Ice Cube Shares How His Instincts Helped Shape Music, Film, and Sports Culture

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Ice over the past 30 years Ice Cube has been at the forefront of steering the culture in hip-hop dating back to his days in NWA prior to exiting for a solo career in 1989. He has always been someone that was not afraid to push the limits. In 1990 he released AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted and the Death Certificate, which would later become defining albums in the 90s. Due to his musical content has always been geared toward socio-political commentary and earning him numerous accolades.

Cube decided that would not limit himself to just music in 1991; he would release the iconic film “Boyz n the Hood,” which was directed by John Singleton and featured Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King and Angela Bassett.

He would follow that up a few years later give us another iconic film “Friday”, which was written by DJ Pooh Ice Cube, and saw Chris Tucker in his first starring role as Smokey. It would later spawn a couple of sequels in Next Friday (2000) and Friday After Next (2002). Cube has been some other notable movies like Barbershop, Ride Along, XXX, and a biopic entitled Straight Outta Compton (2015) depicting his time as a member of NWA.

Since then he has started his own basketball league called “The Big 3” with his Co-Founder Jeff Kwatinetz. The Big 3 is getting ready to feature their second Finals competition this Friday. This morning I had the opportunity to speak with Cube about how his instincts have allowed him to help shape the culture in film, music, and sports.

“I feel that I have a perspective in the past was rarely considered on some levels. There were some gatekeepers that few a people can achieve things, but not everyone, but I think the spirit of hip-hop and the ability to have that never give up mentality. I feel there will always be a void by people with my perspective at the top making the decisions for creating or having the ability to create. Sometimes you need to have the resources to create and you have to be able to seek out the people that recognize your vision in order to bring those ideas to the forefront. I think that allows me to not wasted a lot of time with people who can not see what is obvious.” Cube told me.

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Tags: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Angela Bassett, Big Three, Boyz in the hood, Chris Tucker, Cuba Gooding Jr., culture, Death Certificate, Ice Cube, Jeff Kwatinetz, Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Regina King, sports, The Hype Magazine

About the Author

Landon Buford Washington State Graduate Past Interviews include Grammy Award Winner Kenny G, David Banner, WNBA President Lisa Borders, What's Trending's CEO Shira Lazar, Ice Cube, NBC's Chicago PD LaRoyce Hawkins, Family Matters Darius McCrary, En Vogues Maxine Jones, Team USA Track & Field Member Norris Frederick, James Kyson, WNBA Great Lauren Jackson, and more.