Ice Cube: Difference between revisions
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*''[[Bootlegs & B-Sides]]'' ([[1994]]) #19 US'' (RIAA Certification: '''Gold''') (Priority) |
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*''No Vaseline EP'' ([[1996]]) ([[Death Row Records]]) |
*''[[No Vaseline EP]]'' ([[1996]]) ([[Death Row Records]]) |
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*''[[Featuring Ice Cube]]'' ([[1997]]) (Priority) |
*''[[Featuring Ice Cube]]'' ([[1997]]) (Priority) |
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*''[[Ice Cube - Greatest Hits]]'' ([[2001]]) #54 US (Priority) |
*''[[Ice Cube - Greatest Hits]]'' ([[2001]]) #54 US (Priority) |
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Revision as of 14:35, 5 July 2006
- For other uses see Ice cube (disambiguation).
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Ice Cube | |
|---|---|
| File:Icecube06.jpg Gangsta Rapper Ice Cube | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California |
| Years active | 1986-present |
| Website | www.icecube.com MySpace |
Ice Cube (born O'Shea Jackson on June 15, 1969 in Los Angeles, California) is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a founding member of the controversial rap group N.W.A. and later launched a successful solo career in music and cinema. In recent years, Ice Cube's acting career has taken center stage in his life and he is spending less time rapping. His importance to hip hop culture as an originator of West Coast gangsta rap is indisputable and he remains one of the most prominent and consistent rappers in the hip hop music industry today. He is particularly well-known for angry raps on political and racial topics (such as the treatment of Blacks in the United States).
Biography
Early years
Ice Cube released the notorious "Black Korea", which helped propel the Los Angeles riots. He comments that the song was not in any way targeted at Koreans and was only an outlet for the black community. Ice Cube was raised in South Central Los Angeles by his parents, both of whom were employed at UCLA. At the age of 14, he had a huge interest in hip hop music and he began writing raps while attending school at William Howard Taft High School. [1] Cube and a friend, Sir Jinx, rapped as a partnership called C.I.A. at parties hosted by Dr. Dre. They made a memorable mixtape named My Posse which was released in 1987 in which Ice Cube wrote most of the songs. [2] After a brief stint in a group called HBO, Cube showed Eazy-E Boyz-N-The-Hood, and wanted Eazy to perform it on their album N.W.A. And The Posse. The album had some very political and in-your-face lyrics which earned the group notoriety from the FBI and concerned citizen and parent groups. Ice Cube's contribution to this status was significant as he performed the lead verse for the album's infamous track Fuck tha Police.
Solo career
During 1989, Ice Cube felt he was not being treated fairly by the group's management (Eazy and Jerry Heller). Cube was involved in writing 10 of the 13 tracks on Straight Outta Compton, including the entirety of Dopeman, 8 Ball and Express Yourself. He felt he was due more than the $30,000 that he had received for records, having sold 3 million units. Consequently, Cube left N.W.A due to these and other financial and personal conflicts in 1989. With Da Lench Mob and the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy's producers) Cube recorded his debut solo album in New York City. 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. Partially to help deflect criticism of his misogynistic lyrics, Cube appointed a female rapper named 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. That was followed by a critically acclaimed turn in Boyz N the Hood, a movie by John Singleton. The film turned Cube into a Hollywood star, as he gathered critical praise for his role as Doughboy.
Cube's 1991 follow-up, Death Certificate was even more controversial. It shows an angrier and far more aggressive side of his than that expressed on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. The album itself has many racist, homophobic and discriminating slurs throughout the songs and demonstrates Cube's "freedom of speech". It is widely known as Cube's most focused and best political work and is considered his best album by many fans. 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). A few songs in the album featured Cube's hate for "Uncle Sam" and American politics, and a bonus track named No Vaseline was his diss track aimed at his former N.W.A bandmates and his manager Jerry Heller. The album was re-released in 2003 with another bonus track from 1991, "How to Survive in South Central," which came on the Boyz N the Hood soundtrack. Cube toured with Lollapalooza in 1992, which widened his fan base. Also during that year, he converted to the Nation of Islam.
