Ice Cube, is back with the first single and video from his upcoming album Man Up, due for release on September 12. The new track, “Before Hip Hop,” drops today and marks Cube’s first release since last year’s critically acclaimed, chart-topping album, Man Down. The single, a must-listen for all hip-hop enthusiasts, is readily available on all major streaming platforms via Lench Mob Records/Hitmaker Distribution. Gabriel Hart, a/k/a Video GOD, directed the video

 

 

With his signature fire and fearless commentary, Cube aims to dispel the misinformed narrative that blames hip hop for the world’s problems. The single, a powerful tool in correcting these misconceptions, lays bare the real history of systemic injustice and violence that long predates the genre.

Cube states, “It’s easy and lazy to look at what’s going on in a lot of communities and blame hip hop for everything. But the reality is the violence, pain, and broken systems were already here,” says Ice Cube. “‘Before Hip Hop’ is calling out the revisionist, showing how crime and injustice existed long before hip hop music. We didn’t cause it — we just called it.”

“Before Hip Hop” serves as both a warning shot and a wake-up call, setting the tone for Man Up, Cube’s most unflinching project to date.