Released: 2000 • Features: Mack 10, Ms. Toi
In “You Can Do It,” Ice Cube delivers a gritty narrative of perseverance in the face of adversity. The song can be perceived as a celebration of the continuous grind and dedication to one’s hustle, drawing parallels between life and the street struggle. It’s all about making a way out of no way and asserting one’s dominance, staying on top of the game no matter the odds stacked against you.
The hook, “You can do it put your back into it / I can do it put your ass into it,” serves as a recurring motivational mantra, urging listeners to put their all into their pursuits. It’s classic Cube, pulling from the lexicon of the streets to communicate a universal principle of tenacity and hardwork. Amongst the boom-bap and heavy bass, he’s essentially telling you: if I can make it from the rough edges of South Central LA to global stardom, so can you.
Ice Cube cleverly references his own track “We Be Clubbing” as a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of success. Lyrically, songs about clubbing are often about abandon and excess, but here, Cube turns it into a battle cry for continued effort, representing his never-ending hustle. Cube asserts that despite people thinking they are “high” or intoxicated, it’s more about their spirit, their choice to sink or swim. It’s a shot to naysayers, telling them that hate only fuels the grind.
Building further on the theme of resilience, Cube shouts out to his ‘loved ones,’ ‘relatives,’ and ‘cousins.’ He’s promising his locked up ‘niggas’ that once he gets the word, they can ‘rush the safe,’ presenting an emancipatory vision. He’s not abandoning his roots; he’s about elevating everyone with him, amplifying the idea of unity in community.
Cube’s bars about ‘hardcore rhyming, hard time grinding’ cultivate his street image. He’s not into wining and dining hoes – he’s about the raw struggle, the so-called ‘pup shit.’ You might take ‘pup’ as a reference to being a young, less experienced player in the game, navigating and learning it. He’s accumulating wealth while others are ‘rooting and recruiting,’ busy in petty matters. His raps about ‘padres gold’ and ‘star awards’ are clear nods to his recognition and success in the industry.
Overall, “You Can Do It” is a rally call inspired by Ice Cube’s personal journey. It encapsulates his raw and relentless spirit, serving as a sonic baton for those still running the race. It’s less about the rewards and more about the mentality — a relentless, don’t-stop-till-you-get-it mentality. And that, my friend, is some paradigm-shifting hip hop right there.
