The album was released after Ice-T was encountering
censorship problems on tour. In
The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck? the rapper states that "People had already told me what I could not say onstage in
Columbus, Georgia. You couldn't say anything they called a 'swear' word. You couldn't touch yourself. They were using the same tactics they used on everyone from
Elvis and
Jim Morrison to
2 Live Crew". The album's cover, featuring a
B-boy with a shotgun shoved in his mouth, and two pistols pressed against each side of his head, reflected Ice-T's experiences with the concept of
freedom of speech. "The concept of that picture is, 'Go ahead and say what you want. But here comes the government and here come the parents, and they are ready to destroy you when you open your mouth'". ==Accompanying VHS==