O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on
N.W.A
N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...
's 1989 album ''
Straight Outta Compton
''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
'' contributed to
gangsta rap
Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, is a subgenre of rap music that conveys the culture, values, and experiences of urban gangs and street hustlers, frequently discussing unpleasant realities of the world in general th ...
's widespread popularity,
[Steve Huey]
"N.W.A: ''Straight Outta Compton''"
'' AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited 14 Jun 2020.[Loren Kajikawa, "Compton via New York", ''Sounding Race in Rap Songs'' (Oakland: ]University of California Press
The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by faculty ...
, 2015)
pp 91–93
[Todd Boyd, ''Am I Black Enough for You?: Popular Culture from the 'Hood and Beyond'' (Bloomington & Indianapolis: ]Indiana University Press
Indiana University Press, also known as IU Press, is an academic publisher founded in 1950 at Indiana University that specializes in the humanities and social sciences. Its headquarters are located in Bloomington, Indiana. IU Press publishes ...
, 1997)
p 75
skims Ice Cube's early successes in music, whil
indexing "Ice Cube"
reveals analysis of his political rap. and his
political rap solo albums ''
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'' (1990), ''
Death Certificate
A death certificate is either a legal document issued by a medical practitioner which states when a person died, or a document issued by a government civil registration office, that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death, a ...
'' (1991), and ''
The Predator'' (1992) were all critically and commercially successful.
[Lakeyta M. Bonnette, ''Pulse of the People: Political Rap Music and Black Politics'' (Philadelphia: ]University of Pennsylvania Press
The University of Pennsylvania Press, also known as Penn Press, is a university press affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
History
The press was originally incorporated with b ...
, 2015)
p 71
[Allen Gordon, "Ice Cube: ''Death Certificate'' (Street Knowledge/Priority, 1991)", in Oliver Wang, ed., ''Classic Material: The Hip-hop Album Guide'' (Toronto: ]ECW Press
ECW Press is a Canadian book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canada, Canadian literary magazine named ''Essays on Canadian Writing''. They started publishing trade and scholar ...
, 2003)
p 87
[Preezy Brown]
"18 socio-political lyrics from Ice Cube's 'Death Certificate' that still resonate in 2016"
'' Vibe.com'', Prometheus Global Media, LLC., 1 Nov 2016. He was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
as a member of N.W.A in 2016.
A native of Los Angeles, Ice Cube formed his first rap group called
C.I.A. in 1986.
[Steven Otfinoski, "Ice Cube", ''African Americans in the Performing Arts'' (New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003)]
p 108
In 1987, with
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. Eazy-E is often re ...
and
Dr. Dre, he formed the gangsta rap group N.W.A.
As its lead rapper, he wrote some of Dre's and most of Eazy's lyrics on ''Straight Outta Compton'',
a landmark album that shaped
West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip-hop is a regional genre of Hip-hop, hip-hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast of the United States. West Coast hip-hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during th ...
's early identity and helped differentiate it from
East Coast rap.
N.W.A was also known for their violent lyrics, threatening to attack abusive police which stirred controversy.
After a monetary dispute over the group's management by Eazy-E and
Jerry Heller, Cube left N.W.A in late 1989, teaming with New York artists and launching a solo rap career.
Ice Cube has also had an active film career since the early 1990s.
[David J. Leonard, "Ice Cube", in Mickey Hess, ed., ''Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture'' (Westport, CT: ]Greenwood Press
Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. (GPG) was an educational and academic publisher (middle school through university level) which was part of ABC-Clio. Since 2021, ABC-Clio and its suite of imprints, including GPG, are collectively imprints of B ...
, 2007)
p 311
He entered cinema by playing Doughboy in director
John Singleton
John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
's feature debut ''
Boyz n the Hood
''Boyz n the Hood'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood crime drama film written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube (in his film debut), Morris Chestnut, and Laurence Fis ...
'', a 1991 drama named after a
1987 rap song that Ice Cube wrote.
[Gail Hilson Woldu, ''The Words and Music of Ice Cube'' (Westport, CT & London, UK: Praeger Publishers, 2008)]
pp 44–45
He also co-wrote and starred in the 1995 comedy film ''
Friday
Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO 8601-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth ...
'',
which spawned a successful franchise and reshaped his public image into a bankable movie star.
He made his directorial debut with the 1998 film ''
The Players Club'', and also produced and curated the film's accompanying
soundtrack
A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
. As of 2020, he has appeared in about 40 films, including the 1999 war comedy ''
Three Kings
In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
'', family comedies like the
''Barbershop'' series, and buddy cop comedies ''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'', ''
22 Jump Street
''22 Jump Street'' is a 2014 American adult buddy cop action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, written by Jonah Hill, Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman and produced by and starring Hill and Channing T ...
