WEST COAST ASSAULT: Ice Cubes ‘Kill at Will’ EP – 35 years of lyrical lethality

Author: Rasha Sensei

Check the date: December 19th. Exactly 35 years ago, when the Hip Hop scene was still reeling from AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, Ice Cube dropped this explosive project. “Kill at Will” wasn’t a full album; it was an EP (Extended Play) that hit harder than most complete LPs. Blackout Hip Hop marks the anniversary of a West Coast classic that took no prisoners.

After leaving N.W.A. and setting a new standard for political gangster rap, Cube wasted zero time. “Kill at Will” came out just months after his debut LP, and it proved that Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad production was a perfect fit for Cube’s relentless flow.

This release was pure, raw fuel. The new tracks were compelling, but the real emotional anchor was “Dead Homiez.” This was the most introspective and heartfelt track Cube had recorded up to that point. It was a genuine, straightforward narrative about loss on the street.

The project also covered the competitive side of the genre. It included live recordings, remixes, but the most crucial cut was the remix for “The Jackin’ For Beats“. That song was a pure display of force. Cube skillfully took other artists’ instrumentals — from Digital Underground to Public Enemy — and flowed over them to prove his lyrical dominance against anyone, anywhere. That track was a clear statement of Hip Hop supremacy.

“Kill at Will” may have been brief, but its impact was brutal. It sustained Cube’s momentum and cemented his position as the most dangerous emcee on the scene. Thirty-five years later, this EP remains a masterclass in lyrical aggression. If you need a dose of pure, unadulterated West Coast energy, hit “Kill at Will.”