A seasoned veteran of Hip Hop, Ice Cube has been in the game since 1986. Approaching 40 years since he started with his first group, C.I.A. (Cru’ in Action), before joining N.W.A. with Dr. Dre and the late Eazy-E in 1987, he has built a legacy.
Writing landmark tracks like “Boyz-n-the-Hood” and contributing heavily to “Straight Outta Compton,” outside N.W.A., he launched a solo career in 1990, making a significant impact with his debut album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, which cemented his reputation as a politically charged lyricist. The 90s–2000s saw one strong effort after another, including 1991’s Death Certificate, 1992’s The Predator, 1993’s Lethal Injection, while Ice Cube also began a film career with 1991’s Boyz n the Hood. Finally, in 2016, Ice Cube was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A., cementing his status as one of the best to pick up a microphone.
Sustaining his legacy as a screenwriter and actor, as a Hip Hop artist, Ice Cube has also kept busy, especially in recent years. Following the powerful Man Down in 2024, he then released the direct follow-up, Man Up, digitally on September 12, 2025. Companions to each other, the albums fit nicely together with strong lyrical attacks that are topical and thought-provoking. Released through Lench Mob Records, Man Up is Ice Cube’s twelfth overall solo album, also coming to CD and Vinyl on December 19, 2025, and it packs a punch. Featuring 14 tracks, “Man Power” gets us started with a sound bite of Scarface’s Tony Montana, and we are off to the races with Cube’s trademark driving beat. This track talks of having power and confronting those who wield it. Then you have “What You Gonna Do About It,” which talks about people who gripe, but do nothing about it. On the other hand, “Freedumb” rags on the AI craze, and its over-reliance on instead of coming up with original content, while “Guess What?” calls out posers, hypocrites.
From here, “Respect My Space” goes back to the head-bopping beat about being real; otherwise, you will be called out and erased/disowned. From here, “Before Hip-Hop” tweaks the hypocrisy theme a bit as it talks about everything people accuse Hip Hop of instigating was already going on, just Hip Hop took down people’s blinders, and “Act My Age” (with Scarface) comes face on at ageism in Hip Hop since the older OGs have got the experience.
The album keeps strong, moving forward with “Ratchet Ass Mouth,” which changes the beat a bit, talking about taking quality over body on one level and not getting out of people’s own way with their mouths getting in the way. Then, “California Dreamin’” brings in a jazzy disco beat where Cube reminisces about coming up. Also, who remembers 1991’s Jungle Fever? Well, “That Salt and Pepper” plays off that, but Cube-style with more disco flair.
As Ice Cube ages, he has let his more thoughtful side come through his hard exterior, and so it is with the cut “Bring Everybody.” Instead of turf wars and egos, Cube is saying to leave that door. The“It’s My Ego” (remix with Scarface and Quake Matthews) has a self-explanatory theme. Still, Ice Cube looks in the mirror at his past by naming his N.W.A. crew, including Easy-E., and calling out people’s infatuation with status. Finally, “All Work No Play” finishes the album with Ice Cube talking about how color does not make you anything, and if you are not striving, you are going nowhere, and about not being content to exist.
Altogether, Ice Cube has had a busy year starring in a new version of War of the Worlds exclusively on Amazon in July and Man Up, dropping in September. Both are worth watching and listening to. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Man Up 5 of 5 stars.
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