Raw Footage - Ice Cube

"Raw Footage" is the eighth solo album from one of the founding members of N.W.A, Ice Cube. Cube came into the game in the late eighties as part of the rise of Gangsta Rap movement, which was spawned from the exposure of Hip Hop over in LA, and since they had to relate it to their street life, the gangsta lifestyle became part of their music. With Ice-T, MC Ren and Dr. Dre, they managed to get this unique sound of the West Coast up, and ...
...acts of today.

Since its peak in the mid-ninties, the West Coast scene has died down, so it could have been difficult for Cube to come up with something for the listeners of now. Despite the fact that he has made acting his main career path, he has continued to bring out new releases, but the last one, "Laugh Now, Cry Later" (which came out in 2006) sounded as if he had lost the flow which he had in his early days, since ... more

"Raw Footage" is the eighth solo album from one of the founding members of N.W.A, Ice Cube. Cube came into the game in the late eighties as part of the rise of Gangsta Rap movement, which was spawned from the exposure of Hip Hop over in LA, and since they had to relate it to their street life, the gangsta lifestyle became part of their music. With Ice-T, MC Ren and Dr. Dre, they managed to get this unique sound of the West Coast up, and it is now the main style used by Hip Hop acts of today.

Since its peak in the mid-ninties, the West Coast scene has died down, so it could have been difficult for Cube to come up with something for the listeners of now. Despite the fact that he has made acting his main career path, he has continued to bring out new releases, but the last one, "Laugh Now, Cry Later" (which came out in 2006) sounded as if he had lost the flow which he had in his early days, since he took an extended break from the game, so many will be expecting similar things from this.

1. "What Is A Pyroclastic Flow?" (Intro)

2. "I Got My Locs On"

You get Cube with one of the finest Dirty South producer's DJ Toomp (who works closely with T.I.) on this one, and it seems as though the southern beats are the only avaliable option for him since the West has phased out, whereas his raps still live on (unless he went Hyphy, which was never going to happen). He raps about you can't tell anything about him as he wheres his Loc shades with Young Jeezy.

**Three Stars**

3. "It Takes A Nation"

Here is a massive banger coming straight out of the West Coast and it has Cube rapping to some slamming beats by Emile (who has worked with Rhymefest, AZ and Cormega in the past). From these foundations, you get Him talking about the power which black people have once they are unitied togther. It is a thought-provoking one from a rapper who has clearly made big changes since his early days as part of N.W.A.

**Four Stars**

4. "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It"

This was the first single off the album, and was the big way to show how Cube was back with even more amazing rpas for this 2008 release. In this one he looks at what he has done as a Gangsta Rap pioneer, and how this movement has become part of popular culture. These things add up to a lot as he raps about the stae of mind which he, and N.W.A created in the late eighties, bringng a Gangsta lifestyle and misogeny to the masses.

**Four Stars**

5. "Hood Mentality"

The duo of Teak "Da Beatsmith" Underdue & Dee Underdue for Hallway Productionz do all the beats in this, and a couple of other tunes here. I foudn that on this ocassion, they absolutely killed it with their beats, and it gave Cube the perfect start to get thigns going as he lists off all the things which constitute to the "Hood Mentality".

**Five Stars**

6. "Why Me?"

Surprisingly, the Neo Soul musican Musiq Soulchild collaborates with Ice Cube on this one, and I foudn thalthough I wouldn't have expected him to do it, he acts as the perfect person to act as a contrast to the hardcore raps from him as he talks on the type of things you get from living in South Central Los Angeles.

**Four Stars**

7. "Cold Places"

Here you have a motivational une by Ice Cube as he talks from a different prespective to what we have heard in the aspect from him. Here he raps about how you should kep your head up, depsite drawbacks which may occur in life and seem to hold you down. Ice Cube is able to see life in a new way, and with some wisdom of life in genreal, he is able to pass this knowledge on to those who wouldn't usually listen to it.

**Four Stars**

8. "Jack N The Box"

Thsi is a big tune from Cube, and one of my favourites from this release. I think that my reason for this was fot the fact that what was done during it was so unpredictable. Here he shows that he is still following the trends of today's Hip Hop, despite holding on to his early days as a Gangsta Rap pioneer, as the 'screwed' techique is used to put emphasis on the fact that he openly admits to having a large ego.

**Four Stars**

9. "Do Ya Thang"

Palumbo Beats show us a new interpretation of the sound of West Coast Rap for this tune. By modernising it, it makes it more plausable for the listner to really take on the lyrics of Cube, when he could be criticsed for trying too hard to make his raps work, when they have been used since the late eighties. However he is still able to com up with new ideas, and the 'New West' beats emphasise the fact that he is still able to make himself relavent.

**Four Stars**

10. "Thank God"

After a short introduction where Ice Cube talks about how he hates the fact that Gangsta Rap is blamed for everything whihc is wrong with the world today, but he brings it back and says that Gangsta Rap would never have began had there not been the right atmosphere for it. From here he continues and says how he can't show respect for people if they will persist to blame others for society today.

**Four Stars**

11. "Here He Come"

Symphony comes with some heavy synth in this one to add some fire to the rapper as he performs in this one about himself and how he "Pyroclastic Flow" (as stated in the introduction) is unstoppable, so he shouldn't have been let out. The featured guest in this one, Doughboy, shares the name which was used by Cube in "Boyz N The Hood" (his first film role). As a rapper, he isn't as strong, but shows some potential for the future.

**Four Stars**

12. "Get Money, Spend Money, No Money"

I have to say that I was rather disappointed by bthis one as it isn't nearly as exciting as the rest of the tracks on the album. This one is really predicatble, and it's annoying as the rest of the album has him come out with so many original ideas.

**Three Stars**

13. "Get Used To It"

This is a massive track as it has Ice Cube collaborate with two of the biggest names in the West Coast scne, one, WC, who is more known for his work in the late ninties to early 00's, and then one of the biggest MCs of tday, The Game, who is showing us that Gangsta Rap music from the West Side of the USA is still alive. I know that The Game considers Cube to be his favourite rapper, so it must of been a treat for him by working on this with him.

**Four Stars**

14. "Tomorrow"

This one has Ice Cube rap about how he doesn't really care for "Tommorow" as he is having to live for the day, and when you are always been put at risk by walking the streets out in South Central LA, you have to survive the day before you even think about the future. The beats from Baby Dubb enable him to rap in such a hardcore, uncaring way.

**Four Stars**

15. "Stand Tall"

Here is a motivational track by Cube as he gets deep with us and takes us away from the Gangsta Rap side and provides us with some conscious lyrics as he makes us consider all the little things in life which we do, all the things which add up and show how ignorant the race is as they continue to fight between each other when there is still racism on the streets.

**Four Stars**

16. "Take Me Away"

Yung Fokus & Djay Cas come out with an amazing beat to get things goign, and with this I knew that we were in for an amazing track to end the album off. Although it isn't as strong at sending messages out, this one is just a good rap track to listen to, without having to feel obliged to get involved with any deep issues.

**Four Stars**

I really didn't expect to get as many bangers as what I did on this album, and it shows that despite the fact he has move on quite considerably since his early N.W.A days, and he is raking in cash from his acting work, he is still able to come up with great rap album for today's audience. 

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