It Was A Good Day By Ice Cube. Sampling Sources Part 43.

🎶 Sample Breakdown: Ice Cube – “It Was a Good Day” (Priority Records, 1992) 🔁 Sampled: The Isley Brothers – “Footsteps in the Dark” (T-Neck Records, 1977) When Ice Cube dropped “It Was a Good Day” in ‘92, he flipped the script. No gang beef, no drama—just one chill day in South Central where everything finally goes right. And the heartbeat of that whole vibe? A buttery-smooth sample from The Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark,” released in 1977 on their own label, T-Neck Records. The original Isley track is a quiet storm classic—slow, reflective, full of warmth and melancholy. Ernie Isley’s clean guitar riffs glide over a laid-back groove while Ron Isley’s vocals float like smoke in the air. It’s about relationships and doubt, but Dre (the other Dre—DJ Pooh, not Dr. Dre) took that guitar loop and turned it into the perfect soundtrack for Cube’s hood fairytale. Cube’s verses are laid back but razor-sharp, painting a picture of sunshine, domino games, hoops, and peace—something rare for L.A. at the time. That contrast—the harsh reality of street life over the soft elegance of an Isley groove—is what makes this joint hit so deep. And let’s be real: that beat? Timeless. Still used in movies, memes, and cookout playlists worldwide. It’s Cube’s biggest solo hit for a reason. 💿 G-funk storytelling over Isley soul = West Coast perfection. 🔍 Sample info confirmed via WhoSampled.com #IceCube #ItWasAGoodDay #TheIsleyBrothers #FootstepsInTheDark #WestCoastHipHop #Gfunk #DJPooh #HipHopSamples #WhoSampled #SampleBreakdown #ClassicRap