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Check Yo Self
Hip-Hop · 1993

Check Yo Self

Ice Cube

A cautionary street anthem built on a legendary Grandmaster Flash bassline. Cube’s authoritative baritone meets the playful, stuttering flows of Das EFX.

1993 · Liberation Records

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Check Yo Self represents a pivotal moment where West Coast gangsta rap fully embraced the sonic textures of the East Coast. The remix, produced by DJ Muggs, strips away the denser P-Funk influences of Cube's earlier work in favor of a lean, mean, and incredibly catchy interpolation of Grandmaster Flash's The Message. It sounds like the concrete of South Central meeting the grit of New York, creating a crossover hit that doesn't sacrifice an ounce of street credibility.

Moments Worth Listening For
the transition from ice cube's stern delivery to the playful stuttering iggity flow of das efx
the iconic the message bassline dropping in on the remix version to ground the street narrative
the specific sound of the prison door slamming at the end of the narrative arc
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Check Yo Self sound next to the rest of Ice Cube's catalogue?

Storytelling+1.4σ

The writing leans notably further into storytelling than the rest of the catalogue.

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