The Predator

The Predator
Studio album by Ice Cube
Released	November 17, 1992
Recorded	1991-1992
Genre	West Coast hip hop, Gangsta rap, G-funk, conscious hip hop
Length	56:27
Label	Priority/EMI
Producer	Ice Cube, DJ Pooh, Sir Jinx, Torcha Chamba, DJ Muggs
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Robert Christgau link Entertainment Weekly (A-) link Q Magazine link Rolling Stone 1992 Rolling Stone 2004 Spin (favorable) link Washington Post (favorable) link
Ice Cube chronology
Death Certificate (1991) The Predator (1992) Lethal Injection (1993) Singles from The Predator "Wicked" Released: October 1992 "It Was a Good Day" Released: February 1993 "Check Yo Self" Released: July 1993

The Predator is the third solo 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, The Predator is Ice Cube's most successful album commercial wise, reaching double platinum status in the United States.

Overview

In the opening song, "When Will They Shoot", Ice Cube addresses criticisms of antisemitism 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 which ignited the 1992 LA Riots. The similarly-themed "Who Got the Camera?" imagines a scenario where 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.

Although it is sometimes mistakenly classified as a G-Funk album, the album derives its sound from the Public Enemy/Bomb Squad production template, in contrast to Dr. Dre's definitive G-Funk album The Chronic which is largely based upon Parliament/Funkadelic-derived rhythms, slow-rolling basslines, and layers of whiny synthesizers, mixed with snips of live guitar and flutes.

Reception

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)^[2]. Q Magazine included it in their "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s" (12/99, p.74)^[2]. Spin Magazine called it a record that "demands to be heard" (1/93, p.61)^[2].

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 utilising a sample of Grandmaster Flash's "The Message". "Check Yo Self" received continuous radio and MTV play.

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.

Album singles

"Wicked"

• Released: October 21, 1992
• B-side: "U Ain't Gonna Take My Life"

"It Was A Good Day"

• Released: February 23, 1993
• B-side: "We Had To Tear This Dirty Motha Up" (12") or "It Was A Good Day" (Instrumental) (Promo Single)

"Check Yo Self" ["The Message" Remix Version]

• Released: July 20, 1993
• B-side: "It Was A Good Day (Remix)", "24 With A L"

Chart positions

Album

Singles

References

1. ^ Chillin' with Cube | | Guardian Unlimited Film
2. ^ ^{a b c} Tower.com: The Planet's Entertainment Destination for Music, CDs, Movies, DVDs, Books & more