Ice Cube's Laugh Now, Cry Later: Why This Album Made it to a Nonfan of "gangsta Rap"

On my MySpace page, I emphasize that I do not like "gangsta rap," so do not send me invites to listen to that. One guy contacted me and pointed out that I had an Ice Cube song on my profile page. Although he had a valid point, I had to explain to him why Ice Cube is an exception. I still stick to my opinion that I don't like gangsta rap - there's nothing worse to me than a shiftless brotha who glorifies gang lifestyle, guns, promiscuous women, murder i.q., and drugs. I can't stand to listen to music where a man can't get past the cliches to tell what's really going on in the world. The worst part about it is usually the "rapper" who's talking all this nonsense is not convincing, obnoxious, and sounds like a clone.

Then here comes Ice Cube. This man has been real from the get-go. Everything he says I believe: from his affiliations to his career path to his money to women to politics. He comes outside the box and talks about relevant issues: police brutality; AIDs; poverty; actor governors; simple-minded presidents; war; penitentiary philosophy; corrupt business practices; fatherhood; marriage - he's a well-rounded lyricist. True, he's got the West Coast swagger that would make gangstas flock to him, but he's also got the business sense to make those getting their Grown Man on to listen to him too.

And in the midst of such serious topics, he can throw in humor. On "You Got A Lotta That" (my second favorite song because that beat is SO SICK!) he jokes "Skinny __________ need to find their nutritions" and "You want a man stronger than you/Not a ___________ in the mirror longer than you/Break a nail and his punk _______ looking for glue." I cracked up through this entire song.

But then he flips it on you with songs like "Child Support" when he says "They ain't looking for Osama/Ask Biggie mama". In the strongest song on this whole album (and the reason I bought the album), "Why We Thugs" he growls "They wanna count the slugs/Then come around here and ________ with us." The chorus ALONE tells you what time it is.

This is one of the strongest hip-hop albums I've heard this year and I'm very pleased to see Ice Cube back in the game. A "thug" with a brain is a force to be reckoned with...and that's why he made the MySpace page.