No Vaseline
Encyclopedia
"No Vaseline" was a highly controversial song by Ice Cube
from his second album, Death Certificate
. The song was produced by Ice Cube and Sir Jinx
. The UK
release of Death Certificate omitted this song, along with the 46-second long "Black Korea".
. Ice Cube recorded this song after the comments N.W.A made towards him in their albums 100 Miles and Runnin'
and Efil4zaggin. The first minute of the song is a reference to N.W.A's "Message to B.A.", in which they call Ice Cube "Benedict Arnold
". Ice Cube then begins his full-blown diss on the group and their manager.
Ice Cube addresses Eazy-E
and Heller with particularly harsh words, criticizing Eazy's decision to align himself with Heller ("Heard you both got the same bank account!/Dumb nigga, What you thinkin' about?!/Get rid of that devil real simple, put a bullet in his temple.") and accusing both Eazy-E and Heller of unfairly exploiting the rest of the group ("You little maggot, Eazy E-turned-faggot/With your manager, fella - fuckin' MC Ren, Dr. Dre, and Yella.") Ice Cube also refers to his decision to leave Ruthless Records in the lyric; " You lookin' like straight bozos, I saw it commin', that's why I went solo ... You got jealous when I got my own company. But I'm a man, and ain't nobody humpin' me."
N.W.A. never responded to the song. Not long after the release, Dr. Dre left the group, citing lack of monetary compensation. This led to N.W.A.'s group's dissolution as its members went on to start their solo
careers. Dr. Dre and his protégé Snoop Dogg
later dissed Eazy-E in the song "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')
" and Heller in the video, prompting Eazy-E to respond with "Real Muthaphuckkin G's
". When Eazy-E was close to death in 1995 from AIDS, Cube and Dre came to visit him in the hospital in hopes of reconciling with him from their previous dispute. They ended their feud before Eazy's death.
The song appears on the Death Row Greatest Hits
compilation album. Although the song was not released on Death Row Records it is believed that Suge Knight included it as an act of animosity towards Dr. Dre, as the song includes numerous disses towards him. The word "Jew" is censored on the album although it is not on Death Certificate
. The introduction is also removed. No Vaseline was track number 20 in the tracklisting of "Death Certificate" and was the b-side for the album single, "Steady Mobbin'".
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 second album, Death Certificate
Death Certificate (album)
Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released October 29, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991...
. The song was produced by Ice Cube and Sir Jinx
Sir Jinx
Sir Jinx, born Anthony Wheaton, is an American hip-hop record producer and rapper from South Central Los Angeles, California.-Beginnings:...
. The UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
release of Death Certificate omitted this song, along with the 46-second long "Black Korea".
Information
The song was a diss track aimed towards Ice Cube's former bandmates in the group N.W.A and their manager, Jerry HellerJerry Heller
Jerry Heller is best known for managing West Coast rap group N.W.A. and rapper Eazy-E. He is co-founder and CEO of Ruthless Records. Heller managed War, Average White Band, Marvin Gaye, Michel'le, A.L.T...
. Ice Cube recorded this song after the comments N.W.A made towards him in their albums 100 Miles and Runnin'
100 Miles and Runnin'
100 Miles and Runnin' is the title of an EP by hip hop group N.W.A, released in 1990 on Ruthless Records.Prior to recording the EP, all five of the group members had signed a long-term contract with the Ruthless Records label...
and Efil4zaggin. The first minute of the song is a reference to N.W.A's "Message to B.A.", in which they call Ice Cube "Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
". Ice Cube then begins his full-blown diss on the group and their manager.
Ice Cube addresses Eazy-E
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
and Heller with particularly harsh words, criticizing Eazy's decision to align himself with Heller ("Heard you both got the same bank account!/Dumb nigga, What you thinkin' about?!/Get rid of that devil real simple, put a bullet in his temple.") and accusing both Eazy-E and Heller of unfairly exploiting the rest of the group ("You little maggot, Eazy E-turned-faggot/With your manager, fella - fuckin' MC Ren, Dr. Dre, and Yella.") Ice Cube also refers to his decision to leave Ruthless Records in the lyric; " You lookin' like straight bozos, I saw it commin', that's why I went solo ... You got jealous when I got my own company. But I'm a man, and ain't nobody humpin' me."
N.W.A. never responded to the song. Not long after the release, Dr. Dre left the group, citing lack of monetary compensation. This led to N.W.A.'s group's dissolution as its members went on to start their solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
careers. Dr. Dre and his protégé Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
later dissed Eazy-E in the song "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')
Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')
"Fuck wit Dre Day " is a hip-hop single by Dr. Dre, with a guest appearance by Snoop Doggy Dogg, from the 1992 album The Chronic on Death Row Records...
" and Heller in the video, prompting Eazy-E to respond with "Real Muthaphuckkin G's
Real Muthaphuckkin G's
"Real Muthaphuckkin G's" is a 1993 song by West Coast rapper Eazy-E from his album It's On 187um Killa. It is a "diss song" to former N.W.A. bandmate Dr. Dre and his then-new protégé Snoop Doggy Dogg. It is also one of the few songs that Eazy-E ever produced in the studio.It peaked at #42 on the...
". When Eazy-E was close to death in 1995 from AIDS, Cube and Dre came to visit him in the hospital in hopes of reconciling with him from their previous dispute. They ended their feud before Eazy's death.
The song appears on the Death Row Greatest Hits
Death Row Greatest Hits
Death Row Greatest Hits is a 33-track compilation released by Death Row Records, and contains singles by artists such as 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. The CD also includes previously unreleased remix tracks. The album was re-released in 2001 and digitally re-mastered.-Track listing:Disc One#...
compilation album. Although the song was not released on Death Row Records it is believed that Suge Knight included it as an act of animosity towards Dr. Dre, as the song includes numerous disses towards him. The word "Jew" is censored on the album although it is not on Death Certificate
Death Certificate (album)
Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released October 29, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991...
. The introduction is also removed. No Vaseline was track number 20 in the tracklisting of "Death Certificate" and was the b-side for the album single, "Steady Mobbin'".
Samples
- "DazzDazz (song)"Dazz" was a hit song by R&B/funk band Brick. "Dazz" is a combination of disco and jazz. Released in 1976 from their Good High album, it would become their biggest hit, spending four weeks at the top of the R&B singles chart and reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles...
" by BrickBrick (band)Brick is a former American band that created a successful merger of funk and jazz in the 1970s. Their most popular single was "Dazz", which was released in 1976.-History:... - "Vapors" by Biz MarkieBiz MarkieMarcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
- "Atomic Dog" by George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
- "Hit by a Car" by Eddie MurphyEddie MurphyEdward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
- "Turn off the Radio" and "Better off Dead" by Ice Cube
- "It's My Thing" by Marva WhitneyMarva WhitneyMarva Whitney is an African American funk singer. She is considered by many funk enthusiasts to be one of the "rawest" and "brassiest" music divas....
- "To Da Break of Dawn" by LL Cool JLL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
- "DopemanDopeman"Panic Zone" was the 1987 debut EP by American hip hop group N.W.A, whose songs were later featured on the compilation N.W.A. and the Posse, which was a reissue of 12" EPs and singles released by Macola Records, the then manufacturer and distributor of Ruthless Records, N.W.A's label.Apart from the...
", "8 Ball", "A Bitch Iz A Bitch," "Message to B.A." and "Prelude" by N.W.A