It Was a Good Day
Encyclopedia
"It Was a Good Day" is a 1993 hit single by American gangsta rap
per Ice Cube
from his third solo album, The Predator
. It is the second single from the album and it peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was also a hit in the UK Charts
, peaking at number 27. It was ranked as the 81st-greatest rap song of all time by About.com
and number 77 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s. In 2008, it was ranked number 28 on VH1
's 100 greatest songs of hip hop. The song was featured on the Radio Los Santos radio station in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
. The sample used in the song is from the Isley Brothers' track "Footsteps in the Dark
".
Ice Cube initially went into the studio with a sample of the Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark
" and DJ Pooh
enhanced the production with bass and vocals. The song has been re-released multiple times, including on Ice Cube's Greatest Hits
album, on the highly successful and controversial videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, playing on West Coast hip hop radio station Radio Los Santos.
A remixed version, sampling "Let's Do It Again!" by The Staple Singers
, appeared on his Bootlegs & B-Sides
as well as The N.W.A. Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988-1999.
Los Angeles. Throughout the song he enjoys playing basketball, having sex
, smoking marijuana (significantly, the song is 4:20
in length), getting drunk, going to his friend Short Dog
's house to watch Yo! MTV Raps
and later win at Craps
and Bones
, eating fast food at 2 am, and cruising the streets of South Central undisturbed. He even sees the lights on the Goodyear blimp
, which Ice Cube says reads "Ice Cube's a Pimp". The song samples multiple songs, including the Isley Brothers' "Footsteps in the Dark" and "Come on Sexy Mama" by The Moments
.
The song received generally very positive reviews from critics. Blender
magazine writer, Michael Odel, stated it contained a "chilled-out, feel-good vibe" Allmusic's Jason Birchmeier noted that even though it was The Predator
s "most laid-back moment, [It] emits a quiet sense of violent anxiety." and went on to say "It's a truly beautiful moment, a career highlight for sure" Entertainment Weekly mention that he rapped over a "partly melancholy, partly swaggering beat [and] glories in good luck, South Central style". Vibe magazine described DJ Pooh's beat as a "smoothed-out production". It reached number 77 on VH1
's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's. It was included in About.com
's Top 100 Rap Songs, at number 81. In 2008, it was ranked number 28 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
, number 7 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and peaked at number 1 on the Hot Rap Singles. It also reached number 13 on the Rhythmic Top 40. It sold over 500,000 units and the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) certified it Gold
on June 1, 1993. It was also successful in the U.K., where it peaked at number 27 on single charts.
and was first aired during March 1993. Each scene follows and depicts the respective lyrics.
At the end of the accompanying music video, police are depicted surrounding Ice Cube's house in order to arrest him. It then states "To Be Continued", a segue to his next music video and single "Check Yo Self
," which was released the following August.
The shirt Cube was wearing in the video was the same one he later wore in the 1995 movie Friday
.
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
per Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
from his third solo album, The Predator
The Predator
The Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film...
. It is the second single from the album and it peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was also a hit in the UK Charts
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, peaking at number 27. It was ranked as the 81st-greatest rap song of all time by About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
and number 77 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s. In 2008, it was ranked number 28 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 greatest songs of hip hop. The song was featured on the Radio Los Santos radio station in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
. The sample used in the song is from the Isley Brothers' track "Footsteps in the Dark
Footsteps in the Dark
"Footsteps in the Dark" is a 1977 slow jam recorded by The Isley Brothers as an album track featured on the group's double-platinum album, Go For Your Guns. It was the B-side to "Groove with You", which reached #16 on the R&B singles chart...
".
Background
Ice Cube originally recorded a demo of the track in his home studio and went on to record the album version in Los Angeles at Echo Sound Studios during 1992, and it was one of the first ideas for the album sessions. Ice Cube commented on the concept behind the song stating,Ice Cube initially went into the studio with a sample of the Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark
Footsteps in the Dark
"Footsteps in the Dark" is a 1977 slow jam recorded by The Isley Brothers as an album track featured on the group's double-platinum album, Go For Your Guns. It was the B-side to "Groove with You", which reached #16 on the R&B singles chart...
" and DJ Pooh
DJ Pooh
DJ Pooh is an American record producer, rapper, screenwriter and film director.-Biography:...
enhanced the production with bass and vocals. The song has been re-released multiple times, including on Ice Cube's Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Ice Cube album)
Ice Cube - Greatest Hits is a compilation album released in 2001 compiling 17 songs by Ice Cube. Two songs were exclusive to the album, "$100 Bill Y'all" and "In the Late Night Hour".-Track listing:#"Pushin' Weight" Ice Cube - Greatest Hits is a compilation album released in 2001 compiling 17...
album, on the highly successful and controversial videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, playing on West Coast hip hop radio station Radio Los Santos.
A remixed version, sampling "Let's Do It Again!" by The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis...
