Rewind: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 3)

Welcome to our third and final look at Ice Cube's 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' and its sample sources.

Da Lench Mob make an early appearance on Ice Cube's aptly titled 'Rollin' wit' the Lench Mob' produced by the Bomb Squad, Sir Jinx, and Cube. The team dips into Parliament's 'Motor-Booty Affair' again for the single 'Aquaboogie (Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)'. Ice Cube rhymes over a barrage of heavily sampled breaks on the single 'Who's the Mack?' including Sly and the Family Stone's 'Sing a Simple Song', Marvin Gaye's 'T Stands for Trouble', The Honey Drippers' classic 'Impeach the President', and 'I Wanna Get Down' by Fred and The New J.B.'s. Sir Jinx and Ice Cube share production credits for Cube's duet with Yo-Yo: 'It's a Man's World'. The song samples and interpolates James Brown's breakthrough single 'It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World' and also samples Roy Ayers' 'Brother Green (The Disco King)' from his 1974 album 'Mystic Voyage'. Finally, the track 'The Bomb' seems like Sir Jinx and the Bomb Squad laying the groundwork for West Coast rap to come by sampling the Soul Searchers' 1974 cut 'Funk to the Folks' and Zapp's forever low rider banging 'More Bounce to the Ounce' from their 1979 self titled album.

'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' was only the start for Ice Cube, who released a series of popular and controversial albums throughout the mid-90s leading to burgeoning movie career and several attempts at a credible comeback including his 2008 album 'Raw Footage'.

The Lowdown:
Ice Cube 'Rollin' wit' the Lench Mob', 'Who's the Mack?', 'It's a Man's World', and 'The Bomb'
from 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Parliament 'Aquaboogie (Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)'
from 'Motor-Booty Affair' (1977) (MP3/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Sing a Simple Song'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Marvin Gaye 'T Stands for Trouble'
from 'Trouble Man' (1972) (MP3/CD)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Fred and The New J.B.'s 'I Wanna Get Down'
from 'Breakin' Bread' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World'
from 'It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Roy Ayers 'Brother Green (The Disco King)'
from 'Mystic Voyage' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Soul Searchers 'Funk to the Folks'
from 'Salt of the Earth' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Zapp 'More Bounce to the Ounce'
from 'Zapp' (1979) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Source Material: Marvin Gaye 'Trouble Man'

Rewind: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of our three part look at Ice Cube's 1990 debut album 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'.

Sir Jinx and the Bomb Squad dig deep for Betty Davis' 'Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him' from her sophomore album 'They Say I'm Different' for Ice Cube's 'Once Upon a Time in the Projects'. Look below in the bonus cuts section for further info on Betty Davis. The Bomb Squad pull yet another early Kool and the Gang track on 'Turn Off the Radio', which uses the 1972 album cut 'Rated X'. The track also samples Isaac Hayes' 'Truck Turner' soundtrack cut 'House of Beauty' and late 80s R&B group Guy's 'Piece of My Love'. Chuck D joins Cube on 'Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside)', rhyming over the familiar 'Funky Drummer' rhythm by James Brown and the title track from Parliament's 1974 album 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On'. The album lightens up a bit, for better or worse, with Cube's 'A Gangsta's Fairytale', which samples J.B. associate Maceo Parker's 1974 single 'Parrty' from Maceo and the Macks' album 'Us!'.

Check back for out third and final look at 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'.

The Lowdown:
Ice Cube 'Once Upon a Time in the Projects', 'Turn Off the Radio', 'Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside)', and 'A Gangsta's Fairytale'
from 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Betty Davis 'Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him'
from 'They Say I'm Different' (1974) (MP3/CD not available)
Kool and the Gang 'Rated X'
from 'Good Times' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Isaac Hayes 'House of Beauty'
from 'Truck Turner' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Guy 'Piece of my Love'
from 'Guy' (1988) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Funky Drummer'
from 'Funky Drummer' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Parliament 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On'
from 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Maceo and the Macks 'Parrty'
from 'Us!' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)

Bonus Cuts:
Extrovert ex-wife of Miles Davis, Betty Davis had a storied, but until recently relatively unknown, music career. Seattle label Light in the Attic has reissued the first two Betty Davis albums with further plans to release previously unissued tracks. Of course, heavy funk from Miles Davis' stable is hard to resist by hip-hop producers, 'Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him' sampled on 'Once Upon a Time in the Projects' was itself sampled by Redman on 'Jersey Yo!'.

