to police brutality. The songs are broken up by interludes involving interviews with Ice Cube and what appears to be a debate between members of a congregation or talk-show audience.
[edit] Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[5] |
| Q Magazine | [6] |
| Robert Christgau |  [7] |
| Rolling Stone |  [8] |
| Rolling Stone | [9] |
| Spin | (favorable)[6] |
| Washington Post | (favorable)[10] |
Although not as lauded as his previous efforts, The Predator was well-received. Entertainment Weekly called it "Ice Cube's strongest, most cohesive work yet" (11/20/92, p. 88).[11] Q Magazine included it in its "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s" (12/99, p. 74).[11] Spin Magazine called it a record that "demands to be heard" (1/93, p. 61).[11]
Retrospectively, however, the album has been praised and is now considered a classic by many for its groundbreaking production, subject matter and controversial themes, and lyricism.
It spawned three hit singles: "It Was A Good Day," which was a hit in March 1993; "Check Yo Self"; and "Wicked" (which was later covered by the band Korn). Both the album and single version of "Check Yo Self" include an appearance from Das EFX, with the latter's single featuring a remix utilizing a sample of Grandmaster Flash's "The Message". The song also received continuous radio and MTV play.
[edit] Track listing
- "Check Yo Self (the Message Remix)", "It Was A Good Day (Remix)", "24 Wit An L", and "U Aint Gonna Take My Life" are included as bonus material on later remastered pressings.
| # | Title | Performer(s) | Producer(s) | Samples | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The First Day of School (Intro)" | *Intro* | Ice Cube |
|
1:20 |
| 2 | "When Will They Shoot?" | Ice Cube | DJ Pooh, Bob Cat, Ice Cube |
|
4:36 |
| 3 | "I'm Scared (Insert)" | *Interlude* | Ice Cube |
|
1:32 |
| 4 | "Wicked" | Ice Cube | Torcha Chamba, Ice Cube |
|
3:55 |
| 5 | "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" | Ice Cube | DJ Muggs |
|
4:03 |
| 6 | "The Predator" | Ice Cube | DJ Pooh |
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4:03 |
| 7 | "It Was a Good Day" | Ice Cube | DJ Pooh |
|
4:19 |
| 8 | "We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up" | Ice Cube | DJ Muggs |
|
4:23 |
| 9 | "Fuck 'Em (Insert)" | *Interlude* | Sir Jinx |
|
2:02 |
| 10 | "Dirty Mack" | Ice Cube | Mr. Woody |
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4:34 |
| 11 | "Don't Trust 'Em" | Ice Cube | Rashad, Ice Cube, DJ Pooh |
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4:06 |
| 12 | "Gangsta's Fairytale 2" | Ice Cube, Lil Russ |
Pocketts, Ice Cube |
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3:19 |
| 13 | "Check Yo Self" | Ice Cube, Das EFX |
DJ Muggs, Ice Cube |
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3:42 |
| 14 | "Who Got the Camera?" | Ice Cube | Sir Jinx |
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4:37 |
| 15 | "Integration (Insert)" | *Interlude* | Ice Cube |
|
2:31 |
| 16 | "Say Hi to the Bad Guy" | Ice Cube | Sir Jinx |
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3:19 |
[edit] Chart positions
[edit] Album
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | ||
| 1992 | The Predator | 1 | 1 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Rhythmic Top 40 | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1992 | "Wicked" | 55 | 31 | 1 | — | 31 |
| 1993 | "Check Yo Self" | 20 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 1 |
| "It Was a Good Day" | 15 | 7 | 1 | 13 | — | |
[edit] References
- ^ Chillin' with Cube | | Guardian Unlimited Film
- ^ "【Billboard】我要发高端贴之 SOUNDSCAN历周冠军专辑销量！！！_billboard吧_贴吧". Tieba.baidu.com. http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=756926526. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
- ^ "SoundScan Album Sales 10/12/2005 - Home Recording forums". Homerecording.com. 2005-10-14. http://homerecording.com/bbs/general-discussions/dj-hip-hop-production/soundscan-album-sales-10-12-2005-a-173006/. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
- ^ link
- ^ link
- ^ a b link
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "The Predator". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=10490.
- ^ 1992
- ^ 2004
- ^ link
- ^ a b c Tower.com: The Planet's Entertainment Destination for Music, CDs, Movies, DVDs, Books & more
| Preceded by The Chase by Garth Brooks |
Billboard 200 number-one album December 5–11, 1992 |
Succeeded by The Bodyguard (soundtrack) by Various artists |
[edit] See also
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