Ice Cube is one of the founding artists of gangsta rap, and much of his musical output has contained harsh socio-political commentary. He was ranked number 8 on MTV's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, while fellow rapper Snoop Dogg ranked Ice Cube as one of the greatest MC of all time. AllMusic has called him one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists, as well as "one of rap's greatest storytellers". In 2012, The Source ranked him number 14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. In 2014, About.com ranked him number 11 on their list of the "50 Greatest MCs of All Time"
He released his solo debut album, "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted," in 1990 to critical and commercial success, although upon its release he was accused of racism and misogyny. He has since released 1991's "Death Certificate", 1992's "The Predator", 1993's "Lethal Injection", 1998's "War & Peace Vol 1 (The War Disc)", 2000's "War & Peace Vol 2 (The Peace Disc)", 2006's "Laugh Now, Cry Later", 2008's "Raw Footage", and 2010's "I Am the West."
Ice Cube was raised in South Central by his parents, both of whom were employed at UCLA. He began writing raps while attending George Washington Preparatory High School in Westmont, California, most notably "Boyz 'N Tha Hood", which later became famous when done by N.W.A in 1986. Cube finished his schooling at William Howard Taft Charter High School in Woodland Hills, a predominately white neighborhood in San Fernando Valley, some 40 miles from the high-crime neighborhood where his family stayed.
Cube and a friend, Sir Jinx, rapped as a partnership called C.I.A. at parties hosted by Dr. Dre. After a brief stint in a group called "HBO", Cube showed Eazy-E "Boyz 'N Da Hood," and the pair, plus Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, The Arabian Prince and MC Ren, formed N.W.A.
Cube took one year off to earn a degree in architectural drafting in Phoenix in 1987 but returned in time to participate in N.W.A's debut album, Straight Outta Compton. The album attracted much notoriety for the group, from the FBI and concerned citizen and parent groups. Cube did the lead verse for the album's infamous track "Fuck tha Police."
Ice Cube left N.W.A due to financial and personality conflicts in 1989. With Da Lench Mob and the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy's producers), Cube recorded his debut album in New York City. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted was released in 1990 and was an instantaneous hit as rap's popularity increased in mainstream society.
His 1991 follow-up, Death Certificate, was even more controversial. A few songs in the album featured Cube's hate of Uncle Sam and his politics, and a bonus track named "No Vaseline" was a diss to his former N.W.A bandmates. Also that year, he converted to the Nation of Islam. The album was re-released in 2003 with the bonus track "How to Survive in South Central," originally from the 1991 "Boyz N the Hood" soundtrack.
Controversy stirred about racist lyrics in his material: "Black Korea" (a song against Korean shopowners), referring to a former boss as "white Jew" in "No Vaseline", and songs such as "Enemy and Cave Bitch" (songs against "devils", a popular derogatory term at the time for white people). Partially to help deflect criticisms, Cube appointed a female rapper named Yo-Yo (who guested on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted) to the head of his own record label and helped produce her debut album, Make Way for the Motherlode.
That was followed by Cube's acting breakout as the grown-up version of Darrin "Doughboy" Baker in the 1991 coming of age crime drama "Boyz in the Hood." Writer and director John Singleton, another LA native, penned the role specifically Cube. Ice Cube was later named "Most Promising Actor" at the 4th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards in 1992, beating out his co-star Cuba Gooding Jr. and newcomer Brad Pitt from "Thelma and Louise."
Cube toured on Lollapalooza in 1992 and widened his fan base. He released The Predator in November (1992) which debuted at #1 on both the pop and rnb charts, the first album in history to do so. For that album, Cube decided to load some G-funk style beats which at that time was the big thing and some remix tunes which brought a new style to Cube, in which previously he had released some hardcore and extreme work. Singles from The Predator included "Today was a Good Day" and "Check Yo Self (remix)" which all had a 2 part music video.
