It's been over 30 years since Ice Cube released his explosive diss record "No Vaseline," taking aim at his former N.W.A. group mates and their manager Jerry Heller. Still, the record has gone down in history as one of the most scathing diss records of all time, with Cube himself reaffirming this truth during a recent stage appearance. Maybe the recent feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has reignited the competitive spirit in hip-hop heads around the world, as all-time great diss songs such as "Ether" and "Hit 'Em Up" have been receiving renewed attention. So, let's take a moment to examine Ice Cube's "No Vaseline" record, and see if we can understand exactly why it's garnered a reputation for being the greatest diss of all time.
The Impact Of "No Vaseline" In Cube's Own Words
There are a myriad of contenders for the greatest diss record of all time. Ice Cube took to the stage at the California Roots Festival to explain why "No Vaseline" remains undefeated in his own words. While discussing the state of the culture, Cube specifically name-checks iconic diss performances such as 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up,” Nas’ “Ether,” and Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us.” Cube shows reverence to each of these artists and their respective efforts, though he still feels that his own 1991 track reigns supreme.
In a now-viral video of Ice Cube's comments, the Compton-born MC stated, “I love those songs, but 'No Vaseline' is the best diss song in the history of hip-hop. And I’ll tell you why: One MC — myself — I took out four motherf***ers and the manager. You can’t beat that." It is true that N.W.A. never released another record following Ice Cube's release of "No Vaseline" in October of 1991. The group's manager, Jerry Heller, also never managed to find major mainstream success within the music industry following the release of the song. While there were other documented internal issues that added to NWA's split in the early 90s, it's hard to argue against Cube's logic.
Why "No Vaseline" Tops Other Acclaimed Diss Tracks
His California Roots performance is not the first instance of Ice Cube championing his work on "No Vaseline." The prolific MC turned actor has expressed in multiple interviews and media appearances over the years exactly why tracks such as "Hit 'Em Up" simply don't compare. According to Ice Cube, 2Pac's groundbreaking track doesn't stack up against "No Vaseline" because he enlisted the assistance of his Outlawz collaborators. Furthermore, the track, while quite scathing, did nothing to halt the momentum of The Notorious B.I.G.'s career. In order for "Hit 'Em Up" to reach the iconic status of "No Vaseline," it would require one solo artist to completely halt the career trajectory of his opponent. This simply did not occur.
The same logic applies to Nas' "Ether." While Nas did embark upon the iconic Jay-Z diss by himself, the track did nothing to prevent Jay from churning out numerous successful projects shortly thereafter. To Ice Cube's credit, there aren't many examples of a single diss track completely dismantling the opponent in a permanent sense in the history of music. Sure, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E continued to find solo success in the wake of "No Vaseline's" release, but the gangsta rap group that inspired a generation was never able to recover.
Read More: Who Did Ice Cube Influence?
Cube Says He's Got "Nothing But Love" For His Former Opps
Despite bragging about dismantling the group, Cube claims that "as it stands today, I ain’t got nothing but love for N.W.A.” Ice Cube specifically referenced certain milestones achieved by the group in recent years, such as an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As part of N.W.A., Ice Cube also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys earlier this year. The group is only the fourth rap group in history to hold this historic honor.
Ice Cube's beef with N.W.A. was squashed just a few short years after "No Vaseline" dropped, though Cube's underlying issues with the team's management remained an everlasting problem. The West Coast MC has reunited with N.W.A. members Dr. Dre and MC Ren on multiple occasions and even served as a producer on the 2015 N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton.