Ice Cube - 'Everythang’s Corrupt' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Super OG (Intro)

2. Arrest The President

3. Chase Down The Bully

4. Don't Bring Me No Bag

5. Bad Dope

6. On Them Pills

7. Fire Water

8. Streets Shed Tears

9. Ain't Got No Haters (feat. Too Short)

10. Can You Dig It?

11. That New Funkadelic

12. One For The Money

13. Still In The Kitchen

14. Non Believers

15.Everythangs Corrupt

16. Good Cop Bad Cop

Ice Cube returns with “Everythang’s Corrupt”, his first studio album since 2010’s “I Am The West”. Even though there’s eight years since the releases, “Everythang’s Corrupt” has been a work in progress since 2010 (interrupted by film commitments and the launch of his Big 3 basketball format) and this extended time period is seen by Ice Cube as a sort of ‘divine intervention’ with its release coinciding with a period of perceived corruption in the US, and especially the US Government.

It would be tempting to look at the title and write the album off as some sort of Trump protest record (especially given the razor sharp “Arrest The President”) but, as Cube himself says in the opening “Super OG (Intro)”, it goes further than that – the pursuit over the almighty dollar, people corrupting their bodies on drugs (“Bad Dope” and “On Them Pills”) and a general feeling that, in these times, things are definitely fucked up. Indeed, you only have to look at America’s game where a player released from his team after being arrested on domestic abuse charges is snapped up, whilst a man who made dignified, peaceful protests against police brutality remains in the wilderness, to see how out of kilter life (especially in America) has become.

But in amongst all the crystal clear social observations, there are some beautiful asides – “Streets Shed Tears” has a gorgeous sample from “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”, while “Fire Water” mixes the social commentary with celebration of the good life and typical Ice Cube humour. Then there’s the glory of second single “That New Funkadelic” which just sounds so fresh and really showcases Cube’s ability as a songwriter. As I listen to it at times I’m reminded of Prince at the top of his game – someone who is supremely comfortable mixing new styles, especially when you see the appearance on the Jimmy Fallon Show with a tight live band backing him up.

If you’re sat there thinking ‘Blimey Chris, this review is a little on the surface skimming side’ then you’d be right…but it’s fully deliberate. There are references on this album I could never get and if I tried to analyse them then I’d just look like a complete dick. I will say, however, that musically this is a great album and the honesty and humour in the lyrics are a breath of fresh air in Hip-Hop/Rap today.