Ice Cube released The Predator in November (1992), a vibrant collection of cuts that were created amidst the LA uprising of the early '90's. Referring specifically to the riots in one of the tracks Wicked, Cube rapped "April 29th was power to the people and we might just see a sequel." The Predator debuted at #1 on both the pop and R&B charts, the first album in history to do so. For this album, Cube decided to load some G-funk style beats which at that time were the big thing and some remix tunes which brought a new style to Cube, which previously had consisted more of a conventional "gangsta" sound. Singles from The Predator included It was a Good Day and Check Yo Self (remix) which together had a two part music video. Ice Cube used his delivery style to full effect on tracks like "Now I Gotta Wet' Cha" and "We Had to Tear This Motherf**ker Up" in a way that few other MCs could, benefiting from the contributions of a crew of producers that included Sir Jinx, DJ Muggs and DJ Pooh. Out of all his albums, it has been the most successful, with over 2 million copies sold in the US. However, after The Predator, Cube's audience began to diminish. Lethal Injection (1993) was not well-liked by critics and Dr. Dre and the West Coast G-Funk sound was dominating American hip-hop. The album featured collabarations from singers such as funk legend George Clinton who was an influence to Ice Cube when growing up.
Collaborations & film work
Taking a break from his own albums, Cube assisted on debuts from Da Lench Mob (Guerillas In Tha Mist) and Kam (Neva Again), both of which had limited commercial success but gained a lot of critical acclaim. He did the production on the Guerillas In Tha Mist album and was released in 1992. The haunting lyrics and the angry songs suited the production by Cube making the album a classic. A year a later, Da Lench Mob lead singer 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, Ice Cube also worked with the emerging superstar rapper Tupac Shakur on his album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., and appeared on a track with him. [3] He later had a duet with Dr. Dre on "Natural Born Killaz" for the Murder Was The Case soundtrack.
Ice Cube would later have a falling out with Kam due to money and personal issues, which led to Kam releasing the venomous diss track "Whoop Whoop," as well as an altercation that led to the theft of Ice Cube's Westside Connection necklace. Though they would end the feud, they never worked together again. [4] [5]
This was a time when Ice Cube was increasingly embroiled in verbal warfare, most famously against Cypress Hill. Cypress Hill accused Ice Cube of stealing beats, lyrics and choruses for his Friday soundtrack that they had planned to use on their Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom album. They recorded the diss track "No Rest For The Wicked" as a result. Ice Cube responded with "King Of The Hill" (credited to his Westside Connection group) to which Cypress Hill released "Ice Cube Killa" in response. The dispute was eventually settled and both Cube and B-Real appeared on the "Men of Steel". [6] They collaborated together alongside Snoop Dogg for a Hurricane Katrina relief song called "Get U Down part II." by Warren G. Cube would also go on to have a feud with Common, which spawned the diss track towards Cube titled "The Bitch In Yoo". This stemmed from what Cube perceived to be an insult towards him and West-Coast Hip-Hop in the lyrics of Common's classic "I Used to Love H.E.R.", an allegorical song about the history of Hip-Hop. They dissed each other back and forth, finally going so far as to meet with Minister Farrakhan in order to set aside their dispute.
In 1995, Cube had some breakthrough film roles, first in the hit comedy Friday starring alongside comedian Chris Tucker, and his second film with John Singleton, Higher Learning. Friday was a success and spawned two sequels. Critically, they were some of Cube's best films, and he earned award nominations for Higher Learning. In 2002, Ice Cube starred in the critically acclaimed movie Barbershop, as well as its 2004 sequel Barbershop 2: Back in Business.
Westside Connection
During this time, hip hop started making a transition from the West Coast funk hip hop to East Coast pop rap. With Mack 10 and WC, Cube formed the Westside Connection in 1996. They released their debut album Bow Down later that year, with the eponymous single reaching #21 on the singles charts.
