Ice Cube – Before Hip Hop

In 2024, Ice Cube released Man Down, his first solo album since the release of Everythangs Corrupt in 2018. Next up, he’s gearing up to release the sequel, aptly named Man Up. The album’s lead single, “Before Hip Hop,” is exactly what its title implies.

The track serves as a representation of the notion that hip-hop has been a lifesaver. The Cube film discusses all the illicit activities people used to engage in before rap music, and how those problems were often attributed to the lyrical content of hip-hop.

Cube delivers a strong lyrical performance, on par with the quality found in many of his recent solo albums. He is far from issuing a Death Certificate-type album, yet it’s remarkable that he still performs at a high level of rapping despite having put out minimal solo material over the last 15 years.

In addition to reigniting his solo music, Ice Cube remains a member of the Mount Westmore supergroup, which also includes Too Short, E-40, and Snoop Dogg. In December 2022, they released their debut album as a quartet, and they have since reappeared on producer ProHoeZak’s new song, “The Introduction.” It’s unclear whether they’re preparing for a new album or a new feature on Cube’s forthcoming album, but neither scenario would be unexpected. For now, take a look at “Before Hip Hop” below.