Bill Stinson

An Absolute CLASSIC!!! There were rumors this album was going to be banned. Its anticipation was legendary. You had Cube who had left the most popular music group in the world at the time. There were rumors that he left over money. Then he co-stars in one of the biggest movies in Black cinema at the time, playing a character that mimicked the the LA lifestyle that he & his NWA group had depicted so accurately in their songs. So his departure although astonishing, was understandable considering his transition to cinema. Then the album hits & like an explosion everywhere you went you heard it being played. The album playlist was perfectly set up & each song & skit hit exactly how it should. Painting you a lyrical picture as you transferred to its scene. There isnt a song on this album that didnt bang & I mean BANG ! One of My personal favorites was Summer Vacation. America at the time had recognized how big gang culture had gotten. Not only was it violent, it was enterprising having come into the drug game with the introduction of crack that made gangbangers thriving entrepreneurs. It was the fastest growing business in the lower income inner city. Crack had become so enterprising that it mixed with gang culture was able to branch out & franchise like a McDonalds or Starbucks. The national media even got in on the frenzy where you saw Nightline do a feature story on primetime tv. Gang life was prosperous with the vocational interest of selling drugs. There was no educational requirements. All that was expected was loyalty. This made expansion spread like wildfire. You would see spray painted buildings with street names. Sometimes numbers, some were names that correlated with a neighborhood. You noticed the clothing change. No longer was your everyday attire diverse, now it was khakis. Usually tan, black, dark blue & Dickey was the main brand. The culture changed in the midwestern suburbs & inner cities and adapted to when you hung out you had to be aware of your surroundings. The way you greeted people told your affiliation. The dangers of gang life could not be taken lightly. The consequences were deadly. And all this had a soundtrack. Thank you Ice Cube for a album that resonated with inner cites across America.