Kill at Will

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Kill at Will
Kill at Will cover
EP by Ice Cube
Released December, 1990
Recorded 1990
Genre Conscious rap, Gangsta Rap, Political hip hop
Length 21:55
Label Priority
Producer(s) Ice Cube, The Bomb Squad
Professional reviews
Ice Cube chronology
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
(1990)		 Kill at Will
(1990)		 Death Certificate
(1991)


Kill at Will is a seven track EP, released by Ice Cube in 1990. It was released soon after AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, and capitalised off Cube's newfound solo success. The EP quickly shipped Gold in sales, a first for a hip hop EP, and a year later, had sold over a million copies. It featured a remix of "Endangered Species", featuring a brand new verse from Public Enemy's Chuck D. The EP is considered to be one of Ice Cube's best works by his fans, and original vinyl pressings are still highly sought after.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Kill at Will contains two of Ice Cube's most famous tracks, the rambunctious "Jackin' for Beats", and the soulful ode "Dead Homiez". "Dead Homiez" was Cube's second solo single/music video. The song deals with the violence, death, and social problems of the inner city ghettos and is essentially a dedication to all those killed through urban violence. The song was praised later on by countless rap artists and critics, and is one of the first hip hop songs to deal with the pain and loss suffered specifically by the families of black men lost to black on black violence.

"Jackin' for Beats", likewise, began the popular trend of an MC rapping over the various instrumentals of popular beats, which rotate during the course of one song. Virginia-based rapper Skillz is an exponient of this type of song.

This gesture is usually done in good faith, however an MC may occasionally use another MCs beat to "diss" him or her, as did Jay-Z did by snatching Nas' beat for "Got Ur Self A..." for the song "Supa Ugly", during their battle of 2001.

The EP was remastered and added to the re-release of the AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted album in 2003.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside) (Remix)"
  2. "Jackin' for Beats"
  3. "Get off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here (Remix)"
  4. "The Product"
  5. "Dead Homiez"
  6. "JD’s Gaffilin’ (Part 2)"
  7. "I Gotta Say What Up!!!"

[edit] Partial list of samples

Endangered Species (Tales from the Darkside) (Remix)

The Product

I Gotta Say What Up!!!

[edit] Album singles

Single cover Single information
"Endangered Species (Tales From The Darkside)"
  • Released: 1990
  • B-side:

[edit] Album Chart Positions

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1991 Kill At Will #34 #5
 v • d • e Ice Cube
Discography
Albums
Solo albums & EPs: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted • Kill at Will • Death Certificate • The Predator • Lethal Injection • War & Peace - Vol. 1 • War & Peace - Vol. 2 • Laugh Now, Cry Later
Compilation albums: Bootlegs & B-Sides • Featuring... Ice Cube • Greatest Hits
N.W.A. albums: N.W.A. and the Posse • Straight Outta Compton
Westside Connection albums: Bow Down • Terrorist Threats
Singles
Mainstream singles: "Who's The Mack?" • "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" • "Wicked" • "It Was a Good Day" • "Check Yo Self" • "Really Doe" • "You Know How We Do It" • "Bop Gun (One Nation)" • "What Can I Do?" • "The World Is Mine" • "We Be Clubbin'" • "Pushin' Weight" • "Fuck Dyin'" • "Hello" • "You Can Do It" • "Until We Rich" • "$100 Bill Y'all" • "Chrome and Paint" • "Why We Thugs" • "Go to Church"
Featured songs: "Straight Outta Compton" • "Fuck Tha Police" • "Gangsta Gangsta" • "Hand Of The Dead Body" • "Natural Born Killaz" • "Bow Down" • "Gangstas Make The World Go Round" • "Chin Check" • "Let it Reign" • "It's the Holidaze"
Related articles
Ruthless • Priority • Lench Mob • Virgin Records • N.W.A. (Arabian Prince • DJ Yella • Dr. Dre • Easy-E • Krazy Dee • MC Ren • The D.O.C.) • Westside Connection
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