Ice Cube’s ‘It Was a Good Day,’ the second single from his third West Coast hip hop solo album, ‘The Predator’ (1992) has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify 30 years after its February 21, 1993 release.
The song had peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, No. 27 on the UK Charts, and No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Notably, it became Ice Cube’s highest-charting single on the Hot 100 at that time.
The song’s genesis traces back to Ice Cube recording a demo in his home studio. The inspiration, as he described it, emanated from a period of personal euphoria during the summer of ’92 when he was at the pinnacle of the rap game. Originally sampling the Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark,” DJ Pooh later contributed to the production with bass and vocals.
“It Was a Good Day” peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993 as well as No. 27 on the UK Official Singles chart. It also reached No. 14 on European Dance Radio chart, UK Dance (Music Week): #10, US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard): #7, US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard): #1 and US Rhythmic (Billboard): #13 and in Hungary (Single Top 40): #7.
Year-End Chart Positions (1993):
- US Billboard Hot 100: #78
- US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard): #49
- US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard): #25
Among its global Certifications are:
- Denmark (IFPI Danmark): Gold (45,000 units/sales)
- Italy (FIMI) (since 2009): Gold (50,000 units/sales)
- United Kingdom (BPI): Platinum (600,000 units/sales)
- United States (RIAA): Gold (600,000 units/sales)
The song was No. 77 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the ’90s , Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time (No. 36), and VH1’s 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs in 2008 (No. 28).
The F. Gary Gray directed music video mirrors the song’s lyrics, depicting a day in Ice Cube’s life. It has garnered over 250 million views on YouTube as of December 2023. Much discussions have been had about the actual date of the “Good Day.” Comedian Donovan Strain, using the lyrics, suggested January 20, 1992, but inconsistencies arose. Ice Cube himself clarified that the lyrics amalgamate experiences from various days, making it a fictional narrative.
