It’s time to put the rumors to rest, say Ice Cube and fellow rappers Mack 10 and WC — the death of West Coast gangsta rap has been greatly exaggerated.
In fact, the three are counting on “Terrorist Threats,” their latest collaboration as Westside Connection, to dismiss any doubts.
“People are looking for more substance in the music, but just anybody can’t give it to them,” Ice Cube told the Los Angeles Times in Saturday’s edition. “That’s why I like this Westside Connection record ... it’s still intelligent to a point where it’s provoking new thoughts and new ideas.”
Ice Cube says the album, scheduled for release Tuesday, will show gangsta rap remains a viable genre on the West Coast, where it has all but disappeared in recent years as other rappers moved away from the style.
With songs berating rappers who show their sensitive side, lamenting the correlation between violence and hip hop, and encouraging fans to believe in themselves, the trio is hoping to change that.
“If the Westside Connection record is successful, it makes the West Coast visible once again,” Mack 10 said.