Does Ice Cube Write Their Own Music? Songwriting Credits & Scores

By the Numbers

10

Studio Albums

168

Tracks Credited

98%

Self-Written

40

Years Active

232

Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 164 / 168 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 168 tracks: how many Ice Cube wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Ice Cube has a writing credit98%

14%

83%

2%

Sole author24tracks14%

Co-written140tracks83%

Outside writers4tracks2%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Ice Cube's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 168 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)98%

Composer (music)48%

Producer32%

Performer97%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Ice Cube's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 98%

100%

94%

100%

94%

100%

1990AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

1991Death Certificate

1992The Predator

1993Lethal Injection

1998War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc)

2000War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc)

2006Laugh Now, Cry Later

2008Raw Footage

2010I Am the West

2018Everythang's Corrupt

Early · 100% written

Mid · 96% written

Late · 97% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

99%

1990s

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Death Certificate +3 more

96%

2000s

War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc), Laugh Now, Cry Later +1 more

97%

2010s

I Am the West, Everythang's Corrupt

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Ice Cube sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Ice Cube

Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Metro Boomin0%

EXO8%

Kylie Minogue46%

TLC59%

Destiny's Child69%

Guns N' Roses78%

Dr. Dre89%

98%Ice Cube

Pure Performer0%

Songwriter~50%

Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Steady Mobbin'

Death Certificate

Written by Ice Cube, Boogiemen, O'Shea Jackson

Co-wrote

True to the Game

Death Certificate

Written by Ice Cube, Sir Jinx, O'Shea Jackson

Co-wrote

It Was a Good Day

The Predator

Written by Ice Cube, O'Shea Jackson

Wrote it

Check Yo Self

The Predator

Written by Ice Cube, O'Shea Jackson

Wrote it

Wicked

The Predator

Written by Ice Cube, Don Jagwarr, O'Shea Jackson, Torcha Chamba

Co-wrote

You Know How We Do It

Lethal Injection

Written by Ice Cube, Dexter Wansel, O'Shea Jackson, Quincy Jones III, Theodore Life

Co-wrote

Bop Gun (One Nation)

Lethal Injection

Written by Ice Cube, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Garry Shider, O'Shea Jackson, Junie Morrison, Quincy Jones III

Co-wrote

Pushin' Weight

War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc)

Written by Ice Cube, Joseph Johnson, Lionel Hunt, N.O. Joe

Co-wrote

You Can Do It

War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc)

Written by Ice Cube, Mack 10, Donald Saunders, Arthur Baker, Afrika Bambaataa, John Robie, One Eye

Co-wrote

Hello

War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc)

Written by Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, Andre Romelle Young

Lench Mob Records / Interscope Records

16 tracks

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Ice Cube168 tracks

SJ31 TB13 HP11 B10 B6 W6

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. SJ Sir Jinx · TB The Bomb Squad · HP Hallway Productionz · B Boogiemen · B Bud'da · W WC

The Writers & Producers Behind Ice Cube 6 key collaborators

SJ

Sir Jinx

Producer & Songwriter

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted / Death Certificate / The Predator / Lethal Injection31 tracks

TB

The Bomb Squad

Songwriter & Producer

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted13 tracks

HP

Hallway Productionz

Producer & Songwriter

Laugh Now, Cry Later / Raw Footage / I Am the West / Everythang's Corrupt11 tracks

B

Boogiemen

Songwriter & Producer

Death Certificate10 tracks

B

Bud'da

Songwriter & Producer

War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc) / War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc) / Laugh Now, Cry Later6 tracks

W

WC

Songwriter & Performer

Laugh Now, Cry Later / Raw Footage / I Am the West6 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Ice Cube is a complete lyricist across all ten studio albums, with every rap verse on every track being his own writing. His authorship split is nearly identical throughout his career: sole lyricist, zero composer credit (production outsourced entirely to beat-makers), and occasional co-producer credit on early albums when he took a hands-on role in the studio. The Bomb Squad handled AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted; Sir Jinx and the Boogiemen produced Death Certificate; later albums brought in DJ Pooh (The Predator), QDIII (Lethal Injection), and Scott Storch and Swizz Beatz (Laugh Now, Cry Later). Guest rappers like Chuck D, Yo-Yo, Dr. Dre, and MC Ren contribute their own verses where credited. His lyricist score is effectively 100%.

Quick Facts

N.W.AWas N.W.A's lead rapper and main writer, ghostwriting much of Straight Outta Compton
The PredatorHis 1992 album sold over three million copies in the US
Rock HallInducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with N.W.A in 2016
Grammy honorReceived the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024
FilmmakerCo-wrote and starred in Friday (1995) and built a major acting and producing career

Creative Fingerprint

A complete lyricist: Ice Cube is credited on about 98% of his catalogue, writing every rap verse himself, always sharing credit with the producers who supply the beats.

The Story

O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is a rapper, actor, and filmmaker from South Central Los Angeles. He began his career writing rhymes for N.W.A, contributing lyrics to Straight Outta Compton (1988) before departing the group in 1989 following a financial dispute with manager Jerry Heller. His debut solo album AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990), recorded in New York with Public Enemy's Bomb Squad, established him as one of rap's sharpest political voices. The Predator (1992) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 within days of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, making it one of the fastest-selling rap albums in history. Across ten studio albums spanning 1990 to 2018, Ice Cube has written every lyric himself while working with a rotating roster of producers including Sir Jinx, DJ Pooh, The Bomb Squad, DJ Muggs, Scott Storch, Swizz Beatz, and Hallway Productionz. He extended his career into film with Boyz n the Hood (1991), the Friday franchise (1995, which he also co-wrote), Barbershop (2002), and Are We There Yet? (2005).

Awards & Recognition

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with N.W.A in 2016

Received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024

The Predator (1992) sold over three million copies in the US

One of the most influential figures in West Coast and political hip-hop

Frequently Asked Questions Ice Cube

Does Ice Cube write his own raps?

Yes. Ice Cube is credited on about 98% of his catalogue and writes every verse himself. He is never the only name on a track because his producers share the composer credit for the beats. Songs like 'It Was a Good Day,' 'Check Yo Self,' and 'No Vaseline' are all his own words.

Was Ice Cube in N.W.A?

Yes, and he was central to it. Ice Cube was N.W.A's lead rapper and main writer, ghostwriting much of the landmark album Straight Outta Compton (1989). He left the group in a contract dispute and launched a hugely successful solo career.

Who wrote 'It Was a Good Day'?

'It Was a Good Day,' from The Predator (1992), was written by Ice Cube over a beat built on an Isley Brothers sample. Its laid-back tone contrasted with his harder material and became his most famous song.

What is 'No Vaseline' about?

'No Vaseline,' from Death Certificate (1991), is Ice Cube's diss track aimed at his former N.W.A bandmates and their manager after he left the group. He wrote it himself, and it is considered one of the most brutal diss records in rap history.

Is Ice Cube an actor?

Yes, a major one. He debuted in Boyz n the Hood (1991), then co-wrote and starred in Friday (1995), which became a franchise. He built a substantial career as an actor, screenwriter, and producer alongside his music.

How many albums has Ice Cube released?

This catalogue covers ten studio albums, from AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) through Everythang's Corrupt (2018), spanning his solo run after leaving N.W.A.

Has Ice Cube won major awards?

Yes. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with N.W.A in 2016 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, recognising his impact on hip-hop.

What genre is Ice Cube?

Ice Cube makes hip-hop, gangsta rap, and West Coast hip-hop, known for confrontational, politically charged lyrics on albums like AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and Death Certificate.

Sources

Wikipedia: Ice Cube