, appeared on his Bootlegs & B-Sides
Bootlegs & B-Sides
Bootlegs & B-sides is a compilation album by Ice Cube, released on November 22, 1994.- Overview :Bootlegs & B-sides is a collection of b-sides and remixes compiled from various Ice Cube 12"s, originally recorded between 1992-1994. It includes the remix of the hit single "Check Yo Self", originally...
as well as The N.W.A. Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988-1999.
Music and reception
This is perhaps Ice Cube's most well-known song and his most successful. The song's music video and the lyrics itself tell the story of how Ice Cube has a good day in South CentralSouth Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
Los Angeles. Throughout the song he enjoys playing basketball, having sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
, smoking marijuana (significantly, the song is 4:20
420 (cannabis culture)
420, 4:20 or 4/20 refers to consumption of cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with cannabis subculture. The notable day for these is April 20.- Origins of terms :...
in length), getting drunk, going to his friend Short Dog
Da Lench Mob
Da Lench Mob was a West Coast hip hop group associated with Ice Cube. The group consisted of rappers J-Dee, Shorty, T-Bone and Maulkie.-History:The group made its debut on Ice Cube's first solo album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted...
's house to watch Yo! MTV Raps
Yo! MTV Raps
Yo! MTV Raps was a two-hour American television music video program, which ran from August 1988 to August 1995 through its original Yo! MTV Raps name and later by Yo! . The program was the first hip hop music show on the network, based on the original MTV Europe show, aired one year earlier. The U.S...
and later win at Craps
Craps
Craps is a dice game in which players place wagers on the outcome of the roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players may wager money against each other or a bank...
and Bones
Dominoes
Dominoes generally refers to the collective gaming pieces making up a domino set or to the subcategory of tile games played with domino pieces. In the area of mathematical tilings and polyominoes, the word domino often refers to any rectangle formed from joining two congruent squares edge to edge...
, eating fast food at 2 am, and cruising the streets of South Central undisturbed. He even sees the lights on the Goodyear blimp
Goodyear Blimp
The Goodyear Blimp is the collective name for a fleet of blimps operated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for advertising purposes and for use as a television camera platform for aerial views of sporting events...
, which Ice Cube says reads "Ice Cube's a Pimp". The song samples multiple songs, including the Isley Brothers' "Footsteps in the Dark" and "Come on Sexy Mama" by The Moments
Ray, Goodman & Brown
Ray, Goodman & Brown is an American R&B vocal group. The group originated as The Moments, who formed in the mid-1960s and whose greatest successes came in the 1970s with hits including "Love on a Two-Way Street", "Sexy Mama" and "Look at Me "...
.
The song received generally very positive reviews from critics. Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine writer, Michael Odel, stated it contained a "chilled-out, feel-good vibe" Allmusic's Jason Birchmeier noted that even though it was The Predator
The Predator
The Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film...
s "most laid-back moment, [It] emits a quiet sense of violent anxiety." and went on to say "It's a truly beautiful moment, a career highlight for sure" Entertainment Weekly mention that he rapped over a "partly melancholy, partly swaggering beat [and] glories in good luck, South Central style". Vibe magazine described DJ Pooh's beat as a "smoothed-out production". It reached number 77 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's. It was included in About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Top 100 Rap Songs, at number 81. In 2008, it was ranked number 28 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Chart performance
The song performed well in the United States, becoming Ice Cube's highest charting single up to date. It reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, number 7 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and peaked at number 1 on the Hot Rap Singles. It also reached number 13 on the Rhythmic Top 40. It sold over 500,000 units and the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) certified it Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
on June 1, 1993. It was also successful in the U.K., where it peaked at number 27 on single charts.
Music video
The music video was directed by F. Gary GrayF. Gary Gray
Felix Gary Gray is an American music video and film director.-Life and career:Gray began his career in 1992 with his music video for Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day." The video, a literal adaptation of the lyrics, was critically well received. He would go on to direct subsequent videos for Ice Cube,...
and was first aired during March 1993. Each scene follows and depicts the respective lyrics.
At the end of the accompanying music video, police are depicted surrounding Ice Cube's house in order to arrest him. It then states "To Be Continued", a segue to his next music video and single "Check Yo Self
Check Yo Self
"Check Yo Self" is the second hit single from Ice Cube's third solo album The Predator. It was released in July 1993 and features New York rappers Das EFX. It topped both the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts while also reaching number 20 on the Hot 100 chart...
," which was released the following August.
The shirt Cube was wearing in the video was the same one he later wore in the 1995 movie Friday
Friday (film)
Friday is a 1995 stoner comedy-drama-buddy film directed by F. Gary Gray. Starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tommy Lister, Jr...
.
Track listing
UK single- "It Was a Good Day" (radio edit)
- "It Was a Good Day" (instrumental)
Peak positions
| Chart (1993) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 27 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 | 13 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 78 |