Two Views: <i> Because of the controversial lyrics on Ice Cube’s album, “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,” two views of Times’ pop music critics are presented.</i> : <i> “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,” </i> *** 1/2:<i> Albums are rated from one (poor) to five (a classic).</i>

Straight outta N.W.A, Ice Cube continues in his first solo album to express the ugliness and rage that he exhibited last year in such raps as “Gangsta, Gangsta.” But the young rapper also injects slight traces of new qualities: responsibility and conscience.

In “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,” Ice Cube takes us on a much more ambitious tour of the projects than he and N.W.A led us on in “Straight Outta Compton.” There is such an overpowering sense of frustration at the crime, drugs, poverty and injustice that he sometimes seems shouting all directions at once--not sure whether the real enemy is within or without.

Beyond the brutal images and insensitive language, there is much that’s redeeming to consider. When he leads a robbery spree in a white suburb, Ice Cube’s not advocating such action. He’s commenting on what he sees as different police attitudes toward black-on-white and black-on-black crime:

“I think back when I was robbin’ my own kind The police didn’t pay me no mind.”

The most ground-breaking track, however, is “It’s a Man’s World,” where he is joined by a female rapper, Yo Yo, who challenges some of Ice Cube’s views about women.

There is much on the album that is disturbing, yet there is also the encouraging feel of an artist struggling to understand himself and his community. In the end, there is even a glimmer of hope--distant and faint, but alive.