- A Boy Was Conceived
- Soul on Ice
- Life in California
- She Couldn't Make It on Her Own
- Urbanian
- Ya'll Know How I Am
- Too West Coast
- I Rep That West
- Drink the Kool-Aid
- No Country for Young Men
- It Is What It Is
- Hood Robbin'
- Your Money or Your Life
- Nothing Like L.A.
- All Day, Every Day
- Fat Cat
5
1
5099964188225
Doughboy Primary Artist,Featured Artist
JayO Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Jayo Felony Primary Artist,Featured Artist
OMG Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Maylay Primary Artist,Featured Artist
WC Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Shondrae Crawford Keyboards
Calvin Ewings Keyboards
TigerDaWriter Vocals (Background)
Bangladesh Featured Artist
Domino Vocals (Background)
Mike Epps Voiceover
Malay Featured Artist
Keith David Voiceover
Ronnie "Lil Ronnie" Jackson Composer
Korey Roberson Composer
Dee Underdue Composer
Dave "Diz Mix" Lopez Mixing,Engineer
Chris Whitacre Composer
A. Perry Composer
Track Bully Composer,Producer
OMG Composer,Musician
Michael Bozi Mastering
D. Finister II Composer
Christopher Bellard Composer
Robert Mandell Composer
Chaz Mishan Composer
David Delazyn Composer
Teak Underdue Composer
Anthony Weaton Composer
Brandon "B.A.M." Hodge Composer
Triston Jones Composer
Amir Perry Composer
Justin Henderson Composer,Composer
Darrell Finister II Composer
Kevin Harris II Composer
Doughboy Composer,Musician,Producer
T-Mix Composer,Producer
Sir Jinx Composer,Producer
Sylvia Robinson Composer
The Fliptones Composer,Producer
Clifton Chase Composer
William Calhoun Composer
Bangladesh Composer
Tha Bizness Composer,Producer
James Savage Composer,Composer
Ice Cube Composer,Execution
Otis Jackson, Jr. Composer
M. Middleton Composer
M. Glover Composer
WC Composer,Musician
Jayo Felony Musician
Rocko Producer,Composer
R.L. Jackson Composer
Melvin Glover Composer
O. Jackson Composer
Montay Humphrey "DJ Montay" Composer
Mike Epps Composer
C. Chase Composer
A. Wheaton Composer
Maylay Composer,Musician
Malcolm Middleton Composer
J. Murphy Composer
Jason Suecof Composer
John Murphy Composer
DJ Montay Composer,Producer
Jordan Suecof Composer
Dae One Composer
Willy Will Producer
O'Shea Jackson Jr. Composer
JayO Composer
H. Simmons Composer
K. Roberson Composer
M. Humphrey Composer
S. Crawford Composer
Jigg Composer,Producer
Brandon Alexander Composer,Producer
Shon Adams Composer
Winston Jr. Hodges Composer
Eric Williams Photography
Edward Fletcher Composer
K. Harris Composer
Will Ragland Design,Art Direction
O'Shea Jackson Composer
William Hodge Composer
Christopher Whitacre Composer


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Overview
While his 2008 effort Raw Footage brought aggression and bitterness, I Am the West leans back a bit, assured in its status and wisdom, showing hip-hop how to grow old both gracefully and gangsta. Ice Cube's first album since turning 40 masterfully lays it all out on key track "No Country for Young Men." This witty, rapid-fire damnation of the ringtone rapper generation and their foolishness declares them "bitches" with "Rappers go to jail like Oprah go to Gayle/Stedman's policy: Don't ask don't tell," along with a laugh-out-loud Redd Foxx line that shouldn't be spoiled. Making the case that his generation fought the power while the 2010 crew was just fighting itself happens elsewhere, and when you combine this with the "we've got a bigger problem now" attitude of "Hood Robbin'" -- high-tech and high-finance corporations are widening the gap between the classes -- and the sage advice of "Your Money or Your Life" -- "This world, so trife/Your money or your life/Keep your kids, keep your wife/Your money or your life" -- you've got a layered argument against misdirected priorities and their devastating consequences. Cube