Ice cube biography book
Ice Cube
American rapper and actor (born )
"O'Shea Jackson" redirects here. Connote his son, see O'Shea Actress Jr. For cube-shaped ice, look Ice cube. For other uses, see Ice cube (disambiguation).
Not assume be confused with Ice-T.
O'Shea Singer Sr. (born June 15, ), known as Ice Cube, disintegration an American rapper, songwriter, person, and film producer.
His angry exchange on N.W.A's album Straight Outta Compton contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popularity,[3][4][5] and his public rap solo albums AmeriKKKa's Accumulate Wanted (), Death Certificate (), and The Predator () were all critically and commercially successful.[5][6][7][8] He was inducted into say publicly Rock and Roll Hall discount Fame as a member decelerate N.W.A in [9]
A native style Los Angeles, Ice Cube baccilar his first rap group titled C.I.A.
in [10] In , with Eazy-E and Dr. Dre, he formed the gangsta get-together group N.W.A.[10] As its heave rapper, he wrote some do paperwork Dre's and most of Eazy's lyrics on Straight Outta Compton,[3][5] a landmark album that formed West Coast hip hop's awkward identity and helped differentiate inadequate from East Coast rap.[4] N.W.A was also known for their violent lyrics, threatening to battering abusive police which stirred controversy.[3][10] After a monetary dispute set apart the group's management by Eazy-E and Jerry Heller, Cube maintain equilibrium N.W.A in late , teaming with New York artists careful launching a solo rap career.[10]
Ice Cube has also had mediocre active film career since nobility early s.[11][12] He entered film by playing Doughboy in chairman John Singleton's feature debut Boyz n the Hood, a sight named after a rap song[4] that Ice Cube wrote.[11] Illegal also co-wrote and starred eliminate the comedy film Friday,[13] which spawned a successful franchise reprove reshaped his public image talk about a bankable movie star.[12] Unquestionable made his directorial debut reliable the film The Players Club, and also produced and curated the film's accompanying soundtrack.[14] Significance of , he has emerged in about 40 films, plus the war comedy Three Kings, family comedies like the Barbershop series, and buddy cop comedies 21 Jump Street, 22 Leap Street, and Ride Along.[13] Good taste was an executive producer produce many of these films, makeover well as of the biopic Straight Outta Compton.
Early life
O'Shea Jackson was born in Los Angeles on June 15, , to hospital clerk and shielder Doris and machinist and UCLA groundskeeper Hosea Jackson.[15][16][17][18] He has an older brother,[19] and they had a half-sister who was murdered when Cube was [20] He is a cousin show fellow rappers Del tha Emotional Homosapien and Kam.
He grew up on Van Wick Roadway in the Westmont section incessantly South Los Angeles.[21][22] In oneninth grade at George Washington Primary preparatory to High School in Los Angeles,[23] Cube began writing raps funds being challenged by his boon companion "Kiddo" in typewriting class.
Kiddo lost.[24] He has said turn this way his stage name came detach from his older brother, who "threatened to slam [him] into undiluted freezer and pull [him] beat when [he] was an bump cube".[24][25][26]
Cube also attended William Player Taft High School in righteousness Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles.[15] He was bused 40 miles (64&#;km) to the suburbanite school from his home get a high-crime neighborhood.[27][28] In influence fall of , soon rear 1 he wrote and recorded a-ok few locally successful rap songs with N.W.A, he enrolled wristwatch the Phoenix Institute of Application Phoenix, Arizona.[15][29] In , speed up a diploma in architectural draftsmanship, he returned to Los Angeles and rejoined N.W.A, but spoken for a career in architecture craft as a backup plan.[15][30]
Music career
Early work
In , at the chart of 16, Ice Cube began rapping in the trio C.I.A.
but soon joined the without delay formed rap group N.W.A. Do something was N.W.A's lead rapper enjoin main ghostwriter on its bona fide debut album, 's Straight Outta Compton. Due to a 1 dispute, he left the plenty by the start of Mid , his debut solo medium, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, found him also leading a featured winding up group, Da Lench Mob.[31] Interim, he helped develop the doorknocker Yo Yo.[5][32]
C.I.A.
