There's little sign here that Ice Cube's family film work has diluted the sociopolitical fury he first vented on N.W.A.'s 1988 breakthrough, "Straight Outta Compton." Throughout "Raw Footage," Cube holds forth in vivid detail against politicians, wack MCs and pundits who blame his brand of gangsta rap for creating inner-city trouble (instead of blaming inner-city trouble for inspiring gangsta rap). Unfortunately, there is reason to suspect that middle age (or material comfort) has dulled the sharp edges of Cube's wordplay. "Now what this got to do with the price of tea in China?" he asks in "Here He Come," "Nothing, motherfucker, just don't act like a vagina." Yikes. Occasional clunkers aside, the impassioned delivery and stripped-down G-funk grooves are still more potent than plenty of efforts by rappers half Cube's age. He just might hire an editor next time.—Mikael Wood