After The Predator, Cube's audience began to diminish. Lethal Injection (1993) was not very well-liked by critics, and Dr. Dre and the West Coast G-Funk sound was dominating hip-hop. It wasn't until later that the album became popular. Taking a break from his own albums, Cube assisted on debuts from Da Lench Mob (Guerillas in the Mist) and Kam (Neva Again). He later dueted with Dr. Dre on "Natural Born Killaz."
Around this time in 1993, Ice Cube also worked with soon-to-be-acclaimed rapper Tupac Shakur with his album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. and appeared on a track with 2pac.
In 1994 Ice Cube released Bootlegs & B-Sides.
During this time, hip-hop started making a transition from the West Coast Funk Hip-Hop to a more gritty East Coast hip-hop. With Mack 10 and WC, Cube formed the Westside Connection in 1996, releasing their debut album Bow Down later that year. This album was in due to Ice Cube's theory that the East Coast lacked respect for West Coast hip-hop. Songs like "Bow Down", and "Gangstas Make The World Go 'Round" make reference to this. Sales were brisk, but it did not establish a large audience. This album was later perceived as a classic, especially on the West Coast. Cube released several more solo albums; however, he is now known more for his movies than his music.
In 1998 Ice Cube released War & Peace Vol 1: The War Disc
In 2000 Ice Cube released War & Peace Vol 2: The Peace Disc
In 2003 Ice Cube along with W.C. & Mack 10 released Terrorist Threats as the West Side Connection.
In December 2004, after a long break from recording, he reached #2 in the UK singles chart with the club favourite, "You Can Do It" (featuring Mack 10 and Ms Toi), released as a single 5 years after it was first included on movie soundtracks such as
Ice Cube was influenced by and took his name from African American pimp-turned-author Iceberg Slim, who published his autobiography Pimp in 1969. At one point, Ice Cube was scheduled to play the lead role in a movie adaptation of Pimp, but the project appears to be halted.
Cube's oldest son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., made his feature film debut in the 2015 N.W.A biopic "Straight Outta Compton," portraying his father.
Givin' Up the Nappy Dugout
Ice Cube Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A queen treatin' niggas just like King Tut.
Gobbin' up nuts, sorta like a hummingbird,
Suckin' up the Lench Mob crew, and I'm comin' third.
Used to get straight-As, now she's just skippin' class.
Oh my, do I love to grip the hips and ass.
Only 17, with a lot of practice on black boys' jimmys and white boy's cactus.
Sorry, sorry, sorry, but I gotta be brief:
Drink it up, drink it up, even though she's Catholic,
That don't mean shit, 'cause she's givin' up the ass quick.
Quicker than you can say "candy", the bitch is on my Snicker...and oh man she
Can take on three men built like He-Men;
Her little-bitty twat got gallons of semen.
Fourteen niggas in line ready to bang your
Pride-and-joy, I mean daddy's little angel.
Tell the bitch to get her ass out the house,
'cause your daughter's known for givin' up the nappy dugout.
Chorus, 2x: I got a big old ding-a-ling, and if that bitch remains,
I'm gonna do my thing, with your dauuuughter!
Mister, mister, before you make me go,
I'm here to let you know your little girl is a hoe.
Nympho, nympho, boy is she bad; get her all alone and out come the kneepads.
I know she's a minor and it is illegal,
But the bitch is worse than Vanessa Del Rio.
And if you decide to call rape, we got the little hooker on tape, now:
Tell the fuckin' slut to please hurry up,
And wear that dress that's tight on her butt,
So I can finger-fuck on the way to the bed,
Been in so many rooms, she got a dot on her forehead.
Face turnin' red from grabbin' them ankles.
Fuck and get up is how I do them stank-hoes.
You should hear how she sounds with a cock in her,
Boots get knocked from here to Czechoslovakia.
Two on top, one on the bottom;
First nigga got the boots, man, you shoulda shot 'im.
'cause after I got 'em it was over. Now niggas get lucky like a four-leaf clover.
On daddy's little girl.
She keeps nuts in her mouth like the bitch was a squirrel.
