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Ice Cube
'''O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube''' is an African American Muslim rapper, actor, screenwriter, and producer.
Regarded as one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time, he began his career as a founding member of the rap group N.W.A, and later launched a successful solo career in music and cinema. In 1992, he married Kimberly Woodruff, with whom he has four children. From the mid-1990s onwards, Cube focused on acting, and his musical output has slowed down considerably. He remains one of the most visible West Coast rappers, having helped originate gangsta rap. He is particularly well-known for his incendiary raps on political topics, social relations and ethnic discrimination, particularly the mistreatment of African Americans. Ice Cube is known for his constant-cursing, shouting and often controversial content in his music. Cube is generally known for being the lyricist behind N.W.A, though it is said that N.W.A's individual members would begin to write their own material later in their career.
Life and career
Ice Cube was born '''O'Shea Jackson''' in South Central, California, where he was raised, the son of Doris (née Benjamin), a hospital clerk and custodian, and Andrew Jackson, who worked as a groundskeeper at California State University.[Ice Cube 01/10/2005 NPR Fresh Air Interview with Terry Gross http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4276517] At age sixteen, Ice Cube developed an interest in hip hop music, and began writing raps in Taft High School's keyboarding class.
N.W.A
In 1987 Cube and Dr. Dre released the EP ''My Posse'', under the alias CIA and the county police. After the collaboration, Cube showed Eazy-E the lyrics to "Boyz-n-the-Hood".
By this point Cube was a full-time member of N.W.A along with Dr. Dre and (to a lesser extent) MC Ren. Cube wrote Dr. Dre and Eazy-E's rhymes for the group's landmark album, ''Straight Outta Compton'', released in 1988. However, as 1990 approached, Cube found himself at odds with the group's manager, Jerry Heller, after Heller responded to the group's financial questions by drafting up a new arrangement. As he explains in his book:
:"Heller gave me this contract, and I said I wanted a lawyer to see it. He almost fell out of his chair. I guess he figure, how this young muthafucka turn down all this money? [$75,000] Everybody else signed. I told them I wanted to make sure my shit was right first."
Since Cube wrote the lyrics to approximately half of both ''Straight Outta Compton'', and Eazy-E's solo album, ''Eazy-Duz-It'', Cube was advised of the amounts he was truly owed by Heller, and proceeded to take legal action, soon after leaving the group and the label. In response, the remaining N.W.A members attacked Cube on the EP ''100 Miles and Runnin''', as well as their next and final album, ''Efil4zaggin''.
Solo career
Cube recorded his debut solo album in Los Angeles, with his group N.W.A, and the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy's production team). ''AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'' was released in 1990 and was an instant hit, riding and contributing to the rising tide of rap's popularity in mainstream society. The album was charged with controversy, and Cube was accused of misogyny, and anti-white racism. Subsequently, Cube appointed the female rapper Yo-Yo (who appeared on ''AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'') to the head of his own record label and helped produce her debut album, ''Make Way for the Motherlode''. This was followed by a critically acclaimed role as 'Doughboy' in John Singleton's hood-based drama, ''Boyz N the Hood''. The film began the rapper's increasing tendency to star in action movies as time went on. In the same year as ''AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'', Cube released the acclaimed EP, ''Kill At Will''. ''Kill At Will'' sold well becoming the first hip hop EP to go both Gold and Platinum.
His 1991 follow-up, ''Death Certificate'' was regarded as more focused, yet even more controversial, and critics accused him again of being anti-white, misogynist, and antisemitic. The album is thematically divided into the 'Death Side' ("a vision of where we are today") and the 'Life Side' ("a vision of where we need to go"). It features "No Vaseline," a scathing response to N.W.A's attacks and "Black Korea," a track regarded by some as prophetic of the L.A. riots, but also interpreted as racist by many; it was still being cited years after its release.
Cube released ''The Predator'' in November 1992, which had been recorded amidst the LA uprising of 1992. Referring specifically to the riots, in the first single, "Wicked", Cube rapped "April 29 was power to the people and we might just see a sequel". ''The Predator'' debuted at number one on both the pop and R&B charts, the first album in history to do so. Singles from ''The Predator'' included "It Was a Good Day" and the "Check Yo Self" remix, and the songs had a two part music video. The album remains Cube's most successful release, with over three million copies sold in the US. However, after ''The Predator'', Cube's rap audience slowly began to diminish. ''Lethal Injection'' which was released in the end of 1993 and represented Cube's first attempt at imitating the G-Funk sound of Dr. Dre's ''The Chronic'', was not well received by critics. He had more successful hits from ''Lethal Injection'', including "Really Doe", "Bop Gun (One Nation)", "You Know How We Do It" & "What Can I Do?". After 1994, he took a hiatus from music and concentrated on film work and developing the careers of other rap musicians, such as Mack 10, and Mr. Short Khop.
