Legendary Los Angeles hip hop artist Ice Cube has thrown his hat back into the political arena with his new track “Arrest The President,” that was released today. As the track implies; the song’s straightforward lyrics criticize and call for the arrest of current United States President Donald Trump, accusing him of treason.
In addition to the track’s criticism of Trump, the song also makes numerous pop culture references to people like Rick Ross, and the classic Christmas film Home Alone. Lyrics include “Did you know the new white was orange?” and makes reference to the allegations that the president is financially tied with Russian oligarchs and current Russian president Vladimir Putin.
On the production side, the track’s beat holds an old school hip hop flavor with a steady bass line and a hard hitting piano beat. This style can be considered a throwback to the original west coast material that made the rapper famous during his peak in the early 1990s.
The rapper is currently in the process of recording further material for this year, including a new album entitled Everythang’s Corrupt. This album is expected to be released via Interscope records on December 7/.
“Arrest The President,” is also not the first time the entertainer has gone after Trump, back in 2017 the rapper mocked the president in an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Trump has come under fire from numerous people in the hip hop world since the announcement of his candidacy for president in 2015. This includes the notorious “FDT,” by fellow Los Angeles hip hop artists Nipsey Hussle and YG in 2016, and Trump being the subject of an Eminem diss track for BET back in 2017.
Everythang’s Corrupt will be the rapper’s first studio LP in over 8 years, since the release of I Am The West in 2010. While the sound of the hip hop scene in Los Angeles has developed throughout the years, Ice Cube chooses to retain a sound that is authentic to his artistry.
“At a certain point, you gotta do what you do, you can’t chase the trends,” Ice Cube explained in an interview with The Breakfast Club. “As a true artist, you have to just do what you do you should always do your art and be happy with it regardless.”
According to Ice Cube, being true to oneself is more important than trying to remain at the top of the charts. He retains the idea that his music is made for a particular audience, those who have followed him since his early beginnings.
“As rappers, we have to get into the studio and create, we can’t worry about who’s liking this or following that,” Ice Cube further elaborated . “You have a core set of fans that rock with you regardless and that’s who I am making my music for, the hardcore Ice Cube fans that have been rocking with me and keep me out here.”
Photo Credit: Richard Saethang