Nearly a decade into his career, Ice Cube remains at the forefront of gangsta rap--but when it comes to manipulating sounds, he sometimes seems one-dimensional, especially when compared with the likes of Snoop Doggy Dogg (who had a lot of help in that department from Cube"s old N.W.A. mate Dr. Dre) and sample master Sean "Puffy" Combs. But on War & Peace, Vol. 1, Cube"s first album in five years, the hip-hop renaissance man reestablishes himself as a kingpin in the studio as well as on the street. Every song is surrounded by minor-key melodies and moody flourishes that enhance the effect of the intimidating lyrics, and the overall sound of the mix is rich and deep. Cube doesn"t stop there, however, adding touches such as a No Doubt sample loop on "War and Peace" and a queasy guitar riff on "F**k Dying," compliments of neo-metal marauders Korn. Ice Cube plans to follow up The War Disc with The Peace Disc, which he says will be mellower and more ethereal, but for now, Cube remains the hardest in the game. --Jon Wiederhorn