'', and ''
Ride Along''.
He was an executive producer of many of these films, as well as of the 2015 biopic ''
Straight Outta Compton
''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
''.
Early life

O'Shea Jackson was born in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
on June 15, 1969, to hospital clerk and custodian Doris and machinist and
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
groundskeeper Hosea Jackson.
He has an older brother, and they had a half-sister who was murdered when Cube was 12. He is a cousin of fellow rappers
Del tha Funky Homosapien and
Kam. He grew up on Van Wick Street in the
Westmont section of
South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of Downtown Los Angeles, downtown.
It is de ...
. In ninth grade at
George Washington Preparatory High School
George Washington Preparatory High School is a public four-year high school of Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located in the Westmont, California, Westm ...
in Los Angeles,
Cube began writing raps after being challenged by his friend "Kiddo" in typewriting class. Kiddo lost.
He has said that his stage name came from his older brother, who "threatened to slam
iminto a freezer and pull
imout when
ewas an ice cube".
Cube also attended
William Howard Taft High School in the
Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles.
He was bused to the suburban school from his home in a high-crime neighborhood. In the fall of 1987, soon after he wrote and recorded a few locally successful rap songs with
N.W.A
N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...
, he enrolled at the Phoenix Institute of Technology
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
.
In 1988, with a diploma in
architectural drafting, he returned to Los Angeles and rejoined N.W.A, but kept a career in architecture drafting as a backup plan.
Music career
Early work
In 1986, at the age of 16, Ice Cube began rapping in the trio
C.I.A. but soon joined the newly formed rap group
N.W.A
N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...
. He was N.W.A's lead rapper and main ghostwriter on its official debut album, 1989's ''
Straight Outta Compton
''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
''. Due to a financial dispute, he left the group by the start of 1990. During 1990, his debut solo album, ''
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'', found him also leading a featured rap group,
Da Lench Mob.
Meanwhile, he helped develop the rapper
Yo Yo.
1986: C.I.A.
With friend
Sir Jinx, Ice Cube formed the rap group
C.I.A., and performed at parties hosted by
Dr. Dre. Since 1984, Dre had been a member of a popular DJ crew, the
World Class Wreckin' Cru, which by 1985 was also performing and recording electro rap. Dre had Cube help write the Wreckin Cru's hit song "Cabbage Patch". Dre also joined Cube on a side project, a duo called Stereo Crew, which made a 12-inch record, "She's a Skag", released on
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
in 1986.
In 1987, C.I.A. released the
Dr. Dre-produced single "
My Posse". Meanwhile, the Wreckin' Cru's home base was the Eve After Dark nightclub, about a quarter of a mile outside of the city of Compton in Los Angeles County. While Dre was on the turntable, Ice Cube would rap, often parodying other artists' songs. In one instance, Cube's rendition was "My Penis", parodying Run-DMC's "
My Adidas". In 2015, the nightclub's co-owner and Wreckin' leader
Alonzo Williams would recall feeling his reputation damaged by this and asking it not to be repeated.
[World Class Wreckin' Cru Founder Alonzo Williams Addresses Dr. Dre Gay Rumors & 'Straight Outta Compton'](_blank)
Allhiphop.com, August 24, 2015
1986–1989: N.W.A.
At 16, Cube sold his first song to Eric Wright, soon dubbed
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. Eazy-E is often re ...
, who was forming
Ruthless Records
Ruthless Records was an American independent record label founded by Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and Jerry Heller in Compton, California on March 3, 1987. All of the Ruthless trademarks have been owned by Comptown Records, Inc. since 1987. Several ...
and the musical team
N.W.A
N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...
, based in
Compton, California
Compton is a city located in the Gateway Cities region of southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county, and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth ci ...
.
Himself from
South Central Los Angeles, Cube would be N.W.A's only core member not born in Compton.
Upon the success of the song "
Boyz-n-the-Hood"—written by Cube, produced by Dre, and rapped by Eazy-E, helping establish gangsta rap in California—Eazy focused on developing N.W.A, which soon gained
MC Ren
Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (born June 16, 1969), known professionally by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the independent record label Villain ...
. Cube wrote some of Dre's and nearly all of Eazy's lyrics on N.W.A's official debut album, ''
Straight Outta Compton
''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
'', released in January 1989. Yet by the end of the year, Cube questioned his compensation and N.W.A's management by
Jerry Heller.
