Coming straight outta South Central L.A., Ice Cube is one of the most potent MCs of all time, not to mention a prolific rapper-turned-actor. O’Shea Jackson stormed onto the scene in the late ‘80s as the lead rapper and songwriter behind gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A. After leaving the group over a financial dispute, Cube went solo and unleashed a series of politically-charged classic albums like ‘AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,’ ‘Death Certificate’ and ‘The Predator.’ Outside of music, he’s starred in over 30 films including ‘Boyz N The Hood,’ ‘Friday’ and ‘Barbershop’ while launching the BIG3 basketball league.
PROPS
Sold more than 10M albums worldwide
6 platinum albums + a 3x platinum album as part of N.W.A (‘Straight Outta Compton’)
10 Billboard Hot 100 singles
Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of N.W.A in 2016
Headlined the 2000 Up In Smoke tour alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem
Launched Lench Mob Records in 1990
Formed Westside Connection with Mack 10 and WC in 1995
Wrote, produced and starred in the movie franchise ‘Friday’
Received Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2017
Voiced a character in the 2010 video game ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops’
Yes. Ice Cube has four children: O’Shea Jackson Jr. (born 1991), Darrell Jackson (born 1992), Karima Jackson (born 1994) and Shareef Jackson (born 1995).
Yes. Though not as prolific as he once was, Cube still makes music. He released the song “Trying to Maintain” in 2021 and is due to release a joint album with Snoop Dogg, E-40 and Too $hort called ‘Mt. Westmore.’
Cube left N.W.A in December 1989 over royalty disputes. Having written almost half of the group’s lyrics, Cube believed he wasn’t being paid fairly. A lawsuit brought by Ice Cube against the group’s manager Jerry Heller was settled out of court.
