Twenty-six years ago, Death Row Records was a dominant force in the hip-hop landscape, propelled by the rising solo career of a post-NWA Dr. Dre. And though the World's Most Dangerous Group's downfall was wrought with hardship and animosity (who can forget the scathing "No Vaseline," on which Cube put Dre, Eazy, MC Ren, and DJ Yella on blast), the Murder Was The Case soundtrack actually marked the first reunion between the once-warring Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.
Declaring themselves to be "Natural Born Killaz" over a disgustingly haunting banger, the pair showcased chemistry that has since gone woefully underused. Off the top, Dre sets things off with some diabolical bars, painting a macabre picture of the violence to come. "Journey with me into the mind of a maniac, doomed to be a killer since I came out the nut sack," he sneers, over distorted G-funk synths. "I'm in a murderous mind state with a heart full of terror, I see the devil in the mirror."
Matching his sinister intensity is Ice Cube, who flaunts his depravity with equally deranged lyricism. "Terror illustrates my era, now I can't hang around my momma 'cause I scare her," he laments. "I'm want to blast motherfuckers, yeah what's up / It feels like I'm bustin' a nut when I open you up." On the same day that the Murder Was The Case soundtrack released for the first time, be sure to revisit Dr. Dre and Ice Cube's lone duet.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
Feel the blast from the chocolate bomber
Infrared aimed at your head like your name was Sarah Connor
Decapitation, I ain't hesitatin' to put you in the funeral home
With a bullet in your dome
I'm hot like lava, you got a problem?
I got a problem solver and his name is Revolver