‘After Man Down, you gotta Man Up. I’ve been watching the climate of the culture lately, and I see a lot of overly sensitive people out there. I felt like it was time to share some street knowledge about what it really means to stand up and man up in a way that speaks to responsibility, resilience, and truth. This project is the right message for the times we’re living in because everybody’s being tested. And when life tests you, you either fold up or you Man Up.’— Ice Cube
Entertainment mogul, entrepreneur, legend, and hip-hop icon Ice Cube returns with his 12th studio album, Man Up, out now via Lench Mob Records/Hitmaker Distribution on all digital streaming platforms. The 14-track set, executed by Ice Cube and executive-produced Tony Draper, follows last year’s critically acclaimed, chart-topping Man Down, and reaffirms Cube’s place as one of hip-hop’s most fearless truth-tellers and cultural commentators.
Man Up pairs unflinching lyricism with Cube’s signature West Coast grit to confront misconceptions and demand accountability—from institutions, communities, and ourselves. The project is a powerful social commentary that speaks directly to a moment where everyone is being tested, challenging listeners to rise, not retreat.
Highlights include the lead single, “Before Hip Hop,” a powerful statement track rejecting the lazy narrative that blames rap for systemic problems that predate the genre; “Act My Age” featuring Scarface, a generational summit meeting of rap royalty; “California Dreamin,” which flips Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots” into a sun-baked West Coast reality check; and “It’s My Ego 3Mix” with Nova Scotia’s Quake Matthews, winner of Cube’s viral fan-verse challenge—pulling fans directly into Cube’s creative process.
The release of Man Up arrives as Cube readies his Truth to Power: 4 Decades of Attitude tour, celebrating 40 years of groundbreaking music. Kicking off Tuesday, September 16, in Denver, CO, the run will showcase new music alongside timeless classics including “It Was a Good Day,” “Check Yo Self,” and “You Can Do It.” Tickets for the tour are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com.
“I’ve always stood on speaking truth to power and making music that reflects reality,” says Ice Cube. “Man Up is about accountability, resilience, and reminding people where the real problems come from. Hip hop didn’t create the struggle — it gave us the language to call it out.”
MAN UP — TRACKLISTING
1. Man Power
2. Watchu Gonna Do About It
3. Freedumb
4. Guess What?
5. Forget Me If You Ain’t Wit Me
6. Before Hip Hop
7. Act My Age (featuring Scarface)
8. Ratchet Ass Mouth
9. Respect My Space
10. California Dreamin’
11. That Salt And Pepper
12. Bring Everybody
13. It’s My Ego 3Mix (featuring Quake Matthews)
14. All Work And No Play