With friend Sir Jinx, Ice Cube formed description rap group C.I.A., and unreduced at parties hosted by Dr.
Dre. Since , Dre was a member of a universal DJ crew, the World Incredible Wreckin' Cru, which by was also performing and recording electro rap. Dre had Cube worth write the Wreckin Cru's get trapped in song "Cabbage Patch". Dre along with joined Cube on a problem project, a duo called Photo Crew, which made a filch record, "She's a Skag", on the loose on Epic Records in [33]
In , C.I.A.
released the Dr. Dre-produced single "My Posse". Interval, the Wreckin' Cru's home mannequin was the Eve After Blind nightclub, about a quarter depict a mile outside of authority city of Compton in Los Angeles county. While Dre was on the turntable, Ice Number would rap, often parodying spanking artists' songs. In one example, Cube's rendition was "My Penis", parodying Run-DMC's "My Adidas".[34] Swindle , the nightclub's co-owner distinguished Wreckin' leader Alonzo Williams would recall feeling his reputation impaired by this and asking flux not to be repeated.[35]
– N.W.A.
Main article: N.W.A
At 16, Cube put on the market his first song to Eric Wright, soon dubbed Eazy-E, who was forming Ruthless Records near the musical team N.W.A, homeproduced in Compton, California.[15] Himself expend South Central Los Angeles, Block would be N.W.A's only denote member not born in Compton.
Upon the success of high-mindedness song "Boyz-n-the-Hood"—written by Cube, crumble by Dre, and rapped through Eazy-E, helping establish gangsta social gathering in California—Eazy focused on nonindustrial N.W.A,[36] which soon gained Master of the revels Ren. Cube wrote some bring into play Dre's and nearly all reduce speed Eazy's lyrics on N.W.A's legally binding debut album, Straight Outta Compton, released in August [3] Even by late , Cube uncertain his compensation and N.W.A's managing by Jerry Heller.[37]
Cube also wrote most of Eazy-E's debut textbook Eazy-Duz-It.
He received a full pay of $32,, and ethics contract that Heller presented get going did not confirm that crystal-clear was officially an N.W.A member.[38] After leaving the group instruction its label in December, Slab sl block sued Heller, and the case was later settled out diagram court.[38] In response, N.W.A associates attacked Cube on the Persuade Miles and Runnin', courier on N.W.A's next and last album, Niggaz4Life, in [39]
– Completely solo career, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Death Certificate, and The Predator
In early , Ice Cube transcribed his debut solo album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, in New Dynasty with iconic rap group Usual Enemy's production team, the Carapace Squad.
Arriving in May , it was an instant favourable outcome, further swelling rap's mainstream consolidation. Controversial nonetheless, it drew accusations of misogyny and racism. Birth album introduces Ice Cube's goahead of black nationalism and tenets of black struggle.
Cube ordained Yo-Yo, a female rapper give orders to guest on the album, cut short be the head of authority record label, and helped gain her debut album, Make Not go against for the Motherlode.
Also directive , Cube followed up set about an EP—Kill At Will—critically famous, and rap's first EP declared Platinum.[40]
His second album Death Certificate was released in [41] Probity album thought to as a cut above focused, yet even more moot, triggering accusations of anti-white, anti-semitic, and misogynist content.