Rewind: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 1)

After splitting with N.W.A., one of hip-hop's hottest properties of the late 80s linked up with Public Enemy's production unit the Bomb Squad for one of rap's most commanding and controversial debut albums, Ice Cube's 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'. This three part arc will cover the sample sources of Ice Cube's dense first album.

The Bomb Squad, Cube, and Sir Jinx all lend a hand in production to 'The N---- Ya Love to Hate'h which draws a sample from a familiar source in West Coast rap going forward George Clinton's 'Atomic Dog'. The track also samples 'Weak at the Knees' by ex-Slave member Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame from the 1983 boastfully titled album 'Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame Vol. 1' (note the absence of a volume 2). The title track to 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' uses a slew of breaks: Sly and the Family Stone's 'Advice', the early Kool and the Gang joint 'Let the Music Take Your Mind', Bar-Kays' 'Humpin'', and the title track to James Brown's 1972 burner 'There it is'. The short 'What They Hittin' Foe?' manages to incorporate 'Sister Sanctified' from Stanley Turrentine's 1972 album 'Cherry' and 'The Jugglers' from the Average White Band's 1973 album 'Show Your Hands'. 'You Can't Fade Me' knicks another early Kool and the Gang track: 'Pneumonia' as well as Parliament's 'Rumpofsteelskin' from 1977's 'Motor-Booty Affair'.

Check back for part 2 of our look at 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'.

The Lowdown:
Ice Cube 'The N---- Ya Love to Hate', 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted', 'What They Hittin' Foe?', and 'You Can't Fade Me'
from 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (1990) (MP3/CD)
George Clinton 'Atomic Dog'
from 'Computer Games' (1982) (MP3 not available/CD)
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame 'Weak at the Knees'
from 'Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame Vol. 1' (1983) (MP3/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Advice'
from 'A Whole New Thing' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Let the Music Take Your Mind'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bar-Kays 'Humpin''
from 'Gotta Groove' (1969) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'There it is'
from 'There it is' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
Stanley Turrentine 'Sister Sanctified'
from 'Cherry' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Average White Band 'The Jugglers'
from 'Show Your Hands' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Pneumonia'
from 'Pneumonia' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Parliament 'Rumpofsteelskin'
from 'Motor-Booty' Affair' (1977) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Ice Cube 'Jackin' For Beats'
Rewind: Del 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here' (Part 1)
Rewind: Del 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here' (Part 2)
Rewind: Del 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here' (Part 3)

Source Material: Marvin Gaye 'Trouble Man'

Between his two landmark albums 'What's Going On' and 'Let's Get it On', Marvin Gaye produced and released one of his generally forgotten albums: 1972's mostly instrumental soundtrack album 'Trouble Man' released on this date. Those who did not forget about this album have been hip-hop beat makers using the fertile instrumental landscapes in Gaye during his production prime. This post will cover 'Trouble Man''s standout tracks and the people who sampled them.

One of my favorite tracks from this album and one of Gaye's best productions in my opinion is 'T Plays it Cool', a necessity for downtempo sets. The beat was nicked by a pre-House of Pain Everlast on the track 'Pass It On' from his not-so-aptly-titled forgotten album 'Forever Everlasting'. A year later, DJ Premier would use the same loop for Gang Starr's much more widely received 'Take a Rest' from the excellent 1991 album 'Step in the Arena'.

