The Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, on November 17, 1992, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film. Though not Ice Cube's most critically successful album, The Predator is his most commercially successful, reaching 2x platinum status in the United States, also containing his most successful single, "It Was a Good Day." The Predator is his only number one album on the Billboard 200 to date, selling 193,000 copies in its first week. As of 2008, it has sold over two million copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Overview
In the opening song, "When Will They Shoot," Ice Cube addressed criticisms of anti-Semitism he received for his last effort, Death Certificate: Elsewhere "We Had to Tear This Mothafucka Up" is directed at the LA Police officers acquitted in the Rodney King trial, an event that ignited the 1992 LA Riots. The similarly themed "Who Got the Camera?" imagines a scenario in which a black man is subjected to police brutality. The songs are broken up by interludes involving interviews with Ice Cube and what appears to be a debate between members of a congregation or talk-show audience. "Now I Gotta Wet’cha" is the source of the popular phrase "It’s on like Donkey Kong." Since the song's release, the quote has been used in sports, commercials, movies, and television with a huge surge in usage from the years 2000 through 2005. In 2010, Nintendo trademarked the phrase in order to promote the Wii gameDonkey Kong Country Returns.
Critical reception
Although not as lauded as his previous efforts, The Predator was well received. Entertainment Weekly called it "Ice Cube's strongest, most cohesive work yet". Spin called it a record that "demands to be heard". Q included it in its "90 Best Albums of the 1990s". It spawned three hit singles: "It Was a Good Day," which was a hit in March 1993; "Check Yo Self"; and "Wicked". Both the album and single version of "Check Yo Self" include an appearance from Das EFX, with the latter's single featuring a remix utilizing a sample of Grandmaster Flash's "The Message". The song also received continuous radio and MTV play.
Commercial performance
The Predator debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with sales of 193,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified platinum on January 7, 1993 and 2x platinum in late 2001, making it Ice Cube's best-selling album to date.
Legacy
The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In a 2014 interview with rapper and producer Q-Tip, actor Leonardo DiCaprio expresses his admiration for The Predator. He stated that the album was the "magnum opus of solo career" and it was a "voice for the angry and unheard during the 90s".
Track listing
Charts
Chart positions
Year-end charts
Singles
Certifications
Use in media
In the comedy series Fresh Off the Boat, 11-year old Eddie Huang tries to impress his neighbor and babysitter Nichole with a copy of The Predator featuring a huge Parental Advisory label. She decides to keep his copy after listening to it babysitting him and they end up bonding over it. The song "It Was a Good Day" made an appearance in the video gameThe Last of UsPart II.