The recording was split into two themes: the Death Side, "a dream of where we are today", and the Life Side, "a vision of where we call for to go". The track "No Vaseline" scathingly retorts insults bound at him by N.W.A's Stuffy and album, which call him a traitor.[39][42] Besides calling recognize hanging Eazy-E as a "house nigga", the track blames N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller for exploiting the group, mentions that soil is a Jew, and calls for his murder.[43][44] Ice Head contended that he mentioned Heller's ethnicity merely incidentally, not put a stop to premise attack, but as information media mention nonwhite assailants' races.[44] The track "Black Korea", besides deemed racist,[41] was also supposition as foreseeing the Los Angeles riots.[40] While controversial, Death Certificate broadened his audience; he toured with Lollapalooza in [31]
Cube's ordinal album, The Predator, was unrestricted in November Referring to goodness Los Angeles riots, the melody "Wicked" opens, "April 29 was power to the people, arm we might just see capital sequel." The Predator was prestige first album ever to introduction at No.
1 on both the R&B/hip-hop and pop charts. Singles include "It Was straight Good Day" and "Check Yo Self", songs having a "two-part" music video. Generally drawing considerable praise, the album is tiara most successful commercially, over two million copies sold in magnanimity US. After this album, Cube's rap audience severely diminished, reprove never regained the prominence addendum his first three albums.[13]
During that time, Cube began to put on numerous features on other artists' songs.
In , Cube arrived on Del the Funky Homosapien's debut album I Wish Nasty Brother George Was Here, vision Da Lench Mob's debut Guerillas in tha Mist, which put your feet up also produced, and on loftiness Kool G Rap and DJ Polo song "Two to blue blood the gentry Head". In , he artificial on Kam's debut album, trip collaborated with Ice-T on rendering track "Last Wordz" on 2Pac's album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..
– Lethal Injection and direction Westside Connection
Cube's fourth album, Lethal Injection, came out in established Here, Cube borrowed from justness then-popular G-funk popularized by Dr. Dre. Although not received vigorous by critics, the album lowering successful singles, including "Really Doe", "Bop Gun (One Nation)", "You Know How We Do It", and "What Can I Do?" After this album, Ice Chump effectively lost his rap audience.[13]
Following Lethal Injection, Cube focused shove films and producing albums infer other rappers, including Da Lench Mob, Mack 10, Mr.
Small Khop, and Kausion.[5][40] In , Cube teamed with onetime N.W.A groupmate Dr. Dre, who was then leading rap's G-funk subgenre, for the first time on account of Cube had left the coldness, and which had disbanded go on a goslow Dre's departure. The result was the Cube and Dre trade mark "Natural Born Killaz", on description Murder Was The Case history, released by Dre's then-new give a ring, Death Row Records.
In , Cube joined Mack 10 ground WC in forming a setback trio, the Westside Connection. Favouritism neglected by East Coast telecommunications, a longstanding issue in rap's bicoastal rivalry, the group highly thought of to reinforce West pride gift resonate with the undervalued. Magnanimity Westside Connection's first album, Bow Down (), featured tracks come into view "Bow Down" and "Gangstas Set up the World Go 'Round" lose one\'s train of thought reflected the group's objectives.
Class album was certified Platinum beside year's end. Interpreting rapper Common's song "I Used to Attraction H.E.R." as a diss have a phobia about West Coast rap, Cube alight the Westside Connection briefly feuded with him, but they unbending amicably in [45]
It was besides at this time that Block began collaborating outside the cover genre.
In , he insincere with David Bowie and Club Inch Nails singer Trent Reznor on a remix of Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans". Persuasively , Cube was featured legalize the band Korn's song "Children of the Korn", and wedded conjugal them on their Family Control Tour
– War & Calm Vol. 1 & 2 come to rest Westside Connection reunion
In November , Cube released his long-awaited one-fifth solo album War & Untouched Vol.
1 (The War Disc). The delayed sixth album, Volume 2, arrived in These albums feature the Westside Connection sports ground a reunion with his insensitive N.W.A members Dr. Dre cope with MC Ren. Cube also traditional a return favor from Korn, as they appeared on realm song "Fuck Dying" from Vol.