In 1995, Cube had reunited with former N.W.A member Dr. Dre, who was now part of Death Row Records, in their duet "Natural Born Killaz".
In 2006, Ice Cube released his seventh solo album, ''Laugh Now, Cry Later'', on his Da Lench Mob Records label, debuting at number four on the Billboard Charts and selling 144,000 units in the first week. The album featured production from Lil Jon and Scott Storch, who produced the lead single "Why We Thugs".
He released his eighth studio album, Raw Footage, on August 19th 2008. It features the controversial single "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It".
Westside Connection
In 1994, Cube formed Westside Connection with Mack 10 and WC, and together they released an album called ''Bow Down''. Most of the album was used to engage in the war of words between the East and West Coasts of the 90s. The album's eponymous single reached number twenty-one on the singles charts, and the album itself was certified Platinum by the end of 1996.
With ''Bow Down'', Westside Connection brought their own agenda to the hip hop scene. Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC had grown tired of being overlooked by most East Coast media outlets; the album was designed to instill a sense of pride in West Coast rap fans and to start a larger movement that anyone who felt underappreciated might identify with. Songs like "Bow Down" and "Gangstas Make the World Go 'Round" make reference to this.
Cube would also eventually make amends with Eazy-E shortly before the latter's death in 1995.
After a seven-year hiatus, Westside Connection returned with their second effort ''Terrorist Threats'' in 2003. The album fared well critically, but its commercial reception was less than that of ''Bow Down''. "Gangsta Nation" was the only single released from the album, which featured Nate Dogg and was a radio hit. After a rift occurred between Cube and Mack 10, regarding Cube's commitments to film work rather than touring with the group, Westside Connection disbanded. WC, however is still friends with Ice Cube and released a new solo album on Lench Mob Records entitled ''Guilty by Affiliation'' on August 14, 2007.
On July 15, 2008, it was reported that Westside Connection were to re-unite with west coast rapper The Game replacing Mack 10. [[http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.7316/title.dx-clusive-the-game-to-replace-mack-10-in-westside-connection-comeback DX-clusive: The Game To Replace Mack 10 In Westside Connection Comeback | Hip Hop News > HipHopDX.com]]
Collaborations and film work
In 1992, while taking a break from his own output, Cube assisted on debut albums from Da Lench Mob (''Guerillas in tha Mist'', 1992) and Kam (''Neva Again'', 1993), both of which enjoyed critical acclaim and some moderate commercial success. He handled most of the production on 'Guerillas in tha Mist''.
In 1993, Lench Mob member, J-Dee, was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted murder, and Cube did not produce their next album, ''Planet of tha Apes''. Around this time in 1993, Cube also worked with Tupac Shakur on his album ''Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.,'' appearing on the track "Last Words" with Ice-T. He also did a song with Dr. Dre for the first time since he left N.W.A: "Natural Born Killaz", for the ''Murder Was The Case'' soundtrack, and also contributed to the ''Office Space'' soundtrack. Cube appeared on the song "Children of the Korn" by the band Korn, and lent his voice to British DJ Paul Oakenfold's solo debut album, ''Bunkka'', on the track "Get Em Up".
Following his role as 'Doughboy' in ''Boyz n the Hood'', in 1992 he starred alongside Ice-T, and Bill Paxton in Walter Hill's action film, ''Trespass'', and then in ''The Glass Shield''.
John Singleton had encouraged Cube to try his hand at screenwriting, telling him, "if you can write a record, you can write a movie." With this encouragement, Ice Cube wrote the screenplay for what became the 1995 comedy ''Friday'', in which he also starred, alongside then-upcoming comedian Chris Tucker. ''Friday'' became a hit, earning $28 million worldwide on a $3.5 million budget.
That year he also starred in his second collaboration with John Singleton, ''Higher Learning'', as world-weary university student, "Fudge"; a role for which he earned award nominations.
He had a supporting role in 1997's ''Anaconda''. He wrote, executive produced, and made his directorial debut in ''The Players Club'' in 1998, and in 1999, starred alongside George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in the critically acclaimed ''Three Kings''. In 2000, he wrote and appeared in the ''Friday'' sequel ''Next Friday''. In 2002, Ice Cube starred in the commercially successful movie ''Barbershop'', as well as ''All About the Benjamins'' and the third film in the ''Friday'' trilogy, ''Friday after Next'' (which he again wrote). In 2004, he appeared in ''Barbershop 2: Back in Business'', and ''Torque''. In 2005, Ice Cube starred in the action movie ''XXX: State of the Union'' and then acted in the 2005 comedy, ''Are We There Yet?'', co-starring Nia Long.
