top of page
Writer's pictureDeric Hollings

It Was a Good Day

 

There are a number of classic hip hop songs which come to mind when reflecting on the better days I experienced in my youth. Without a doubt, lyricist Ice Cube’s track “It Was a Good Day,” from his 1992 album The Predator, serves as one such song.

 

In my opinion, it’s one of those rare hip hop tracks in which its remix [“It Was a Good Day (Remix)”—released on the 1994 album Bootlegs & B-Sides] is equally as enjoyable as the original song. Describing his intentions for the track, one source reports that Ice Cube stated:

 

“The inspiration [for “It Was A Good Day”] was my life at the time,” he said. “I was at the top of the rap game. It was the summer of ’92 and I was in a hotel room, really in a state of euphoria. I had all the money I had dreamed of. I was in a good frame of mind. And I remember thinking, ‘Okay, there’s been the riots, people know I will deal with that. That’s a given. But I rap all this gangsta stuff; what about all the good days I had?’”

 

I can appreciate Ice Cube’s reported intention of wanting to share a positive message when much of his content related to negativity. Bear in mind that life consists of positive, neutral, and negative elements.

 

Per my view, especially in regard to the practice of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), it’s unwise to conflate these factors with a dichotomous good or bad perspective. For context relating to this matter, I invite you to consider how the ABC model of REBT functions.

 

REBT theory maintains that when an unexpected Activating event occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the undesirable circumstance that causes unpleasant emotional, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.

 

Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that’s used in place of an unproductive self-narrative. With the ABC model, a person learns to stop needless suffering which is caused by unhelpful assumptions.

 

Of the four major irrational beliefs recognized in REBT literature, global evaluations or negative ratings of the self, others, and life, tends to function as a mechanism of self-disturbance. As an example, I could needlessly believe that I’m bad, you’re evil, and that life itself is worthless.

 

Negatively rating or globally evaluating in this manner is irrational, because this form of unfavorable belief lacks balance. For instance, I may have bad traits, you may have evil (if you believe in such a concept) attributes, and life itself involves worthless moments.

 

However, traits, attributes, and moments don’t necessarily warrant the qualifiers of bad, evil, or worthless in entirety. Take for instance an apple that has a bruise on it. Is the entire apple displeasing simply because one area is bruised?

 

I argue in the negative and in doing so I maintain a balanced perspective. So, too, is the antidote to imbalanced beliefs such as that pertaining to global evaluations or negative ratings of the self, others, and life.

 

Therefore, stating that Ice Cube raps about negativity isn’t synonymous with expressing that he’s bad or that the lyricist raps about only bad things. Rather, a balanced positive, neutral, and negative perspective is necessary when describing the complexity of life.

 

It isn’t a good or bad quality to seek balance in this regard. Noteworthy, one may globally evaluate oneself, others, and life in an imbalanced and overly positive manner. The question then arises, does doing so cause unpleasant consequences in accordance with the ABC model?

 

This is where Ice Cube’s song “It Was a Good Day” is especially relevant within the context of this blogpost. Reportedly, the lyricist realized that he didn’t share as much positive content as he did in regard to negativity.

 

Imaginably, Ice Cube understood that addressing only or mostly negative tales was an imbalanced approach to life. Therefore, he ostensibly created a hip hop classic which positively evaluated his day.

 

Apparently, while experiencing self-described “euphoria,” the lyricist drafted “It Was a Good Day,” rating his experience at a specific point of his life as “good.” From an REBT perspective, does Ice Cube’s belief-consequence (B-C) connection cause undesirable consequences?

 

It’s worth noting that REBT serves as a scientific approach to well-being. With this understanding, let’s briefly explore something the lyricist says in the song, as a means of testing the hypothesis (does a positive B-C connection cause an unfavorable response?).

 

In the second verse of the track Ice Cube states, “Plus nobody I know got killed in South Central L.A.​ Today was a good day.” Imagine that you maintain a realistic and existential view of life. As such, you don’t delude yourself into believing that you’re guaranteed to live until old age.

 

In fact, you know that life is impermanent and uncertain. Better yet, you know that without a doubt you’re gonna die someday. Some people would view this knowledge as “bad,” though you’re wise enough to know it’s merely a negative element of a balanced existence.

 

To live means that one will inevitably die. There’s nothing bad about this objective truth. All the same, in your wisdom of the moment, you realize that although you’ll die one day, you haven’t yet expired today. As well, no one you personally know has died today.

 

And so you tell yourself (believe), “I and nobody I know died today.​ Therefore, today was a good day.” Being the logical and reasonable (collectively “rational”) thinker I presume you are, I suspect that when sharing Ice Cube’s belief you’ll experience a desirable consequence.

 

Even if you experience nothing more than relief from your positive B-C connection, this outcome is arguably preferable to other negative consequences which stem from irrational beliefs. Wonderfully, we can test this hypothesis in order to assess its validity and reliability.

 

If through use of a positive global evaluation at the end of your day you examine your life and conclude, “I’m not dead yet, so it was a good day,” will your B-C outcome result in – at bear minimum – relief? For some people, I suspect the answer is yes.