[''Ice Cube: Attitude'' (McIver, 2002) ]
Cube also wrote most of Eazy-E's debut album ''
Eazy-Duz-It
''Eazy-Duz-It'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Eazy-E. It was released on November 22, 1988, by Ruthless Records and Priority Records. The album charted on two different charts and went 2× Platinum in the United States despite ve ...
''. He received a total pay of $32,000, and the contract that Heller presented in 1989 did not confirm that he was officially an N.W.A member.
[''Ice Cube: Attitude'', Joel McIver, p.70, Foruli Classics, 2012] After leaving the group and its label in December, Cube sued Heller, and the lawsuit was later settled out of court.
In response, N.W.A members attacked Cube on the 1990 EP ''
100 Miles and Runnin''', and on N.W.A's next and final album, ''
Niggaz4Life
''Niggaz4Life'' (also known as ''Efil4zaggin'' per its mirrored title as seen on the cover) is the second and final studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on May 28, 1991. It was their final album, as the group disbanded later t ...
'', in 1991.
1989–1993: Early solo career, ''AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'', ''Death Certificate'', and ''The Predator''
In early 1990, Ice Cube recorded his debut solo album, ''
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'', in New York with iconic rap group
Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
's production team,
the Bomb Squad
The Bomb Squad was an American hip hop production team known for their work with hip hop group Public Enemy.
The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track. ...
. Arriving in May 1990, it was an instant hit, further swelling rap's mainstream integration. Controversial nonetheless, it drew accusations of misogyny and racism. The album introduces Ice Cube's affirmation of black nationalism and ideology of black struggle.
Cube appointed
Yo-Yo, a female rapper and guest on the album, to be the head of his record label, and helped produce her debut album, ''
Make Way for the Motherlode''. Also in 1990, Cube followed up with an
EP—''
Kill At Will
''Kill at Will'' (titled ''At Will'' in its censored version) is an extended play by American rapper Ice Cube, released on December 19, 1990, via Priority Records. It was released soon after ''AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'' and capitalized on Cube's ne ...
''—critically acclaimed, and rap's first EP certified
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
.
His second album ''
Death Certificate
A death certificate is either a legal document issued by a medical practitioner which states when a person died, or a document issued by a government civil registration office, that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death, a ...
'' was released in 1991.
The album was thought to be more focused, yet even more controversial, triggering accusations of anti-white, antisemitic, and misogynistic content. The album was split into two themes: the Death Side, "a vision of where we are today", and the Life Side, "a vision of where we need to go". The track "
No Vaseline" scathingly retorts insults directed at him by N.W.A's
1990 EP and
1991 album, which call him a traitor.
[Sacha Jenkins, Elliott Wilson, Jeff Mao, Gabe Alvarez & Brent Rollins, "Mo' beef, mo' problems: #7, N.W.A vs. Ice Cube", '' Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists'' (New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1999)]
p 238
Besides calling for hanging Eazy-E as a "house nigga", the track blames N.W.A's manager
Jerry Heller for exploiting the group, mentions that he is a Jew, and calls for his murder.
Ice Cube contended that he mentioned Heller's ethnicity merely incidentally, not to premise attack, but as news media mention nonwhite assailants' races.
The track "Black Korea", also deemed racist,
was also thought as foreseeing the
1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles riots were a series of riots and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County, California, United States, during April and May 1992. Unrest began in South Los Angeles, South Central Los Angeles on April 29, after ...
.
While controversial, ''Death Certificate'' broadened his audience; he toured with
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
in 1992.
[
Cube's third album, '' The Predator'', was released in November 1992. Referring to the ]1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles riots were a series of riots and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County, California, United States, during April and May 1992. Unrest began in South Los Angeles, South Central Los Angeles on April 29, after ...
, the song " Wicked" opens, "April 29 was power to the people, and we might just see a sequel." ''The Predator'' was the first album ever to debut at No. 1 on both the R&B/hip-hop and pop charts. Singles include "It Was a Good Day
"It Was a Good Day" is a song by American rapper Ice Cube, released on February 23, 1993, by Lench Mob Records, Lench Mob and Priority Records, Priority as the second single from his third solo album, ''The Predator (album), The Predator'' (1992 ...
" and " Check Yo Self", songs having a "two-part" music video. Generally drawing critical praise, the album is his most successful commercially, over three million copies sold in the US. After this album, Cube's rap audience severely diminished, and never regained the prominence of his first three albums.
During this time, Cube began to have numerous features on other artists' songs. In 1992, Cube appeared on Del the Funky Homosapien
Teren Delvon Jones (born August 12, 1972), better known by his stage name Del the Funky Homosapien (sometimes stylized as Del tha Funkee Homosapien) or Sir DZL, is an American rapper.
