Guests: Episodes with Ice Cube

O’Shea Jackson Sr., popularly known as Ice Cube, is a renowned figure in the American music and film industry. Born on June 15, 1969, Ice Cube emerged as a potent force in the rap genre with his profound lyrical contribution to N.W.A’s 1988 album, “Straight Outta Compton”. This seminal work played a significant role in promoting gangsta rap globally. Ice Cube’s politically-themed solo albums, namely “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” (1990), “Death Certificate” (1991), and “The Predator” (1992), enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success. In 2016, he received induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an N.W.A member.

Before achieving fame with N.W.A., Ice Cube founded his first rap group, C.I.A., in 1986. In the following year, together with Eazy-E and Dr. Dre, he established the influential gangsta rap group, N.W.A. With Ice Cube as the lead rapper, N.W.A produced the groundbreaking album, “Straight Outta Compton”. The group stirred controversy due to their explicit lyrics, which led to Ice Cube’s departure following a disagreement about the group’s management in late 1989. He subsequently launched a successful solo career.

Simultaneously, Ice Cube pursued an active career in film since the early 1990s. His notable roles include his breakout performance as Doughboy in John Singleton’s “Boyz n the Hood” (1991) and co-writing and starring in the 1995 comedy “Friday”, which paved his path as a credible movie star. He made his directorial debut in 1998 with “The Players Club”, which he also produced and provided the soundtrack for. Ice Cube’s extensive filmography includes about 40 films as of 2020, such as “Three Kings” (1999) and the “Barbershop” series, among others. He also served as the executive producer for many of these films and the 2015 biopic “Straight Outta Compton”.

Born in Los Angeles, Ice Cube developed an interest in rap during his ninth-grade, inspired by a challenge from his friend. He adopted the stage name “Ice Cube” after a threat from his older brother. Cube later attended the Phoenix Institute of Technology in Arizona, earning a diploma in architectural drafting in 1988. Despite his success in music, he kept architecture drafting as a fallback career.

Ice Cube has starred in nearly 40 films since 1991, including action thrillers like “Trespass” and comedies such as the “Friday” and “Barbershop” franchises.

Ice Cube’s personal life includes his conversion to Islam, with a particular focus on black nationalism. He got married to Kimberly Woodruff in 1992, and the couple has four children. Their eldest son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., portrayed Ice Cube in “Straight Outta Compton”. Ice Cube is also an entrepreneur, endorsing brands like Coors Light and St. Ides malt liquor, and launching his own clothing line, “Solo by Cube”, and a 3-on-3 basketball league, “Big3”, in 2017.