Why We Thugs

Ice Cube, Crazy Toones

About Why We Thugs

"Why We Thugs" is the first single on Ice Cube's seventh album Laugh Now, Cry Later. It was released in 2006 and the music video has a cameo appearance by comedian Mike Epps. The song makes references to George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, Russell Simmons, The Sugarhill Gang and Ice Cube's 1991 big screen debut.


Year:
2006
4:01
280 
#2

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Yeah
Every hood's the same,
Every hood's the same,
C'mon

[Chorus]
The give us guns and drugs,
They wonder why we f*ck wit thugs,
They want to count the slugs,
Ain't come around here and f*ck wit us,
The give us guns and drugs,
They wonder why we f*ck wit thugs,
They want to count the slugs,
Ain't come around here and f*ck wit us,

I'm from the man wit the gang-bang,
Since I was little ain't a god damn thing changed,
Its the same old same,
On some bad shit like Saddam Hussein,
Cock and aim, clinically insane,
To deal wit dis bullshit day-to-day
If I sell some yey, smoke some hay,
You bitches wanna throw me in Helekin's bay
Call me an animal up in the system,
But who's the animal who built this prison,
Who's the animal who invented lord-livin',
The projects?, thank god for Russel Simmons,
Thank god for sugar hill,
I'm puttin' a different type of steel up to my grill,
Yall know what it is, here for ya home kids,
How these lil' niggas takin' over show-biz,

[Chorus]

There's boys in the hood, there's boys in the hood,
Ya'll wanna know why there's noise in tha hood,
Cause there's guns in the hood, drugs in the hood,
Nigga killed the blood and the crips in the hood,
Cause when niggas get tried, survivable, nobody liable,
I got caught by 5-0, grandmama came to court wit her bible,
But when the judge hit the gavel, too far from my family to travel,
I just came unraveled, came to the d.a. before I got daffeled,
State my c.a., state property, just like the kid 15-53,
Lookin' for me, a one-way ticket out,
Don't know whats so hard to figure out,

[Chorus]

Damn, I can't take the pressure, pulled the fo-fo out the dresser
Grabbed away, out the closet, popo comin' but I'm scare to toss it,
Ya'll know what happened last time I lossed it,
Can't tell you niggas what the fuckin' boss did,
G-game got the brother exauhsted, gotta go for the the big bargain they off it
Twenty yea's fo' what, these laws are so corrupt,
Takin' these halls and fill them up, some politicin' shit they bout to erupt,
This shit is horrible stuff, until the year two thousand-what the f*ck,
In the hood don't press ya luck, cause these motherfuckers will set you up,
Word up

[Chorus: x2]

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Ice Cube

O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director. He began his career as a member of the hip hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A (Niggas With Attitudes). After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer, director, actor and producer in cinema. Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS series Are We There Yet?, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the lead character. more »

5 fans

Written by: SCOTT STORCH

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Artist Background
Ice Cube, born O'Shea Jackson Sr., is an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. He first gained fame as a member of the hip-hop group N.W.A and later pursued a solo career.
Song Information
"Why We Thugs" is a single from Ice Cube's seventh studio album, "Laugh Now, Cry Later".
Album Success
"Laugh Now, Cry Later" was Ice Cube's most successful album in several years, reaching number four on the Billboard 200 charts.
Produced by
"Why We Thugs" was produced by Scott Storch, a prominent American record producer.
Song Theme
The song discusses socio-economic problems in the African American community, particularly related to drugs and violence.
Music Video
The music video for "Why We Thugs" was directed by Bryan Barber, a Grammy Award-winning music video and film director.
Chart Position
"Why We Thugs" reached number 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Samples Used
The song contains samples of "It's a New Day" by James Brown and "Hard Times" by Curtis Mayfield.
Critical Reception
The song received positive reviews from critics. It was praised for its hard-hitting lyrics and Ice Cube's delivery.
Social Commentary
"Why We Thugs" exemplifies Cube's well-known rhetoric of social commentary, with lyrics that call attention to issues of systemic racism and violence.
Global Impact
While being a US rapper, Ice Cube's song "Why We Thugs" enjoys a large international audience, representing the global appeal of his music.
Usage of Explicit Language
Like much of Ice Cube's work, "Why We Thugs" includes explicit language, continuing his tradition of expressing raw and uncompromising views on society.
Controversy
The song’s controversial themes caused some public debate, reflecting society's mixed reactions to the underlying problems it highlights.

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    Why We Thugs

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2006

    Billboard #92


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