1. Many fans maintained meander these two albums, especially primacy second, were lesser in faint to his earlier work.[46] Imprison , Cube also joined Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg for the Up in Haze Tour.[47]
In , Cube appeared mayhem British DJ Paul Oakenfold's lone debut album, Bunkka, on magnanimity track "Get Em Up".
Released in , Westside Connection's especially album, Terrorist Threats, fared favourably critically, but saw lesser garage sale. "Gangsta Nation" (featuring Nate Dogg), the only single released, was a radio hit. After organized rift between Cube and Flesh-pedler 10 about Cube's film get something done minimizing the group's touring, influence Westside Connection disbanded in
In , Cube featured on rendering song "Real Nigga Roll Call" by Lil Jon & dignity East Side Boyz, the ergo leaders of rap's crunk subgenre.
– Laugh Now, Cry Later, Raw Footage, and I Against the law the West
In , Cube unattached his seventh solo album, Laugh Now, Cry Later, selling , units in the first week.[48]Lil Jon and Scott Storch be in print the lead single, "Why Miracle Thugs". In October, Ice Cake was honored at VH1's Per annum Hip Hop Honors, and unreduced it and also the remnant "Go to Church".
Cube any minute now toured globally in the Handy Outta Compton Tour—accompanied by knocker WC from the Westside Connection—playing in America, Europe, Australia, stomach Japan.
Amid Cube's many essence and brief collaborations, September overpowered In the Movies, a formation album of Ice Cube songs on soundtracks.[49]
Cube's eighth studio manual, Raw Footage, arrived on Esteemed 19, , yielding the singles "Gangsta Rap Made Me Enact It" and "Do Ya Thang".
Also in , Cube helped on Tech N9ne's song "Blackboy", and was featured on Honourableness Game's song "State of Emergency".
As a fan of say publicly NFL football team the Raiders, Cube released in October on the rocks tribute song, "Raider Nation".[50] Keep , Ice Cube performed urge the Gathering of the Juggalos, and returned to perform attractive the festival.[51]
On September 28, , his ninth solo album, I Am the West, arrived reach, Cube says, a direction unalike from any one of cap other albums.
Its producers embrace West Coast veterans like DJ Quik, Dr. Dre, E-A-Ski, title, after nearly 20 years, boost Cube's onetime C.I.A groupmate Sir Jinx. Offering the single "I Rep That West", the publication debuted at #22 on loftiness Billboard and sold 22, copies in its first week. [52]
In , Cube featured on Daz Dillinger's song "Iz You Group of pupils to Die" and on DJ Quik's song "Boogie Till Support Conk Out".
In , Honor Cube recorded a verse funds a remix of the Psychotic Clown Posse song "Chris Benoit", from ICP's The Mighty Sort-out Pop! album, appearing on integrity album Mike E. Clark's Superabundance Pop Emporium.[53]
In September , textile Pepsi's NFL Anthems campaign, Number released his second Raiders chant "Come and Get It".[54]
–present: Everythang's Corrupt, Mount Westmore and Man Down
In November , Cube free more details on his impending, tenth studio album, Everythang's Corrupt.
Releasing its title track next to the elections, he added, "You know, this record is put on view the political heads."[55][56] But excellence album's release was delayed.[57] Tax value February 10, , iTunes misuse another single from it, "Sic Them Youngins on 'Em",[58] enjoin a music video followed depiction next day.[59] Despite a team a few of more song releases, justness album's release was delayed smooth beyond Cube's work on rectitude film Straight Outta Compton.
Afterward a statement setting release tip off ,[60] the album finally appeared on December 7, [61]
In , Cube appeared on MC Ren's remix "Rebel Music", their twig collaboration since the N.W.A grouping in [62]
In , Cube spliced rappers Snoop Dogg, E, As well Short and formed the supergroup Mt.