'Trouble Man''s lone single is the title track 'Trouble Man', which breached the top 10 in 1972. 25 years later, the song would be sampled for Rocafella R&B protégés Christión, who are perhaps best remembered for their inclusion on 'Streets is Watching'. The single for their debut album 'Ghetto Cyrano' was the Gaye sampling 'Full of Smoke' whose production is credited to Dame Dash, Jay-Z, and Biggs Burke. Ghost producers stand up! I'm surprised that this song hasn't been sampled more, aspiring beat makers should give it a go. Gaye's album track 'T Stands for Trouble' is one of the sources used by the Bomb Squad for their stunning beat for Ice Cube's 'Who's the Mack?'. 'T Stands for Trouble' would get a second rinse on Brand Nubian's 'The Meaning of the 5%' from their highly militant 1993 follow up album 'In God We Trust'.

In future posts on this blog, we will undoubtedly look at other albums from Marvin, however this gem should not be overlooked as prime source material.

The Lowdown:
Marvin Gaye 'T Plays it Cool', 'Trouble Man', and 'T Stands for Trouble'
from 'Trouble Man' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Everlast 'Pass it On'
'Forever Everlasting' (1990) (MP3/CD not available)
Gang Starr 'Take a Rest'
from 'Step in the Arena' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Christión 'Full of Smoke'
from 'Ghetto Cyrano' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Ice Cube 'Who's the Mack?'
from 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Who's The Mack?'
Brand Nubian 'The Meaning of the 5%'
from 'In God We Trust' (1993) (MP3/CD)

Rewind: Ice Cube 'Jackin' For Beats'

Within a year of the release of Ice Cube's debut album, 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted', the 'Kill at Will' EP dropped at the end of 1990. The Bomb Squad's production, similar to the out of control sample bombast of Public Enemy's albums, graced 'AmeriKKKA' and was in full gear of Ice Cube's classic cut-and-paste piece 'Jackin' For Beats'. In less than 3 minutes, Cube runs through an MPC full of breaks. There is no way I could cover everything, so I chose three choice samples.

The classic L.A. sound via Roger Troutman and brothers, Zapp's 'More Bounce to the Ounce' is an essential party track and sounds as fresh now as it did over 20 years ago. Troutman's talkbox sound was a staple of mid-90's West Coast hip-hop and is, undoubtedly, a big influence on the autotune vocal sound of T-Pain and others today. Parliament's 'Bop Gun (Endangered Species)' appears briefly on 'Jackin' For Beats', but is notable as it was reused by Ice Cube for his later single 'Bop Gun' from 1993's 'Leathal Injenction'. Also, 'Bop Gun' has a fantastic G-funk sound that is perfect for summer cook outs. The way Ice Cube gives 'The Humpty Dance' that 'gangster touch' in 'Jackin' For Beats' is one of the many great back-handed compliments. The Digital Underground are notably not one of Ice Cube's friends, who he will also jack.

'Jackin' For Beats' is an iconic sample track and is the Bomb Squad at the top of their game. Unfortunately, the Bomb Squad would not return for Ice Cube's sophomore album 'Death Certificate', would only have limited input to Public Enemy's (vastly underrated) 'Apocalypse 91', and would start producing for the Young Black Teenagers (why?). By 1995, they would dissolve altogether. 'Jackin' For Beats' is the swan song of one of the most genre-defining production teams in hip-hop history.

The Lowdown:
Ice Cube 'Jackin' For Beats'
from 'Kill at Will' EP (1990)
Zapp 'More Bounce to the Ounce'
from 'Zapp' (1979) (MP3/CD)
Parliament 'Bop Gun (Endangered Species)'
from 'Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Digital Underground 'The Humpty Dance'
from 'Sex Packets' (1990) (MP3/CD)

ADDENDUM (08.22.08):
Fantastic musician and collegiate Ice Cube archivist Preek hipped me to the 'Kill at Will' EP's final track titled 'I Gotta Say What Up!!!' that praises Digital Underground, countering my opinion that 'Jackin' for Beats' is dissing them ("But I don't party and shake my butt / I leave that to the brothers with the funny haircuts / And it'll drive you nuts / Steal your beat and give it that gangsta touch"). I see both sides and I honestly don't know who is correct, does anyone else want to chime in? The gospel of Ice Cube is, by nature, contradictory (RE: his verse on Public Enemy's 'Burn Hollywood Burn' vs. the last decade of his career).