suggests there are more choices than burning out and fading away when he dedicates a song to his wife of 21 years and explains how she's enriched his life on "Nothing Like L.A.," but the real proof is in all the vital yet lighter cuts that keep the message-filled album from being ponderous. Flashy production drives the infectious "She Couldn't Make It on Her Own," featuring fine contributions from Cube's sons Doughboy and OMG, while big daddy himself has put an entertaining, Kool Keith-like spin on his punch lines this time out, dropping odd stingers like "Internationally known/You about to smell my cologne" ("Soul on Ice") and "You about as lethal as a mojito/Be my amigo, eat my burrito" ("Too West Coast"). Add the usual Keith David narrations and the hard-hitting, full-bodied production the West Coast favors and the album is anchored by tradition, becoming an unassailable cocktail of talent, experience, and growth. Most won't have the skills to follow his playbook, either on or off the field, but Cube's utterly unique I Am the West shows the younger generation how to cross 40 while retaining their freedom and baller status. Middle age hip-hop is born here, and if the game follows his lead, it will be one monster of a genre. ~ David Jeffries
Product Details
Release Date: | 09/28/2010 |
---|---|
Label: | Lench Mob |
UPC: | 5099964188225 |
Tracks
Album Credits
Performance Credits
Ice Cube Primary ArtistDoughboy Primary Artist,Featured Artist
JayO Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Jayo Felony Primary Artist,Featured Artist
OMG Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Maylay Primary Artist,Featured Artist
WC Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Shondrae Crawford Keyboards
Calvin Ewings Keyboards
TigerDaWriter Vocals (Background)
Bangladesh Featured Artist
Domino Vocals (Background)
Mike Epps Voiceover
Malay Featured Artist
Keith David Voiceover
Technical Credits
Shondrae Crawford ComposerRonnie "Lil Ronnie" Jackson Composer
Korey Roberson Composer
Dee Underdue Composer
Dave "Diz Mix" Lopez Mixing,Engineer
Chris Whitacre Composer
A. Perry Composer
Track Bully Composer,Producer
OMG Composer,Musician
Michael Bozi Mastering
D. Finister II Composer
Christopher Bellard Composer
Robert Mandell Composer
Chaz Mishan Composer
David Delazyn Composer
Teak Underdue Composer
Anthony Weaton Composer
Brandon "B.A.M." Hodge Composer
Triston Jones Composer
Amir Perry Composer
Justin Henderson Composer,Composer
Darrell Finister II Composer
Kevin Harris II Composer
Doughboy Composer,Musician,Producer
T-Mix Composer,Producer
Sir Jinx Composer,Producer
Sylvia Robinson Composer
The Fliptones Composer,Producer
Clifton Chase Composer
William Calhoun Composer
Bangladesh Composer
Tha Bizness Composer,Producer
James Savage Composer,Composer
Ice Cube Composer,Execution
Otis Jackson, Jr. Composer
M. Middleton Composer
M. Glover Composer
WC Composer,Musician
Jayo Felony Musician
Rocko Producer,Composer
R.L. Jackson Composer
Melvin Glover Composer
O. Jackson Composer
Montay Humphrey "DJ Montay" Composer
Mike Epps Composer
C. Chase Composer
A. Wheaton Composer
Maylay Composer,Musician
Malcolm Middleton Composer
J. Murphy Composer
Jason Suecof Composer
John Murphy Composer
DJ Montay Composer,Producer
Jordan Suecof Composer
Dae One Composer
Willy Will Producer
O'Shea Jackson Jr. Composer
JayO Composer
H. Simmons Composer
K. Roberson Composer
M. Humphrey Composer
S. Crawford Composer
Jigg Composer,Producer
Brandon Alexander Composer,Producer
Shon Adams Composer
Winston Jr. Hodges Composer
Eric Williams Photography
Edward Fletcher Composer
K. Harris Composer
Will Ragland Design,Art Direction
O'Shea Jackson Composer
William Hodge Composer
Christopher Whitacre Composer
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