In which I cite the works of N.W.A. to prove a point on the Internet
In a recent blog post that’s been making the proverbial rounds, murkavenue claims to have identified the “Good Day” Ice Cube told us all about in a 1992 single. You might recall that Cube didn’t have to use his AK.
This “clue” from the aforementioned post has been driving me insane:
“…beepers weren’t adopted by mobile phone companies until the 1990s.”
Look, I’m sorry, but no. I can’t let this assumption stand unchallenged. Can’t let it go. It’s been bothering me for days.
Beepers - pagers, if you will - were absolutely, positively commercially in widespread use long before the 1990s.
For starters, my mom had one circa 1985 or so.
Secondly, ICE CUBE HIMSELF discusses his social status in a little ditty by N.W.A. called “F—k Tha Police” that was released in 1988.
Let me refresh your memory. Excuse my modest anti-profanity system:
F—kin with me, ‘cause I’m a teenager,
With a little bit of gold and a pager.
1988, sir.
Seriously.
Therefore, your argument is invalid.
I’m sure there’s another way to prove that January 20, 1992, was indeed the good day in question, but narrowing down the possibilities based on beeper availability to Mr. O’Shea Jackson is not the way.
» UPDATE «
Of course I’m not the only one seeing the 1988-style pager hole in the 1/20/92 theory. In this comment on some random reposting of this hypothesis that Shaminder tweeted at me late last night, you will find NOT ONLY a statement of the problem, but EXCELLENT evidence pointing back to a 1988 date. Why? Because Cube was dating Kim:
Now, I can see Cube spitting those lines about a day that happened while the two were just dating, but after she was already his fiancee and the mother of his child? I just don’t think so. Certainly not about a day in January ’91, when Kim was eight months pregnant! And highly unlikely January ’92 either, when their firstborn was one year old and they’d be married later that same year.
And there’s more. Go read it. Whoever you are, Lahatiel, all credit is due to you. And Wikipedia.