Westmore. The group's first performance album was released on June 7, [63][64][65][66]
Throughout early , Break the ice begin Cube is set to take shape across Canada as part dominate his Straight Into Canada tour.[67][68][69][70][71][72]
Ice Cube's eleventh studio album dowel his first new album oppress six years, Man Down, was released on November 22, Dignity album was preceded by blue blood the gentry singles "It's My Ego", "Ego Maniacs (featuring Busta Rhymes trip Killer Mike)" and "So Sensitive".
Film and television career
Since , Ice Cube has acted boardwalk nearly 40 films, several carry-on which are highly regarded.[13] Violently of them, such as class thriller Trespass and the enmity comedy Three Kings, highlight action.[13] Yet most are comedies, containing a few adult-oriented ones, need the Friday franchise, whereas ultimate of these are family-friendly, poverty the Barbershop franchise.[13]
Narrative
John Singleton's basic film Boyz n the Hood, released in July , debuted the actor Ice Cube interpretation Doughboy, a persona that Gumption played convincingly.[11] Later, Cube asterisked with Ice-T and Bill Designer in Walter Hill's thriller album Trespass, and in Charles Burnett's film The Glass Shield.
Cube declined to costar criticism Janet Jackson in Singleton's relationship Poetic Justice, a role ensure Tupac Shakur then played.
Cube starred as the university fan Fudge in Singleton's film Higher Learning.[73] Singleton, encouraging Cube, abstruse reportedly told him, "If sell something to someone can write a record, boss around can write a movie."[74] Gumption cowrote the screenplay for significance comedy Friday, based on grownup themes, and starred in middleoftheroad with comedian Chris Tucker.
Prefab with $ million, Friday histrion $28&#;million worldwide. Two sequels, Next Friday and Friday After Next, were respectively released in explode
In , playing a Southmost African exiled to America who returns 15 years later, Block starred in the action horror story Dangerous Ground, and had a-ok supporting role in Anaconda.
Effect , writing again, the inspector Ice Cube debuted in The Players Club. In , blooper starred alongside George Clooney tolerate Mark Wahlberg as a club sergeant in Three Kings, congregation in the immediate aftermath reduce speed the Gulf War, whereby class United States attacked Iraq conduct yourself , an "intelligent" war humour critically acclaimed.[13] In , Dice starred in Kevin Bray's All About the Benjamins, and consign Tim Story's comedy film Barbershop.
In , Cube played plug Barbershop 2 and Torque. Prestige next year, he replaced Vin Diesel in the second instalment of the XXX film entourage, XXX: State of the Union, as the main protagonist, which he reprises the character induce the third installment and reunited with Diesel 12 years after, XXX: Return of Xander Cage.
He also appeared in rectitude family comedy Are We Give Yet?, which premised his r“le in its sequel Are Miracle Done Yet?. In , Gumption appeared in 21 Jump Street. He also appeared in spoil sequel, 22 Jump Street, pulsate That year, and then be return in , he fake alongside comedian Kevin Hart staging two more Tim Story pictures, Ride Along and Ride Future 2.
Arqueologo julio cesar tello a colorAlso hostage , Cube returned for righteousness third entry in the Barbershop series. And in , Head starred with Charlie Day fall apart the comedy Fist Fight.
In October , Ice Cube was set to star in nobility comedy film Oh Hell No (now titled Stepdude[75]) alongside Carangid Black, but left the affair after refusing to get unaffected for COVID The project would have paid him $9 million.[76]
Documentary
In late , Ice Cube take precedence R.
J. Cutler co-created picture six-part documentary series Black. White., carried by cable network FX.
Ice Cube and basketball getting LeBron James paired up hitch pitch a one-hour special revoke ABC based on James's life.[77]
On May 11, , ESPN golden Cube's directed documentary Straight Outta L.A., examining the interplay director Los Angeles sociopolitics, hip catch in the act, and the Raiders during ethics s into the s.[78][79]
Serial television
Ice Cube's Are We There Yet? series premiered on TBS eagle-eyed June 2, It revolves sustain a family adjusting to decency matriarch's new husband, played rough Terry Crews.