In early April 2007 Ice Cube was a guest on Angie Martinez' Hot97 radio show and stated that he was interested in bringing back Chris Tucker as Smokey in a possible ''Friday'' sequel, but that was only possible if "New Line cuts the check."[[http://media.hot97.com/_SHARED/podcasts/angie_icecube_040507.mp3 Ice Cube on Hot 97 Podcast]] In an interview with BlackFilm.com, Ice Cube stated that he would be interested in involving all major characters from the ''Friday'' franchise in a possible sequel, but added "I know I'm not going to get Chris [Tucker] back, but I'd love to get everybody else back."[[http://www.blackfilm.com/20050121/features/icecube.shtml Are We There Yet?: An Interview with Ice Cube]]
''In the Movies'' is a compilation album of Ice Cube songs that have appeared in movie soundtracks, which was released on September 4, 2007.
Ice Cube and basketball star LeBron James have paired up to pitch a one-hour special to ABC based on James' life.
Recent years
In 2004, his hit singles "Check Yo Self", "It Was a Good Day" and affiliated song "Guerrillas in tha Mist" with Da Lench Mob appeared on popular video game ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' playing on fictional radio stations.
In late 2005, Ice Cube and Emmy Award winning film maker R. J. Cutler, teamed up to create the six-part documentary series titled ''Black. White.'', which was broadcast on cable network FX. In May 2006 Ice Cube accused Oprah Winfrey of not welcoming rappers on her show, and specifically, for not inviting him to the show when the rest of the cast of films that he participated in were invited. Cube's other movie projects include ''Teacher of the Year'', released in 2007,[http://movies.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?c=59868, Retrieved on 2008/06/13.] and ''The Extractors'', released in 2008. Cube has also completed ''Are We Done Yet?'', the sequel to 2005's successful ''Are We There Yet?''.
He has also signed on to star in and produce ''Welcome Back, Kotter'', a big screen adaptation of the 1970s television series.[[http://www.pr-inside.com/ice-cube-cautious-about-welcoming-back-kotter-r7477.htm NEWS ICE CUBE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WELCOMING BACK KOTTER Music, movie & Entertainment News]] Cube will play the title character, who was originally portrayed by Gabe Kaplan. Cube’s film company, Cube Vision Productions, has sealed a deal with Dimension Films to bring the show to the big screen.
In an interview in London, he revealed he is in talks of a collaboration with Gorillaz after speaking to front man Damon Albarn.[[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds35077.html Music - News - Gorillaz and Ice Cube to collaborate? - Digital Spy]]
In October 2006, Ice Cube was an honoree at VH1's Annual Hip Hop Honors. Ice Cube was honored by Xzibit, Lil Jon and W.C. from the Westside Connection, all hitting the stage to perform some of Cube's classic tracks, and Ice Cube also performed "Why We Thugs" and "Go To Church" from his latest album, ''Laugh Now, Cry Later'', where the strong N.Y.C crowd were greeted with Cube's vintage Cali sound.
Father of four, Cube was asked by Fresh Air's Terry Gross to provide some perspective on the relationship between his work and his family. When asked whether or not he allowed his children to listen to his music, he responded: "What's worked for me is instilling in my kids a level of self-respect," helping them to understand the content of not just music but the violence found on the evening news. When asked what he tells his children about profanity, he recalled telling his kids that there are "appropriate times to use any kind of language.... Adults should never hear you use these words. If you want to use these words around your friends, that's really on you."
After launching his new come-back album ''Laugh Now, Cry Later'', Ice Cube has been touring across the world, to promote the new album. The tour is known as "Straight Outta Compton Tour", and accompanying him along the way is his fellow friend and rapper WC from the Westside Connection.
Some places he has recently performed include the Paradiso in Amsterdam, and in various venues in England. After touring all over the U.S. and Europe, his next destination was the Far East, including Australia, New Zealand and Japan. He performed all around Australia with his vintage no-holds barred West Coast style, from Sydney's Enmore Theatre, to The Forum Arena in Melbourne. After Australia, he headed to Japan.
Recently, Ice Cube has also collaborated with Tech N9ne on the song "Blackboy" that appears on Tech N9ne's July 2008 album ''Killer''.
Ice Cube released his eighth studio LP, titled ''Raw Footage'', on August 19, 2008. It featured the street single Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It and Do Ya Thang. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and Top Rap Albums Chart, and at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Ice Cubes latest music can be seen on 13 year old Dr. Dre protege' Ice-Cold. Ice-Cold pays tribute to Ice Cube on the song "Hollywood Status" and "Are We Done Yet (Hell No)."
''Helter Skelter'' Project
After Dr. Dre left N.W.A and Ruthless Records, he and Cube fostered a brief reunion. They planned a new project together, ''Helter Skelter'', also to include appearances by MC Ren and Snoop Dogg with writing from The D.O.C.. Tiring of his label's gangster rap image, Dre admonished Cube to follow an "end of the world type of [concept]". When reporters asked the pair what they were working on in Dre's studio, they joked N.W.E. - Niggaz Without Eazy.