Music career 1988–1997: Early life and beginnings
Born in O ...
's debut album '' I Wish My Brother George Was Here'', on Da Lench Mob's debut '' Guerillas in tha Mist'', which he also produced, and on the Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Cr ...
and DJ Polo
The Juice Crew was an American hip hop collective made up largely of Queensbridge, New York–based artists in the mid-to-late 1980s. Founded by radio DJ Mr. Magic, and housed by Tyrone Williams' record label Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice C ...
song " Two to the Head". In 1993, he worked on Kam's debut album, and collaborated with Ice-T
Tracy Lauren Marrow (born February 16, 1958), known professionally as Ice-T (or Ice T), is an American rapper and actor. He is active in both hip hop music, hip hop and heavy metal music, heavy metal. Ice-T began his career as an underground r ...
on the track "Last Wordz" on 2Pac
Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...
's album '' Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.''.
1993–1998: ''Lethal Injection'' and forming Westside Connection
Cube's fourth album, ''Lethal Injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting one or more drugs into a person (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium) for the express purpose of causing death. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but t ...
'', came out in late 1993. Here, Cube borrowed from the then-popular G-funk
G-funk, short for gangsta funk, (or funk rap) is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre is heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic (aka P-F ...
popularized by Dr. Dre. Although not received well by critics, the album brought successful singles, including " Really Doe", " Bop Gun (One Nation)", " You Know How We Do It", and "What Can I Do?" After this album, Ice Cube effectively lost his rap audience.
Following ''Lethal Injection'', Cube focused on films and producing albums of other rappers, including Da Lench Mob, Mack 10, Mr. Short Khop, and Kausion. In 1994, Cube teamed with onetime N.W.A groupmate Dr. Dre, who was then leading rap's G-funk
G-funk, short for gangsta funk, (or funk rap) is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre is heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic (aka P-F ...
subgenre, for the first time since Cube had left the group, and which had disbanded upon Dre's 1991 departure. The result was the Cube and Dre song " Natural Born Killaz", on the ''Murder Was The Case
''Murder Was the Case'' is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection ...
'' soundtrack, released by Dre's then-new label, Death Row Records
Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. D ...
.
In 1995, Cube joined Mack 10 and WC in forming a side trio, the Westside Connection
Westside Connection was an American hip-hop Supergroup (music), supergroup formed by Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC (rapper), WC. The group's debut album, ''Bow Down'', reached the number two position on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 in 1996 ...
. Feeling neglected by East Coast media, a longstanding issue in rap's bicoastal rivalry, the group aimed to reinforce West pride and resonate with the undervalued. The Westside Connection's first album, '' Bow Down'' (1996), featured tracks like "Bow Down" and "Gangstas Make the World Go 'Round" that reflected the group's objectives. The album was certified Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by year's end. Interpreting rapper Common
Common may refer to:
As an Irish surname, it is anglicised from Irish Gaelic surname Ó Comáin.
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Com ...
's song " I Used to Love H.E.R." as a diss of West Coast rap, Cube and the Westside Connection briefly feuded with him, but they resolved amicably in 1997.
It was also at this time that Cube began collaborating outside the rap genre. In 1997, he worked with David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
and Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...
singer Trent Reznor on a remix of Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans
"I'm Afraid of Americans" is a song by the English musician David Bowie, released as a Single (music), single from his album ''Earthling (David Bowie album), Earthling'' on 14 October 1997 through Virgin Records. The song was co-written by ...
". In 1998, Cube was featured on the band Korn
Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...
's song " Children of the Korn", and joined them on their Family Values Tour 1998.
1998–2006: ''War & Peace Vol. 1 & 2'' and Westside Connection reunion
In November 1998, Cube released his long-awaited fifth solo album '' War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc)''. The delayed sixth album, '' Volume 2'', arrived in 2000. These albums feature the Westside Connection
Westside Connection was an American hip-hop Supergroup (music), supergroup formed by Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC (rapper), WC. The group's debut album, ''Bow Down'', reached the number two position on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 in 1996 ...
and a reunion with his old N.W.A members Dr. Dre and MC Ren. Cube also received a return favor from Korn, as they appeared on his song "Fuck Dying" from ''Vol. 1''. Many fans maintained that these two albums, especially the second, were lesser in quality to his earlier work. In 2000, Cube also joined Dr. Dre, Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
, and Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
for the Up in Smoke Tour.
In 2002, Cube appeared on British DJ Paul Oakenfold's solo debut album, '' Bunkka'', on the track "Get Em Up".
