In late 1989, Ice Cube recorded his debut solo album, the culturally explosive and militant AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, a devastating critique of sociopolitical life in the United States. He crafted the concept in Los Angeles with The Bomb Squad, Public Enemies’ production team. It was released in May 1990 and was an instant hit, riding and contributing to the rising tide of rap’s popularity in mainstream society. The album was rife with controversy, and he was accused of misogyny and racism. Subsequently, Ice Cube appointed the female rapper Yo-Yo (who appeared on AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted and make a cameo appearance in a movie that unknown director John Singleton titled off of one of Cube’s crafted songs) to the head of his own record label and helped produce her debut album, Make Way for the Motherlode, which Cube makes cameos. At the same time that AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted dropped, Ice Cube released the acclaimed EP Kill at Will which sold well, becoming the first hip hop EP to go both gold and platinum.
