ICE CUBE 'DEATH CERTIFICATE' ALBUM LYRICS:

 
'DEATH CERTIFICATE' ALBUM INFO:
Death Certificate was the second solo album from Ice Cube (third if 'Kill At Will' is counted), released on November 5, 1991. Comprised of two sides, The "Death Side" was a critique on the current state of the black community in America, while The "Life Side" which followed it was an instruction on the direction needed to pull the black community out of the violence and economic ruin that ice cube depictes on the Death side. The album cover has lead to some mockery because Ice Cube is meant to have his hand on his heart, but instead his hadn is on the right side of his chest.

The album gained critical acclaim and controversy in equal amounts for such powerful and evocative songs as "Horny Lil Devil," a savage attack on interracial relationships between White Males and African-American females, and "Black Korea," a racist indictment of the growing trend of Korean and Asian store owners in Black neighborhoods. Perhaps the album's most insightful track, "Us," explains Ice Cube's stance on what the African-American race must do to reach the "Life Side." The album is also famous for the bonus track "No Vaseline," a vicious "diss track" aimed at Ice Cube's former N.W.A bandmates, most notably Dr Dre.

Due to fear that laws against racial incitement in Europe could see the album banned, the European release deleted the tracks Black Korea and No Vaseline. In 2003, Priority Records re-released Death Certificate with one bonus track, "How to Survive in South Central", originally appearing on the 'Boyz N the Hood' soundtrack. The album spawned the chart single and music video Steady Mobbin'.

As a result of the controversy over Death Certificate, in 1992 the state of Oregon declared any display of Ice Cube's image in retail stores throughout the state illegal. This ban also included advertisements for St. Ides Malt Liquor, which Ice Cube endorsed at the time. Also the word "Jew" was censored out on the album in certain versions including the explicit versions of the album itself.

The album at the time was Ice Cube's most successful hitting #2 in the USA Billboard 200 chart, and grabbing #1 in the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and been certified as platinum shortly after. The album has also since been voted at #17 on the 'Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop albums' as voted for by the British Public (click here to see the list).

In the September 2006 issue of FHM, Ice Cube stated in an interview that he did not regret the controversial statements made on the album, and regarding the offence caused to Koreans, he said, "If there's still a problem, it's their problem."