Released in 2003, Westside Connection's second album, ''Terrorist Threats
''Terrorist Threats'' is the second and final studio album by American West Coast hip hop supergroup (music), supergroup Westside Connection. It was released on December 9, 2003 through Hoo-Bangin' Records and Capitol Records. Hip hop productio ...
'', fared well critically, but saw lesser sales. "Gangsta Nation" (featuring Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American rapper and singer. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals on several hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning him the ...
), the only single released, was a radio hit. After a rift between Cube and Mack 10 about Cube's film work minimizing the group's touring, the Westside Connection disbanded in 2005.
In 2004, Cube featured on the song " Real Nigga Roll Call" by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, the then leaders of rap's crunk
Crunk is a subgenre of Southern hip-hop that emerged in the early 1990s and gained mainstream success during the early to mid 2000s. Crunk is often up-tempo and one of Southern hip hop's more nightclub-oriented subgenres. Distinguishing itself w ...
subgenre.
2006–2012: ''Laugh Now, Cry Later'', ''Raw Footage'', and ''I Am the West''
In 2006, Cube released his seventh solo album, ''Laugh Now, Cry Later
''Laugh Now, Cry Later'' is the seventh studio album by rapper Ice Cube, released on June 6, 2006. It is Ice Cube's first album to be released on his independently owned record label Lench Mob Records and Universal Records. This album is his fir ...
'', selling 144,000 units in the first week. Lil Jon
Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, DJ, and record producer. Regarded as a progenitor of the club-oriented hip-hop subgenre crunk, his production and voice presence were inst ...
and Scott Storch produced the lead single, " Why We Thugs". In October, Ice Cube was honored at VH1's Annual Hip Hop Honors, and performed it and also the track "Go to Church". Cube soon toured globally in the Straight Outta Compton Tour—accompanied by rapper WC from the Westside Connection—playing in America, Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Amid Cube's many features and brief collaborations, September 2007 brought '' In the Movies'', a compilation album of Ice Cube songs on soundtracks.
Cube's eighth studio album, '' Raw Footage'', arrived on August 19, 2008, yielding the singles " Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" and " Do Ya Thang". Also in 2008, Cube helped on Tech N9ne
Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper and singer. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold ...
's song "Killer (Tech N9ne album), Blackboy", and was featured on The Game (rapper), The Game's song "LAX (album), State of Emergency".
As a fan of the NFL football team the Raiders, Cube released in October 2009 a tribute song, "Raider Nation". In 2009, Ice Cube performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos, and returned to perform at the 2011 festival.
On September 28, 2010, his ninth solo album, ''I Am the West'', arrived with, Cube says, a direction different from any one of his other albums. Its producers include West Coast veterans like DJ Quik, Dr. Dre, E-A-Ski, and, after nearly 20 years, again Cube's onetime C.I.A groupmate Sir Jinx. Offering the single "I Rep That West", the album debuted at #22 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 and sold 22,000 copies in its first week. Also in 2010, Cube signed up-and-coming recording artist named 7Tre The Ghost, deemed likely to be either skipped or given the cookie-cutter treatment by most record companies.
In 2011, Cube featured on Daz Dillinger's D.A.Z. (album), song "Iz You Ready to Die" and on DJ Quik's song "Boogie Till You Conk Out".
In 2012, Ice Cube recorded a verse for a remix of the Insane Clown Posse song "Chris Benoit (song), Chris Benoit", from ICP's ''The Mighty Death Pop!'' album, appearing on the album ''Mike E. Clark's Extra Pop Emporium''.
In September 2012, during Pepsi's NFL Anthems campaign, Cube released his second Raiders anthem "Come and Get It".
2012–present: ''Everythang's Corrupt'', Mount Westmore and ''Man Down''
In November 2012, Cube released more details on his forthcoming, tenth studio album, ''Everythang's Corrupt''. Releasing its title track near the 2012 elections, he added, "You know, this record is for the political heads." But the album's release was delayed. On February 10, 2014, iTunes brought another single from it, "Sic Them Youngins on 'Em", and a music video followed the next day. Despite a couple of more song releases, the album's release was delayed even beyond Cube's work on the 2015 film ''Straight Outta Compton (2015 film), Straight Outta Compton''. After a statement setting release to 2017, the album finally arrived on December 7, 2018.
In 2014, Cube appeared on MC Ren
Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (born June 16, 1969), known professionally by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the independent record label Villain ...
's remix "Rebel Music (song), Rebel Music", their first collaboration since the N.W.A reunion in 2000.
In 2020, Cube joined rappers Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
, E-40, Too Short and formed the supergroup Mt. Westmore. The group's debut album was released on June 7, 2022.
