Ice Cube has given his opinion on the conspiracy that NWA was “a part of the agenda to destroy conscious rap” that was popular in ’80s hip-hop.
On Monday (September 25), the prolific West Coast rap legend asked his fans on X to “hit him up in the comments with a question.” One accepted the challenge and asked, “Was NWA part of the agenda to destroy conscious rap which was growing in popularity at the time, and promote sex violence and gangster behaviour amongst the youth?”
This prompted another fan to counter, asking: “Crack and heroine [sic] flooded every economically challenged part of the country, but you want to blame music?” A third X user, defended the original tweet, saying: “Unfortunately music did play a part with the crack being pumped into our Black and Latino neighborhoods.”
Responding to the whole discourse, Ice Cube hit back at those who believe NWA had corrupted hip-hop (and allegedly the youth) with their more explicit rhymes.
“Bullshit,” the ‘It Was A Good Day’ rapper wrote. “Crack was in the neighborhoods a decade before gangsta rap. In the 70s they called it freebase. So was heroine, weed, Mollys, gangbanging, drive-bys, pimping and ho’ing, dropping out of school, young girls getting pregnant, cussing and the using the word n****. It was all here before NWA.”
Bullshit. Crack was in the neighborhoods a decade before gangsta rap. In the 70s they called it freebase. So was heroine, weed, Mollys, gangbanging, drive bys, pimping and hoing, dropping out of school, young girls getting pregnant, cussing and the using the word Nigga. It was… https://t.co/XK5QAdWRnU
— Ice Cube (@icecube) September 28, 2023
Fellow rapper Special Ed also claimed NWA “ushered in the age of destruction” when talking to N.O.R.E and DJ EFN on their popular Drink Champs podcast on September 16. “N.W.A. came out, and their shit was hardcore — and I said, ‘See, they can say what they want,’” he said. “But the label didn’t want to market me that way. And I had hard shit.”
He continued: “They didn’t want that. They wanted commercial music. We all wanted to be original. Now, it’s a bandwagon effect. Now, it’s all about cloning. These guys […] ushered in the age of destruction.”
The Long Beach rapper KXNG Crooked has since chimed in the discussion. On Monday (September 25), he told TMZ Live: “We did not live in a utopia until ‘Straight Outta Compton’ dropped. ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is a masterful, street-conscious album. That’s not glorification. We gotta really listen to it. JAY-Z said, ‘Do you really listen to it, or do you skim through it?’”
He continued: “This destruction has always been here since we touched this soil, and art imitates life, my brother. That’s what happens. Go read The Destruction of the Black Civilization. I don’t think NWA brought the destruction age. I think they highlighted it. That was it.”
Meanwhile, Ice Cube revealed earlier this week that he will be dropping his first solo album in five years very soon. ‘Man Down’ will follow up his 2018 LP ‘Everythang’s Corrupt’, which includes the song ‘Arrest The President’, addressed to then-US leader Donald Trump. In December last year, he formed the hip-hop supergroup Mount Westmore alongside Too $hort, E-40 and Snoop Dogg.
NME gave their debut album ‘Snoop, Cube, 40, $hort’ a three-star review, saying: “‘Snoop, Cube, 40, $hort’ isn’t completely devoid of praise; having to accommodate four distinct styles and personalities is no simple task. But while there are moments of brilliance, it’s clear there are too many chefs in the kitchen.”
Later this year, Ice Cube will embark on the UK and Ireland leg of the ‘High Rollers Volume 1’ tour alongside other West Coast legends, The Game and group Cypress Hill. Fans can check out the dates below and available tickets here.
The ‘High Rollers: Volume 1’ tour dates are:
DECEMBER
5 – GLASGOW, OVO Hydro
6 – Birmingham, Resorts World Arena
7 – Manchester, AO Arena
9 – Dublin, 3Arena
11 – London, O2 Arena
12 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
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