The Predator

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the album. For the professional wrestler named "The Predator", see Sylvester Terkay.

The Predator
Studio album by Ice Cube
Released	November 17, 1992
Recorded	1992
Genre	Gangsta Rap, Conscious hip hop
Length	56:27
Label	Priority
Producer(s)	Ice Cube, DJ Pooh, Sir Jinx, Torcha Chamba, DJ Muggs
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Ice Cube chronology
Death Certificate (1991)	The Predator (1992)	Lethal Injection (1993)

The Predator is a 1992 album by Ice Cube. Released within months after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many of the songs comment on the racial tensions during that period. The title comes partially from sampled quotes from the movie Predator 2, one of which is "They indicated that when trapped, the creature activated a self-destruct device that destroyed enough rainforest to cover 300 city blocks." Out of all his albums, it has been the most successful. The success of The Predator is due in part to the major success of the popular single "It Was a Good Day".

The overall production template used on The Predator is still heavily influenced by the PE/Bomb Squad era. The Chronic was based upon Parliament/Funkadelic-derived rhythms, slow-rolling basslines, layers of whiny synthesizers, and usually bits of live guitar and flutes.

The Predator spawned three hit singles: the famous "It Was A Good Day", which was a big hit in March 1993, "Check Yo Self" and "Wicked". "Check Yo Self" on the album includes an appearance from Das EFX but when the song was released as a single, it heavily sampled Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" and earned lots of radio and MTV play. The song certainly got a boost from the old school resurgence that was happening at the time and it also further popularized the trend.

The songs "It Was A Good Day" and "Check Yo Self" were also used in the videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 Bonus Tracks - 2003 Re-release 2 Partial list of Samples 3 Album singles 4 Album Chart Positions 5 Singles Chart Positions

[edit] Track listing

1. "The First Day of School (Intro)" – 1:20
2. "When Will They Shoot?" – 4:36
3. "I'm Scared (Insert)" – 1:32
4. "Wicked" – 3:55
5. "Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha" – 4:03
6. "The Predator" – 4:03
7. "It Was A Good Day" – 4:19
8. "We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up" – 4:23
9. "Fuck 'Em [Insert]" – 2:02
10. "Dirty Mack" – 4:34
11. "Don't Trust 'Em" – 4:06
12. "Gangsta's Fairytale, Pt. 2" – 3:19
13. "Check Your Self (Message Remix) (feat. Das EFX)" – 3:42
14. "Who Got the Camera?" – 4:37
15. "Integration (Insert)" – 2:32
16. "Say Hi to the Bad Guy" – 3:19

[edit] Bonus Tracks - 2003 Re-release

1. "Check Yo Self (The Message Remix)" - 3.54
2. "It Was A Good Day (Remix)" - 4.28
3. "24 Wit An L" - 3.25
4. "U Aint Gonna Take My Life" - 4.09

[edit] Partial list of Samples

The following lists some of the songs and sounds sampled on The Predator.

The First Day of School (Intro)

• Contains a sample from the motion picture "American Me"

When Will They Shoot?

• "Oh Honey" by Delegation
• "No Vaseline" by Ice Cube
• "We Will Rock You" by Queen
• "Treat Her Like a Prostitute" by Slick Rick
• "Take Me to the Mardis Gras" by Bob James
• "Grand Verbalizer, What Time is It" by X-Clan
• "Giggin' Down 103rd" by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band

Wicked

• "Looseys" by Das EFX
• "Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players
• "You Can Make It If You Try" by Sly & The Family Stone
• "Can't Truss It", & "Welcome to the Terrordome" by Public Enemy

Now I Gotta Wet'Cha

• "Get Out of My Life, Woman" by Solomon Burke
• "Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)" by Parliament
• Song playing during the intro is "Guerillas in tha Mist" by Da Lench Mob

The Predator

• "East Coast" by Das EFX
• "Superman Lover" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson

It Was a Good Day

• "Let's Do It Again" by Staple Singers
• "Come On Sexy Mama" by The Moments
• "Footsteps In the Dark" by The Isley Brothers
• "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention- B3M)" by Parliament

We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up

• "The Funeral" by Ice Cube
• "Get Down" by Gene Russel
• "Subway Inn" by Duke Jordan
• "Blind Alley" by The Emotions

Dirty Mack

• "Aqua Boogie", "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)", & "Unfunky UFO" by Parliament

Don't Trust 'Em"

• Scarface
• "Poison" by Bel Biv Devoe
• "A Bitch Iz A Bitch" by N.W.A
• "Green Earrings" by Steely Dan
• "Don't Believe the Hype" by Public Enemy

Gangsta's Fairytale Pt. 2

• "Distant" by A Taste of Honey
• "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" by Parliament
• "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers
• "Sing A Simple Song" by Sly & The Family Stone

Check Yo Self

• "Mustang Sally" by Wilson Pickett
• "The New Style" by The Beastie Boys
• "Memphis Underground" by Herbie Mann

Who Got the Camera?

• "All We Need is Another Chance" by The Escorts
• "Just a Friendly Game of Baseball" by Main Source
• "I Gotta Thang, You Gotta Thang, Everybody Gotta Thang" by Funkadelic

Say Hi to the Bad Guy

• "P-Funk" by Parliament
• "I Ain't Got Nobody" by Sly Stone

[edit] Album singles

Single cover	Single information
	"Wicked" Released: December 9, 1992 B-side: "U Ain't Gonna Take My Life"
	"It Was A Good Day" Released: February 23, 1993 B-side:
	"Check Yo Self" ["The Message" Remix Version] Released: 1993 B-side: "It Was A Good Day (Remix)", "24 With A L"

[edit] Album Chart Positions

Year	Album	Chart positions
		Billboard 200	Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1992	The Predator	#2	#1

[edit] Singles Chart Positions

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles	Rhythmic Top 40	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1992	"Wicked"	#55	#31	#1	-	#31
1993	"Check Yo Self"	#20	#1	#1	#18	#1
1993	"It Was A Good Day"	#15	#7	#1	#13	-