Throughout early 2024, Ice Cube is set to tour across Canada as part of his Straight Into Canada tour.
Ice Cube's eleventh studio album and his first new album in six years, ''Man Down (album), Man Down'', was released on November 22, 2024. The album was preceded by the singles "It's My Ego", "Ego Maniacs (featuring Busta Rhymes and Killer Mike)" and "So Sensitive".
Film and television career
Since 1991, Ice Cube has acted in nearly 40 films, several of which are highly regarded. Some of them, such as the 1992 thriller ''Trespass (1992 film), Trespass'' and the 1999 war comedy ''Three Kings
In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
'', highlight action. Yet most are comedies, including a few adult-oriented ones, like the Friday (franchise), ''Friday'' franchise, whereas most of these are family-friendly, like the Barbershop (franchise), ''Barbershop'' franchise.
Narrative
John Singleton
John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
's seminal film ''Boyz n the Hood
''Boyz n the Hood'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood crime drama film written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube (in his film debut), Morris Chestnut, and Laurence Fis ...
'', released in July 1991, debuted the actor Ice Cube playing Doughboy, a persona that Cube played convincingly. Later, Cube starred with Ice-T
Tracy Lauren Marrow (born February 16, 1958), known professionally as Ice-T (or Ice T), is an American rapper and actor. He is active in both hip hop music, hip hop and heavy metal music, heavy metal. Ice-T began his career as an underground r ...
and Bill Paxton in Walter Hill (filmmaker), Walter Hill's 1992 thriller film ''Trespass (1992 film), Trespass'', and in Charles Burnett's 1995 film ''The Glass Shield''. Meanwhile, Cube declined to costar with Janet Jackson in Singleton's 1993 romance ''Poetic Justice (film), Poetic Justice'', a role that Tupac Shakur then played.
Cube starred as the university student Fudge in Singleton's 1995 film ''Higher Learning''. Singleton, encouraging Cube, had reportedly told him, "If you can write a record, you can write a movie." Cube cowrote the screenplay for the 1995 comedy ''Friday
Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO 8601-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth ...
'', based on adult themes, and starred in it with comedian Chris Tucker. Made with $3.5 million, ''Friday'' drew $28 million worldwide. Two sequels, ''Next Friday'' and ''Friday After Next'', were respectively released in 2000 and 2002.
In 1997, playing a South African exiled to America who returns 15 years later, Cube starred in the action thriller ''Dangerous Ground (1997 film), Dangerous Ground'', and had a supporting role in ''Anaconda (1997 film), Anaconda''. In 1998, writing again, the director Ice Cube debuted in '' The Players Club''. In 1999, he starred alongside George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg as a staff sergeant in ''Three Kings
In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
'', set in the immediate aftermath of the Gulf War, whereby the United States attacked Iraq in 1990, an "intelligent" war comedy critically acclaimed. In 2002, Cube starred in Kevin Bray (director), Kevin Bray's ''All About the Benjamins'', and in Tim Story's comedy film ''Barbershop (film), Barbershop''.
In 2004, Cube played in ''Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Barbershop 2'' and ''Torque (film), Torque''. The next year, he replaced Vin Diesel in the second installment of the XXX (film series), ''XXX'' film series, ''XXX: State of the Union'', as the main protagonist, which he reprises the character in the third installment and reunited with Diesel 12 years later, ''XXX: Return of Xander Cage''. He also appeared in the family comedy ''Are We There Yet? (film), Are We There Yet?'', which premised his role in its 2007 sequel ''Are We Done Yet?''. In 2012, Cube appeared in ''21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
''. He also appeared in its sequel, ''22 Jump Street
''22 Jump Street'' is a 2014 American adult buddy cop action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, written by Jonah Hill, Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman and produced by and starring Hill and Channing T ...
'', in 2014. That year, and then to return in 2016, he played alongside comedian Kevin Hart in two more Tim Story films, '' Ride Along'' and ''Ride Along 2''. Also in 2016, Cube returned for the Barbershop: The Next Cut, third entry in the ''Barbershop'' series. And in 2017, Cube starred with Charlie Day in the comedy ''Fist Fight''.
In October 2021, Ice Cube was set to star in the comedy film ''Oh Hell No'' (now titled ''Stepdude'') alongside Jack Black, but left the project after refusing to get vaccinated for COVID-19. The project would have paid him $9 million.
Documentary
In late 2005, Ice Cube and R. J. Cutler co-created the six-part documentary series ''Black. White.'', carried by cable network FX (TV channel), FX.
