What Can I Do?

Ice Cube's song "What Can I Do?" is a raw and unfiltered commentary on the systemic failures and societal hypocrisies that plague America, particularly affecting the African American community. The song begins with a stark observation that while prisons are meant to house society's failures, it is society itself that is failing. This sets the tone for a narrative that explores the life of a young man who turns to drug dealing as a means of survival and success in a world that offers him few legitimate opportunities.

The lyrics take us through different phases of the protagonist's life, starting in 1986 when he begins selling crack cocaine. The vivid imagery of cooking crack and the loyalty of his workers paints a picture of a young man who has found a way to make money, albeit through illegal means. The reference to dropping out of school and the comparison of his wealth to a