Speaking their language

The Predator
Ice Cube
Priority records through MDS
Available on cassette and CD
Reviewed by John-Paul Nassif

Ice Cube, Amerikkka's most wanted, the nigger you love to hate, is now the Predator. The aftermath of the LA rebellion has sanctioned streetwise hardcore rappers such as Ice Cube to address the government with the words: “I told you so”.

What was portrayed by the media as a spontaneous riot is seen by Ice Cube as an uprising caused by the dissatisfaction of the people. Cube's dissatisfaction comes through loud and clear. “We had to tear this mother-fucker up”, is a warning that there are more riots to come.

“Who's got the camera” is a re-enactment of the Rodney King incident, this time with Ice Cube as the victim. “Say hi to the bad guy” (the final song on the album) is a payback on police brutality and harassment. Cube does not suggest that two wrongs make a right, but he feels that a reaction is justified in the face of relentless injustice.

No matter what your views on violence and revenge, Ice Cube seems to urge blacks (and whites) to think; to think about who's with you and who's against you and never to confuse the two. It sounds like good advice to me.

Ice Cube suggests that since the US was built upon violence and since it solves its problems with violence, the only language it understands is violence. As Malcolm X once said, “It's useless trying to talk Chinese with an Englishman. If you want to communicate with someone, learn their language.”

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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