 

Regarding other people, perhaps those who self-disturb with unproductive beliefs about their very existence, I imagine the answer is no. In any case, I’m talking about you and not those other individuals. Could you replicate the experience of relief by taking an Ice Cube approach to life?

 

Personally, this hypothesis has been tested and for more times than not I’ve been able to reproduce the desired effect of contentment. This is one of the main reasons I appreciate the track “It Was a Good Day.”

 

Ice Cube’s reported intention of wanting to share a positive message when much of his content related to negativity is similar to how I draft and post blog entries. Because a significant portion of my REBT work involves negative elements of life, I tend to write about such matters.

 

Still, as the current blogpost is intended to reflect, not everything in life is bad. There truly are many undesirable, unfavorable, and unpleasant traits, attributes, and moments within life. As such, I write about a lot of these matters.

 

Nonetheless, life isn’t all bad. In my experience, there are some moments in time which are subjectively considered to be good days. Thus, I maintain that using a realistically positive global evaluation of one’s day isn’t necessarily unhelpful.

 

The key to rational living in this regard is that one considers the positive, neutral, and negative elements which are inescapably linked together in life. This means that I’m not advocating a ridiculous “good vibes” approach to living. That method is such a silly waste of my time.

 

Here, “silly” is a euphemism for “crazy.” If you want a wacky standard of living, I welcome you to be the self-determined and autonomous being you so obviously are and be as crazy as you wanna be. You’ll hear no complaint and receive no unwarranted objection from me.

 

Sure, I’ll mock your irrational beliefs and question your self-disturbed behavior. However, I won’t stand between you and crazy outcomes. Live yo most crazy life possible, if that’s what you truly desire from life!

 

At this point in the blogpost, I find myself ending as Ice Cube did in “It Was a Good Day,” as he said, “Hey, wait, wait a minute […] stop this shit. What the fuck am I thinkin’ about?”

 

If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

 

As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

 

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!

 

 

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

 

 

References:

 

Calindo, T. (2023, March 22). The lighthearted meaning behind Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”. American Songwriter. Retrieved from https://americansongwriter.com/the-lighthearted-meaning-behind-ice-cubes-it-was-a-good-day/

Hollings, D. (2024, May 24). A scientific approach to mental health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/a-scientific-approach-to-mental-health

Hollings, D. (2024, October 18). ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/abc-model

Hollings, D. (2024, November 15). Assumptions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/assumptions

Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). Consequences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/consequences

Hollings, D. (2024, June 24). Contentment. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/contentment

Hollings, D. (2024, October 27). Correlation does not imply causation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/correlation-does-not-imply-causation

Hollings, D. (2024, September 14). Crazy. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/crazy

Hollings, D. (2024, January 7). Delusion. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/delusion

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Existentialism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/existentialism

Hollings, D. (2023, October 25). Facts don’t care about your feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/facts-don-t-care-about-your-feelings

Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use

Hollings, D. (2024, April 2). Four major irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/four-major-irrational-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (2023, September 13). Global evaluations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/global-evaluations

Hollings, D. (2024, January 6). Happiness is a by-product. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/happiness-is-a-by-product

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2024, October 21). Impermanence and uncertainty. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/impermanence-and-uncertainty

Hollings, D. (2023, May 18). Irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/irrational-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2023, January 8). Logic and reason. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/logic-and-reason

Hollings, D. (2024, September 27). My attitude. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/my-attitude

Hollings, D. (2024, April 22). On disputing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-disputing

Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings

Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth

Hollings, D. (2024, November 18). Opinions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/opinions

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2024, May 15). Rational living. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-living

Hollings, D. (2024, January 20). Reliability vs. validity. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/reliability-vs-validity

Hollings, D. (2024, May 26). Self-determination and autonomy. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-determination-and-autonomy

Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Sensation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/sensation

Hollings, D. (2024, February 27). Suffering, struggling, and battling vs. experiencing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/suffering-struggling-and-battling-vs-experiencing

Hollings, D. (2022, December 25). The B-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-b-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2022, November 2). The critical A. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-critical-a

Hollings, D. (2024, September 17). The E-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-e-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2023, August 6). The science. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-science

Hollings, D. (2022, November 14). Touching a false dichotomy. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/touching-a-false-dichotomy

Hollings, D. (2024, March 18). Unhealthy vs. healthy negative emotions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unhealthy-vs-healthy-negative-emotions

Hollings, D. (2024, February 23). Wacky beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/wacky-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, September 29). Well, well, well. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/well-well-well

Hollings, D. (2023, September 22). You’re gonna die someday. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/you-re-gonna-die-someday

Ice Cube / Cubevision. (2009, February 24). Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/h4UqMyldS7Q?si=eiCaAL-_bULAi4PP

Ice Cube / Cubevision. (2015, October 10). Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day (Remix) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rS8LUDKAKNQ?si=_p8u4lRO9r40vcmt

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Bootlegs & B-Sides. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootlegs_%26_B-Sides

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Ice Cube. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Cube

Wikipedia. (n.d.). The Predator (album). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Predator_(album)

0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

I Tried

Comments


bottom of page