Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, D12 Review – Hip-Hop Icons from the Old School Still Command the Mic
The High Rollers tour, featuring 80s and 90s hip-hop luminaries, recently hit Glasgow with a focus on storytelling rather than elaborate staging. Despite the absence of flashy visuals, the show proved to be a high-intensity display of genuine passion and concentration.
As the UK leg of the High Rollers tour kicked off in Glasgow, Ice Cube posed a rhetorical challenge to the audience: “Can he still get on the mic and do what you like?” The question lingered in the air, framed as a challenge by the veteran rapper whose career has evolved significantly since his early gangsta rap days.
Joining Ice Cube on this tour were the stoner-rap legends from the 90s, Cypress Hill, featuring MCs B-Real and Sen Dog, who delivered a polished yet frenzied set of their greatest hits. Surrounded by the customary clouds of weed smoke, the duo showcased a diverse setlist, including DJ Lord’s mashup of KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police” with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and a surprise appearance by a lone piper delivering a satisfying rendition of “Flower of Scotland.
” The drumming prowess of ex-Beastie Boys percussionist Eric Bobo added weight to tracks like “Tequila Sunrise” and “(Rock) Superstar,” while rhythmic excellence shone through on “I Wanna Get High,” “Latin Lingo,” and the appropriately trippy finale, “Insane in the Brain.”
The west coast trifecta planned for the concert would have included the Game, but he was replaced by a scaled-down version of Detroit collective D12, embarking on a 20th-anniversary tour. Swifty McVay and Kuniva, serving as quintessential hype men, delivered hits such as “Rap Game,” “My Band,” and “Purple Pills,” along with a cover of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” featuring guitarist Jake Bass, the son of the track’s original co-producer and riff composer.
Ice Cube fulfilled his promise to “keep it gangsta” with a rapid-fire introduction of “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It,” “Natural Born Killaz,” and “Hello.” Against a backdrop of photos and clips from his music and film careers, the focus remained on lyricism rather than flashy staging. Joined by his Westside Connection bandmate WC, Ice Cube emphasized career-spanning favorites like “Check Yo Self,” “You Know How We Do It,” “Why We Thugs,” as well as “No Vaseline” – hailed as the “best diss track ever made in the history of hip-hop” – and NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton.”
Throughout his career, Ice Cube’s flow has been marked by defiance, addressing racial tensions, street life brutality, and trauma in the Black community. What sets him apart is his ability to weave the mundane into his most anthemic and provocative stanzas, infusing humor and levity. On stage that night, his storytelling and streams of consciousness were ablaze with real fire, maintaining an unwavering focus.
Despite Ice Cube’s diverse roles over the past two decades – including actor, film producer, director, and basketball league co-founder – he returned to his roots as one of the west coast’s finest rap exports that night, proving he can still do what he likes on the mic.