So tell Sheryl to bring her ass home,
'cause the line at my house is gettin' loooooooong, and....
("Givin' up the nappy, givin' up the nappy....")
The lyrics of Ice Cube's song "Givin' Up the Nappy Dugout" are controversial and explicit. The song criticizes the sexual promiscuity of a young woman, who was once a good girl but now behaves like a slut. Ice Cube describes how she enjoys performing oral sex on him and his crew, and how she has had sex with many other guys. He explains how he respects no legal or moral boundaries when it comes to having sex with her. The song portrays a disturbing view of women as sexual objects, devoid of any agency or dignity. It also highlights how a patriarchal society treats women as inferior and disposable, especially when they fail to conform to its norms.
"Givin' Up the Nappy Dugout" was released on Ice Cube's album "Death Certificate" in 1991. The song was produced by Sir Jinx and featured samples from "Funky Worm" by the Ohio Players and "The Trip" by Donovan. The album itself was controversial due to its explicit language and social commentary. Ice Cube used his music to address issues such as racism, police brutality, and socio-economic inequality in the United States.
Line by Line Meaning
Your daughter was a nice girl, now she's a slut.
The singer is telling the father that his daughter used to be a good girl but has become promiscuous.
A queen treatin' niggas just like King Tut.
The singer is comparing the daughter to the ancient Egyptian pharaoh King Tut, who was known for his wealth and opulence, suggesting that she is acting like royalty and has many men at her disposal.
Gobbin' up nuts, sorta like a hummingbird,
The singer is describing the daughter's sexual behavior as being like a hummingbird feeding, suggesting that she is performing oral sex on many men.
Suckin' up the Lench Mob crew, and I'm comin' third.
The artist is bragging about having had sex with the daughter of the Lench Mob crew, a group of rappers, and coming in third place after two other men.
Used to get straight-As, now she's just skippin' class.
The artist is implying that the daughter used to be a good student, but now she is not focused on her studies and is more interested in promiscuous behavior.
Oh my, do I love to grip the hips and ass.
The singer is expressing his enjoyment of touching the daughter's body during sex.
Only 17, with a lot of practice on black boys' jimmys and white boy's cactus.
The singer is suggesting that the daughter has had a lot of sexual experience with both black and white men from a young age.
Sorry, sorry, sorry, but I gotta be brief:
The artist is apologizing for being blunt, but he feels the need to be honest about the daughter's behavior.
A lotta niggas like bustin' nuts in her teeth.
The artist is saying that many men enjoy ejaculating in the daughter's mouth during oral sex.
Drink it up, drink it up, even though she's Catholic,
The artist is emphasizing that the daughter will perform oral sex even though she is a Catholic, which goes against the religion's teachings on sex before marriage.
That don't mean shit, 'cause she's givin' up the ass quick.
The singer is saying that despite the daughter's Catholic faith, she is still engaging in anal sex without much hesitation.
Quicker than you can say "candy", the bitch is on my Snicker...
The artist is saying that the daughter is quick to engage in sexual activity and uses a metaphor of candy and a Snickers bar to suggest how quickly she is ready for sex.
and oh man she Can take on three men built like He-Men;
The singer is boasting about how the daughter can handle having sex with three men who are strong and muscular.
Her little-bitty twat got gallons of semen.
The singer is saying that the daughter's vagina can hold a lot of semen.
Fourteen niggas in line ready to bang your Pride-and-joy, I mean daddy's little angel.
The singer is saying that there are many men waiting to have sex with the daughter, who the father considers to be his pride and joy.
Tell the bitch to get her ass out the house,
The artist is saying that the daughter should leave the house and stop engaging in sexual activity.
'cause your daughter's known for givin' up the nappy dugout.
The artist is saying that the daughter is known for having a loose and promiscuous vagina.
Mister, mister, before you make me go,
The singer is addressing the father and asking him to listen to what he has to say before leaving.
I'm here to let you know your little girl is a hoe.