Ice Cube and basketball star LeBron James paired up to pitch a one-hour special to American Broadcasting Company, ABC based on James's life.
On May 11, 2010, ESPN aired Cube's directed documentary ''Straight Outta L.A.'', examining the interplay of Los Angeles sociopolitics, hip hop, and the Raiders during the 1980s into the 1990s.
Serial television
Ice Cube's ''Are We There Yet? (TV series), Are We There Yet?'' series premiered on TBS (U.S. TV channel), TBS on June 2, 2010. It revolves around a family adjusting to the matriarch's new husband, played by Terry Crews. On August 16, the show was renewed for 90 more episodes, amounting to six seasons. Cube also credits Tyler Perry for his entrée to TBS. In front of the television cameras, rather, Cube appeared with Elmo as a 2014 guest on the PBS children's show ''Sesame Street.''
Personal life
In 1990, a musical associate in the rap group Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
introduced Cube to the Nation of Islam (NOI).[Martin Cizmar]
"Ice Cube is one of rap's original gangsters, but he is also one of hip hop's most unconventional political activists"
''Willamette Week,'' Aug 23, 2016, updated Oct 3, 2016. He converted to Islam, though he denied membership in the NOI, whose ideology against white people and Antisemitism, especially Jews led to its categorization as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. However, he readily adopted the group's ideology of black nationalism, a concept familiar to the hip hop community.[Dawn-Marie Gibson, "Embracing the Nation: Hip-hop, Louis Farrakhan, and alternative music", in Andre E. Johnson, ed., ''Urban God Talk: Constructing a Hip Hop Spirituality'' (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2013), p]
140
141
He nevertheless has claimed to listen to his own conscience as a "natural Muslim", claiming to do so because "it's just imand God". In 2012, he expressed support for same-sex marriage. In 2017, he said that he thinks "religion is stupid" in part and explained, "I'm gonna live a long life, and I might change religions three or four times before I die. I'm on the Islam tip—but I'm on the Christian tip, too. I'm on the Buddhist tip as well. Everyone has something to offer to the world."
Ice Cube has been married to Kimberly Woodruff since April 26, 1992. They have four children together; their oldest son O'Shea Jackson Jr. (born 1991) portrayed him in the film ''Straight Outta Compton
''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
''. When asked about the balance between his music and parenting in 2005, Cube discussed teaching his children to question the value of violence depicted in all media, not just song lyrics. Through his son O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ice Cube became a grandfather in August, 2017.
In 2017, he launched Big3, a 3x3 (basketball), 3-on-3 basketball league starring former National Basketball Association, NBA players. Ice Cube is a notable fan of the Las Vegas Raiders, originally supporting the team during their tenure in Los Angeles Raiders, Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994. NWA's use of Raiders' memorabilia in conjunction with the team's historically intimidating presence, helped to further popularized an image for the team in hip-hop culture for years to come. Ice Cube is also a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers of MLB, performing a pregame show before game 2 of the 2024 World Series and later at the team's World Series win celebration at Dodger Stadium, and has equally been a devout fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Conspiracy theories and antisemitism
At a 1991 press conference promoting his album ''Death Certificate
A death certificate is either a legal document issued by a medical practitioner which states when a person died, or a document issued by a government civil registration office, that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death, a ...
'', Cube endorsed the Nation of Islam's Pseudo-scholarship, pseudo-scholarly book ''The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews'', which falsely claims that European Jews dominated the Atlantic slave trade. ''Death Certificate'' also contains the song " No Vaseline",[JTA]
"Rapper Ice Cube scuffles with rabbi outside casino, hit with $2ml lawsuit"
''The Jerusalem Post'', JPost.com, Jpost Inc., May 30, 2015. which uses racial slurs against the other former members of N.W.A and refers to the group's manager Jerry Heller as "white man", "white boy", "Jew", "white Jew", "Wiktionary:white devil, devil" and "cracker (slur), cracker".
In response to accusations of racism and anti-Semitism, Cube said in 2008, "I ain't got time to be fuckin' anti-Semitic, anti-this, anti-that, Anti-Korean sentiment, anti-Korean. I ain't got time for that shit. I'm too busy bein' pro-black, you know what I'm saying?" In 2015, Cube expressed regret at including the word "Jew" in the lyrics of "No Vaseline" and explained that he intended to attack only Heller and not "the whole Jewish race".
In 2020, Marlow Stern wrote an article in the ''Daily Beast'' addressing Cube's "long, disturbing history" of anti-Semitism. The article was a response to Cube's day-long Twitter posting spree the day before, during which he promoted Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. He also shared various disproven anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Again calling himself "just pro-black" and not "anti-anybody", he dismissed "the hype" and professed that he was just "telling [his] truth".
