The Art of Storytelling: It Was A Good Day

🎶Just wakin' up in the mornin', gotta thank God

I don't know, but today seems kinda odd🎶

There is absolutely no way you could hear these classic opening lines from Ice Cube’s layback groove known as “It Was A Good Day” and not be having a good day. This West Coast Hip Hop classic is not only one of the greatest Hip Hop songs ever, but also a true display of the art of storytelling.

By mid-1992 Los Angeles, California was a smoldering war zone. The aftermath of the LA Riots was still being felt and West Coast rap superstar Ice Cube was completing his third solo album, The Predator. The album was riddled with Cube’s signature commentary on social, political and racial issues plaguing the Black community. At the same time Ice Cube wanted to make a song that reflected the good things taking place in his life and the world around him at the time. Following his aggressive first single off The Predator titled “Wicked” Ice Cube’s second single was the smooth and more laid back “It Was A Good Day”.

🎶 No barkin' from the dog, no smog

And mama cooked the breakfast with no hog

I got my grub on, but didn't pig out

Finally got a call from a girl I wanna dig out

Hooked it up for later as I hit the door

Thinkin', "Will I live another 24?"🎶

“It Was A Good Day” chronicles Ice Cube’s perfect day in His hometown of South Central, Los Angeles. The story starts off with Cube waking up to a smogless Los Angeles morning. The neighborhood dog isn’t barking and his mother has cooked a hearty porkless breakfast (a reference to Cube’s then recent affiliation with the Nation Of Islam). As the morning progresses Cube hits the town in his car and is surprised to find his drive void of harassment by gang members. After getting a page from a girl who wants to link up he meets with his friends for a good game of basketball. The enjoyable start of the day is one Cube can’t believe.

🎶Drove to the pad and hit the showers

Didn't even get no static from the cowards

'Cause just yesterday them fools tried to blast me

Saw the police and they rolled right past me

No flexin', didn't even look in a brother's direction as I ran the intersection

Went to Short Dog's house, they was watchin' Yo! MTV Raps

What's the haps on the craps?

Shake 'em up, shake 'em up, shake 'em up, shake 'em

Roll 'em in a circle of homies and watch me break 'em with the seven

7-11, 7-11, seven, even back door Little Joe

I picked up the cash flow

Then we played bones, and I'm yellin', "Domino"

Plus, nobody I know got killed in South Central L.A.

Today was a good day🎶

Cube eventually meets up with a group of friends and plays a game of craps and dominoes with them, beating out the crew for a good amount of money. Amidst the fun with his friends he also realizes that he also any of them to community violence and is very grateful.

🎶Left my homie's house paid (word)

Picked up a girl been tryna dig since the 12th grade

It's ironic, I had the brew, she had the chronic

The Lakers beat the Supersonics

Felt on the big fat fanny

Pulled out the jammy and killed the punani

And my jimmy runs deep, so deep

So deep put her butt to sleep

Woke her up around one

She didn't hesitate to call Ice Cube the top gun

Drove her to the pad and I'm coastin'

Took another sip of the potion, hit the three-wheel motion

I was glad everything had worked out

Dropped her butt off and then chirped out

Today was like one of those fly dreams

Didn't even see a berry flashin' those high beams🎶

Now the third verse is where the day gets a little more colorful. So later that evening Cube meets up with a high school crush for a booty call aka a sex fling. Leading up to their sexscapade they have a smoke and a drink and they watch Cube’s favorite basketball team, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Seattle Sonics in an NBA showdown. When the fling ends Cube’s lady friend acknowledges him as the “Top Gun”. As the night concludes Cube gets some drive thru and makes note of the unbelievably peaceful day he has had. He makes note of no helicopters looking for a murder and even sees the notorious Good Year Blimp, which just so happens to say “Ice Cube’s A Pimp”.

Cube even manages to drive home drunk without getting stopped by the cops or even throwing up. As the night ends he makes note of not having to use the AK that he’s notorious for mentioning in his songs, certifying that it was truly a good day.

This whole song was perfectly crafted in its storytelling because you could not only picture what Cube was painting with his words, but you could also feel the good spirit in Cube’s lyrics. I think what really helps set the mood for this song is its sample of the Soul classic song “Footsteps In The Dark” by the Isley Brothers. There is absolutely no way you could not feel good when hearing this sample on the beat. Over 30 years later this song is still one of the greatest Hip Hop classics ever.

“It Was A Good Day” has become Ice Cube’s signature song on his most successful album to date. The song elevated him as an artist, inspired every age of listeners who came before and after it’s release and has even become a popular meme in the age of social media. The direction of its music video even laid the groundwork for the first film Cube ever wrote, Friday (1995), which was also directed by “It Was A Good Day” music video director F. Gary Gray. “It Was A Good Day” will not only be forever known as a Hip Hop classic, but a song that embodies the art of storytelling.

🎶No helicopter lookin' for the murder

Two in the morning, got the Fatburger

Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp

And it read "Ice Cube's a Pimp"

Drunk as hell but no throwin' up

Halfway home and my pager still blowin' up

Today I didn't even have to use my AK

I gotta say it was a good day🎶