I Am the West

Ice Cube’s come a long way from the streets of Compton and has learned quite a bit about the world beyond his younger years. But his beats are hard and the production is pure West Coast hip-hop. However, it’s a different world when Cube brings his kids, Doughboy and OMG, to work with him. “Nothing Like L.A.” celebrates two decades of marriage to his wife. “No Country for Young Men” turns a jaded eye towards the young upstarts who wish to take his place at the top of the gangsta pile. “Your Money or Your Life” rejects the bling for a shot at spending time with family and friends. “Hood Robbin’” advises looking at the bigger picture where the real money and power congregates and to stop turning on each other. “She Couldn’t Make It On Her Own,” with his sons, is a bit of old-school craziness that proves Cube can work with the next generation after all. Middle-aged rap? It was bound to happen. No reason Ice Cube shouldn’t be right there on the front lines writing the rules, just like he did the first time around twenty years ago.