Ice Cube’s solo debut, “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,” was released in stores on May 16, 1990. After a run with legendary gangsta rap group NWA, Cube became embroiled with the group’s manager over contract negotiations. After suing the manager and leaving the group, the rapper enlisted production help from Public Enemy producers The Bomb Squad. The album helped propel the growing genre of rap to unprecedented heights of public acceptance. On the album, Cube connected with a broader audience by shedding the previous glorification of gang life in favor of rhymes that spoke to its true dangers. Top tracks on the album include “Once Upon A Time in the Projects” and “Endangered Species.” “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” also brought Ice Cube to a new level of stardom, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album also hit number six on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart and the title track hit number one on the Rap Songs chart.