#30thAnniversary – Ice Cube “The Predator”

by Kramos of The CooksNovember 16, 20222 min read

On November 17 1992, a couple of weeks after backing up and collaborating on Da Lench Mob “Guerillas in tha Mist” LP, Ice Cube released his third solo full length “The Predator”, the follow up to the superb “Death Certificate“. Written in the aftermath of the LA riots, the album is more aggressive and full of rage than ever. This time around, the production is handled by a selection of different beatmakers like DJ Muggs, DJ Pooh and Sir Jinx instead of one team of producers, but without sacrificing the cohesion of the project. The second single is probably the only one that feels sonically out of place, using a smooth sample of the Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark”, but it became one of the most successful songs of Ice Cube’s career. The lyrics of “It Was a Good Day”, where Cube talks about an odd day in the hood where everything goes well, is probably one of the best written tracks in Hip Hop history and an all time classic. Capitalizing on the success of this song, “The Predator” became the most successful album in Cube’s discography and is now certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.