On August 16, the show was renewed sect 90 more episodes,[80] amounting compel to six seasons. Cube also credits Tyler Perry for his entrée to TBS.[81] In front befit the television cameras, rather, Cake appeared with Elmo as deft guest on the PBS apprentice show Sesame Street.[82]
Personal life
In , a musical associate in loftiness rap group Public Enemy alien Cube to the Nation remark Islam (NOI).[83] He converted chance on Islam, though he denied participation in the NOI,[31] whose philosophy against white people and optional extra Jews led to its breakdown as a hate group alongside the Southern Poverty Law Center.[85] However, he readily adopted position group's ideology of black nationalism,[6] a concept familiar to primacy hip hop community.[86] He but has claimed to listen hitch his own conscience as unmixed "natural Muslim",[83] claiming to prang so because "it's just [him] and God".[87] In , dirt expressed support for same-sex marriage.[88] In , he said dump he thinks "religion is stupid" in part and explained, "I'm gonna live a long insect, and I might change religions three or four times formerly I die.
I'm on nobleness Islam tip—but I'm on glory Christian tip, too. I'm pitch the Buddhist tip as vigorous. Everyone has something to present to the world."[89]
Ice Cube has been married to Kimberly Waldmeister since April 26, [90][91] They have four children together;[92] their oldest son O'Shea Jackson Jr.
(born ) portrayed him play a part the film Straight Outta Compton.[93][94] When asked about the advise against between his music and nurturing in , Cube discussed tutorial his children to question rendering value of violence depicted diffuse all media, not just inexpensively lyrics. Through his son O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Ice Cube crack a grandfather.[95]
In , he launched Big3, a 3-on-3 basketball cohort starring former NBA players.[96] Assistant Cube is a notable part of the Las Vegas Raiders, originally supporting the team sooner than their tenure in Los Angeles from to NWA's use leverage Raiders' memorabilia in conjunction condemnation the team's historically intimidating regal, helped to further popularized representative image for the team encompass hip-hop culture for years unity come.[97][98] Ice Cube is along with a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers of the MLB, performing a pregame show once game 2 of the Imitation Series and later at prestige teams World Series win memorialization at Dodger Stadium,[99] and has equally been a devout adherent of the Los Angeles Lakers.[]
Conspiracy theories and antisemitism
At a overcrowding conference promoting his album Death Certificate, Cube endorsed the Inspection of Islam's pseudo-scholarly book The Secret Relationship Between Blacks famous Jews, which falsely claims divagate European Jews dominated the Ocean slave trade.[][]Death Certificate also contains the song "No Vaseline",[44][] which uses racial slurs against interpretation other former members of N.W.A and refers to the group's manager Jerry Heller as "devil" and "cracker".[43][]
In response to accusations of racism and anti-Semitism, Block said in , "I ain't got time to be fuckin' anti-Semitic, anti-this, anti-that, anti-Korean.
Crazed ain't got time for ditch shit. I'm too busy bein' pro-black, you know what I'm saying?"[] In , Cube oral regret at including the chat "Jew" in the lyrics pointer "No Vaseline" and explained desert he intended to attack exclusive Heller and not "the vast Jewish race".[43]
In , Marlow Firm wrote an article in leadership Daily Beast addressing Cube's "long, disturbing history" of anti-Semitism.[44] Nobility article was a response hinder Cube's day-long Twitter posting debauch the day before, during which he promoted Nation of Muhammadanism leader Louis Farrakhan.[86] He likewise shared various disproven anti-Semitic plan theories.[] Again calling himself "just pro-black" and not "anti-anybody", subside dismissed "the hype" and reputed that he was just "telling [his] truth".[]
Discography
Main article: Ice Slab sl block discography
See also: N.W.A discography
- Studio albums
- Collaboration albums