The two quickly recorded a heavily P-Funk-influenced song with George Clinton called "You Can't See Me"; the song would later be taken by Suge and used for 2Pac's Death Row debut, which Dre had been neglecting. Dre instead began work on beats for ''Helter Skelter'', bouncing concepts off of an increasingly disgruntled D.O.C. who, despite severed vocal cords and Dre's advice, wanted to rap. Eventually he got fed up and moved out of Dre's house to Atlanta, taking his possessions with him - as well as the reels of music - to record his own version of ''Helter Skelter''. With other personal and business commitments by Dre, work on the album trailed off and eventually stopped. Despite the lost project, a few songs remain. Natural Born Killaz, which originally featured Sam Sneed, was the inspiration for the rest of the album. The track "Game Over" found on Scarface's Untouchable album and from Featuring Ice Cube was an original cut from the album. Other songs were either unfinished or are unreleased. Many of the lyrics for the album can be heard on the D.O.C.'s spiteful 1996 album, "Helter Skelter".
Discography
*''AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'' (1990)
*''Death Certificate'' (1991)
*''The Predator'' (1992)
*''Lethal Injection'' (1993)
*''War & Peace - Volume 1 (The War Disc)'' (1998)
*''War & Peace - Volume 2 (The Peace Disc)'' (2000)
*''Laugh Now, Cry Later'' (2006)
*''Raw Footage'' (2008)
*''Raw Footage II: Best in Tha Bizness'' (TBA)
Filmography
*''Boyz N the Hood'' (1991) as Darin "Doughboy" Baker
*''Trespass'' (1992) as Savon
*''CB4'' (1993) as himself in segment
*''The Glass Shield'' (1994) as Teddy Woods
*''Higher Learning'' (1995) as Fudge
*''Friday'' (1995) as Craig Jones
*''Dangerous Ground'' (1997) as Vusi Madlazi
*''Anaconda'' (1997) as Danny Rich
*''The Players Club'' (1998) as Reggie
*''I Got The Hook Up'' (1998) as Gun Runner
*''Three Kings'' (1999) as SSgt. Chief Elgin
*''Thicker Than Water'' (1999) as Slink
*''Next Friday'' (2000) as Craig Jones
*''Ghosts of Mars'' (2001) as James 'Desolation' Williams
*''All About The Benjamins'' (2002) as Bucum
*''BarberShop'' (2002) as Calvin Palmer
*''Friday After Next'' (2002) as Craig Jones
*''Torque'' (2004) as Trey
*''BarberShop 2: Back in Business'' (2004) as Calvin
*''Are We There Yet?'' (2005) as Nick Persons
*''xXx: State of the Union'' (2005) as Darius Stone
*''Are We Done Yet?'' (2007) as Nick Persons
*''First Sunday'' (2008) as Durell
*''The Longshots'' (2008) as Curtis Plummer
*''Janky Promoters'' (2009)[[http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.6633/title.dx-news-bits-50-cent-ice-cube DX News Bits (50 Cent, Ice Cube) | Hip Hop News > HipHopDX.com]] as TBA
*''Welcome Back, Kotter: The Movie'' (2009) as Gabe Kotter
Director/writer/producer filmography
*''Friday'' (1995) writer, executive producer
*''Dangerous Ground'' (1997) executive producer
*''The Players Club'' (1998) writer, director, executive producer
*''Next Friday'' (2000) writer, producer
*''All About The Benjamins'' (2002) producer
*''Friday After Next'' (2002) writer, producer
*''BarberShop 2: Back in Business'' (2004) executive producer
*''BarberShop: The Series'' (2005) executive producer
*''Are We There Yet?'' (2005) producer
*''Beauty Shop'' (2005) executive producer
*''Black. White.'' (2006) executive producer
*''Are We Done Yet?'' (2007) producer
*''Friday: The Animated Series'' (2007) executive producer
*''Pirate Island'' (2008) producer
*''The Longshots'' (2008) producer
*''First Sunday'' (2008) producers
*Untitled Buddy Cop Comedy [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117994898.html?categoryid=14&cs=1]
Awards
Film award history
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'')
*2002: MECCA Movie Award: Acting Award
Music awards
*VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2006
** 2006 Honoree Snoop Dogg
*2005 Death Row Records
**Lifetime Achievement Award
Album Reviews
*[http://www.dubcnn.com/features/reviews/rawfootage/ Ice Cube ''Raw Footage'' Album Review By Jonathan Hay on Dubcnn.com]
*[http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/22270261/review/22575748/raw_footage Raw Footage: The Rolling Stone Review By Kyle Anderson]
Source: Wikipedia