Published Sat, October 30, 2021 at 12:00 AM EDT
Ice Cube’s 1991 album, Death Certificate, has long been lauded as a rap classic. It’s Cube’s best album, and in the years following its release became a blueprint for in-your-face, storytelling socio-political rap.
“Now clearin’ ‘em out meant casualties, still had the L.A. mentality/ Bust a cap, and outta there in a hurry/ Wouldn’t you know? A drive-by in Missouri…”
“Some of them are even lookin’ up to us/Wearing our colors and talkin’ that gang fuss/Giving up much love/Dyin’ for a street that they never heard of…”
“I wanna kill him ‘cause he tried to play me like a trick/But you see, I’m the wrong nigga to fuck with,” he says on the opening bars before ending the song simply: “I wanna kill same ‘cause he ain’t my motherfuckin’ uncle.”
“Always knew that I would clock G’s/But welcome to McDonald’s, ‘May I take your order, please?’/Gotta serve ya food tha might give you cancer/’Cause my son doesn’t take no for an answer/Now I pay taxes, that you never give me back/What about diapers, bottles, and Similac/Do I have to sell me a whole lotta crack for decent shelter and clothes on my back?”
“I need to see a MD, and y’all motherfuckers giving me the third degree?/Look at the waiting room/And it’s filled to the rim like the county jail day room/Nobody gettin’ help/Since we poor, the hospital it moves slow…”
“So pay respect to the Black fist/Or we’ll burn your store right down to a crisp…”