The singer is bluntly telling the father that his daughter is promiscuous and sexually active with many men.
Nympho, nympho, boy is she bad; get her all alone and out come the kneepads.
The artist is describing the daughter as a nymphomaniac and saying that she is willing to have oral sex at any time.
I know she's a minor and it is illegal,
The artist is acknowledging that the daughter is underage and that the sexual activity he is describing is illegal.
But the bitch is worse than Vanessa Del Rio.
The artist is comparing the daughter's promiscuity to that of Vanessa Del Rio, a well-known pornographic actress.
And if you decide to call rape, we got the little hooker on tape, now:
The singer is threatening the father with evidence of his daughter engaging in sexual activity, implying that he could expose her if the father tries to take legal action against him.
Tell the fuckin' slut to please hurry up,
The artist is impatient and wants the daughter to hurry up and have sex with him.
And wear that dress that's tight on her butt,
The singer has a specific outfit in mind for the daughter to wear during sex.
So I can finger-fuck on the way to the bed,
The singer is saying that he wants to have sexual contact with the daughter on their way to the bed.
Been in so many rooms, she got a dot on her forehead.
The singer is saying that the daughter has had sex with so many men that she has a mark on her forehead from banging into the headboards of different beds.
Face turnin' red from grabbin' them ankles.
The artist is saying that the daughter's face turns red from having her ankles grabbed during sex.
Fuck and get up is how I do them stank-hoes.
The artist is saying that he has sex with promiscuous women and then leaves immediately afterwards without wanting to engage in any further relationship.
You should hear how she sounds with a cock in her,
The singer is boasting about how the daughter sounds during sex.
Boots get knocked from here to Czechoslovakia.
The singer is saying that the daughter's boots get knocked off during sex.
Two on top, one on the bottom;
The artist is describing a sexual position involving two men on top of the daughter and one on the bottom.
First nigga got the boots, man, you shoulda shot 'im.
The artist is saying that the first man to have sex with the daughter got her boots as a prize, and jokingly suggests that it would have been better for that man to be shot instead.
'cause after I got 'em it was over. Now niggas get lucky like a four-leaf clover.
The artist is saying that, after he had sex with the daughter, other men were able to have sex with her more easily, as if it were a stroke of good luck, like finding a four-leaf clover.
On daddy's little girl.
The singer is emphasizing that he has had sex with the father's daughter, which is considered taboo and disrespectful.
She keeps nuts in her mouth like the bitch was a squirrel.
The artist is saying that the daughter often performs oral sex and therefore has a lot of semen in her mouth like a squirrel gathers nuts.
So tell Sheryl to bring her ass home,
The singer is asking the daughter's mother, Sheryl, to bring her daughter back home.
'cause the line at my house is gettin' loooooooong, and....
("Givin' up the nappy, givin' up the nappy....")
The singer is saying that many men are waiting to have sex with the daughter at his house and repeating the chorus from the song, which implies that the daughter has a reputation for being sexually promiscuous.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL JR. JACKSON, BERNARD WORRELL, BOOKER T. JR. JONES, DONALD V. DUNN, GEORGE S. JR. CLINTON, MICHAEL HAMPTON, O'SHEA JACKSON, STEPHEN LEE CROPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bigmike1973ful
man i would listen to death certificate everyday all day front to back over and over again
buzzydj
Back when rap was so much fun to listen to. Thanks for the upload
Its a Rome Thing Everyday
Cubes twist on lyrics is hard core. great!!!!!
GTA GAMEPLAY VIDZ
Great album. I could never get sick of this. Too bad Cube doesn't rap like this anymore. Hahahah gotta love this song!
Brent Williams
Are you high? Cube is as hard as ever
GTA GAMEPLAY VIDZ
@No Longer Jenn's Account No thanks.
GTA GAMEPLAY VIDZ
@No Longer Jenn's Account Right.
Jack
Cubes lyrics are unreal, there so good
Dwight Royal
One of old school best with respect.
mark hendricks
One of my favorite Cube songs