The modern-day diss track has become a cherished hip-hop commodity. Historically, the art of war has bled into music for decades from the formative "The Bridge Is Over" to the rapid-fire assault of "Killshot." Yet for many, Ice Cube is the man who set the standard with "No Vaseline." The name itself suggests a painful experience, and for his former groupmates Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, it may very well have delivered on that front. Standing imposing against four battle-hungry emcees, Ice Cube proved unwavering in his assault, taking on four grown man (and Jerry Heller) with the swagger of Neo fighting upgraded Agents in The Matrix Reloaded.
Lyrically, Cube seized the jugular until blood geysers sprayed Los Angeles soil. No stone was left unturned, from positing Eazy and Dre as undercover lovers to exposing a lifestyle removed from their iconic Straight Outta Compton image. The sheer brazen swagger Cube exuded has kept "No Vaseline" atop many GOAT lists, and it's unlikely to fall from grace anytime soon. On the day of Death Certificate's anniversary, it seems only fitting to remind the masses of Ice Cube's infectious display of fire-and-brimstone, one of the defining cultural moments of our time.