Discography
Solo studio albums
* '' AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'' (1990)
* ''Death Certificate
A death certificate is either a legal document issued by a medical practitioner which states when a person died, or a document issued by a government civil registration office, that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death, a ...
'' (1991)
* '' The Predator'' (1992)
* ''Lethal Injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting one or more drugs into a person (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium) for the express purpose of causing death. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but t ...
'' (1993)
* '' War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc)'' (1998)
* ''War & Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc)'' (2000)
* ''Laugh Now, Cry Later
''Laugh Now, Cry Later'' is the seventh studio album by rapper Ice Cube, released on June 6, 2006. It is Ice Cube's first album to be released on his independently owned record label Lench Mob Records and Universal Records. This album is his fir ...
'' (2006)
* '' Raw Footage'' (2008)
* ''I Am the West'' (2010)
* ''Everythang's Corrupt'' (2018)
* ''Man Down (album), Man Down'' (2024)
Collaborative studio albums
* ''Straight Outta Compton
''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
'' (with N.W.A
N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...
) (1989)
* '' Bow Down'' (with Westside Connection
Westside Connection was an American hip-hop Supergroup (music), supergroup formed by Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC (rapper), WC. The group's debut album, ''Bow Down'', reached the number two position on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 in 1996 ...
) (1996)
* ''Terrorist Threats
''Terrorist Threats'' is the second and final studio album by American West Coast hip hop supergroup (music), supergroup Westside Connection. It was released on December 9, 2003 through Hoo-Bangin' Records and Capitol Records. Hip hop productio ...
'' (with Westside Connection
Westside Connection was an American hip-hop Supergroup (music), supergroup formed by Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC (rapper), WC. The group's debut album, ''Bow Down'', reached the number two position on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 in 1996 ...
) (2003)
* ''Snoop Cube 40 $hort'' (with Mount Westmore) (2022)
Filmography
Films
Television
Video games
Tours
* Steady Mobbin' Tour (1992)
* The Predator Tour (1993)
* Family Values Tour 1998 (1998)
* Up in Smoke Tour (2000)
* Raw Footage Tour (2008)
* I Am the West Tour (2011)
* Truth to Power: 4 Decades of Attitude Tour (2025)
Awards and nominations
Film awards
Ice Cube has received nominations for several films in the past. To date, he has won two awards:
*2000: Blockbuster Entertainment Award: Favorite Action Team (for ''Three Kings
In Christianity, the Biblical Magi ( or ; singular: ), also known as the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, and Three Magi, are distinguished foreigners who visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh in homage to hi ...
'')
*2002: MECCA Movie Award: Acting Award
Music awards
VH1 Hip Hop Honors
, -
, style="text-align:center;", VH1 Hip Hop Honors, 2006
, Himself
, Honoree
,
BET Hip-Hop Awards
, -
, style="text-align:center;", 2009 BET Hip Hop Awards, 2009
, Himself
, I Am Hip Hop award
,
The BET Honors
, -
, style="text-align:center;", The BET Honors, 2014
, Himself
, Entertainer Award
,
Grammy Awards
, -
, style="text-align:center;", 66th Annual Grammy Awards, 2024
, Himself (as a member of N.W.A.)
, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
,
Other
*Hollywood Walk of Fame Star 2017
*The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
Member of N.W.A. 2016
* Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Ice Cube Impact Award 2023
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ice Cube
Ice Cube,
1969 births
Living people
20th-century African-American male actors
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American rappers
20th-century Muslims
21st-century African-American male actors
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American rappers
21st-century Muslims
African-American film producers
African American–Jewish relations
African-American male rappers
21st-century American male rappers
20th-century American male rappers
African-American Muslims
African-American record producers
African-American screenwriters
African-American songwriters
African-American television producers
American draughtsmen
American hip-hop record producers
American male film actors
American male screenwriters
American male songwriters
American male television actors
American male video game actors
American male voice actors
American music industry executives
American music video directors
American philanthropists
Big3 people
Capitol Records artists
Converts to Islam
EMI Records artists
Film producers from California
Gangsta rappers
Interscope Records artists
Male actors from California
Male actors from Los Angeles
Members of the Nation of Islam
Mount Westmore members
N.W.A members
People from Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles
Priority Records artists
Race-related controversies in music
Rappers from Los Angeles
Record producers from California
Ruthless Records artists
Screenwriters from California
Songwriters from California
Television producers from California
West Coast hip-hop musicians
Westside Connection members
William Howard Taft Charter High School alumni
Muslims from California
American conspiracy theorists