Ice Cube explains his frustration with the situation in rap at the time:
- "So many people are going soft, so many love songs on the radio that I felt like I probably wouldn't be able to buy nothing I liked unless I bought my own stuff. It was just time to be hard-core and not be so damn soft all the goddamn' time. The mixture of R&B is killing the music."
With 1996's Bow Down, Westside Connection brought their own agenda to the hip hop scene. Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC were tired of being overlooked by East Coast media outlets and being considered second-class citizens in a genre they helped popularize. The album instilled a sense of pride in West Coast rap fans and started 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. [7]
Sales were good, and the album was perceived as a classic, especially on the West Coast. In 1997, Cube released his long awaited solo album War & Peace Volume 1. The second part War & Peace Volume 2 was released in 2000. The albums featured appearances from Westside Connection as well as a reunion with fellow N.W.A. members Dr. Dre & MC Ren. After a seven-year hiatus, Westside Connection returned with their long-awaited second effort Terrorist Threats. The album fared well critically, but its commercial reception was weak compared to that which had greeted Bow Down. "Gangsta Nation" was the only single released from the album. After arguments, Westside Connection disbanded to go their separate ways. In December 2004, after a long break from recording, Ice Cube reached #2 in the UK singles chart with the club favorite, "You Can Do It" (featuring Mack 10 and Ms Toi), released as a single five years after it was first included on movie soundtracks such as Next Friday and Save the Last Dance. He has also founded the Westsiiide Studios, which are located in his own house in California and The Westsiiide Design, a graphic works design studio, which is a joint venture with Mack 10.
Recent years
In early 2005, Ice Cube came back to Hollywood and starred with Samuel L. Jackson in the action blockbuster XXX: State of the Union.
Later on that year in November 2005, Ice Cube and Emmy Award winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler teamed up to create the six-part documentary series titled "Black. White.", which was broadcast on cable network FX. Two families, one black and one white, share a home in the San Fernando Valley for the majority of the show. The Sparks, who are black and hail from Atlanta, Georgia and their son Nick are transformed from black to white at the end of the show, while the Wurgel’s and their daughter Rose are transformed from white to black. "I'm really excited to be a part of a show that explores race in America," Ice Cube said. "'Black. White.’ will force people to challenge themselves and really examine where we stand in terms of race in this country." The show premiered in March 2006. Cube's upcoming movie projects include "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" which is scheduled to be released in 2007 (pre-production), "The Extractors" and "Teacher of the Year" which is to be released this year. Cube will be heading to Vancouver in June to start production on "Are We Done Yet?" the sequel to 2005's "Are We There Yet?" [8] [9]
On the 7th of February 2006, Ice Cube officially announced that on June 6th, 2006 he will be releasing his long awaited comeback album entitled Laugh Now, Cry Later from his own record company Da Lench Mob Records. Recently, Cube collaborated with fellow West Coast hip hop rapper Warren G in the song Get U Down, which also featured Snoop Dogg and B Real. He has also been working with Lil Eazy on his debut album due this Summer, Prince of Compton. Ice Cube has also signed on to star in and produce Welcome Back, Kotter, a big screen adaptation of the '70s television series.
[10] The title character who was originally portrayed by Gabe Kaplan. Ice Cube’s company, Cube Vision Productions, has made a deal with Dimension Films to bring the show to the big screen. More recently, Cube has been touring America in promotion for Laugh Now, Cry Later as well as appearing in interviews and television. [11]
In May 2006 Ice Cube accused Oprah Winfrey of not letting him on her show because he is a rapper. [12] [13]
Trivia
- He has a good sense of humour when people often mistake him for Ice-T. [14]
- He collaborated with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, the only rapper(s) that had ever collaborated with Tupac, Biggie, Eazy E and Big Punisher when they lived.
- Was originally supposed to play the role of Rodney in Baby Boy (2001) which went to Snoop Dogg.
- Cousin of rapper Del Tha Funkee Homosapien.
- Makes a cameo appearance in Destiny's Child's video Soldier.
- In 2002, he was approached by Aftermath Records but declined to sign with them.
- Ice Cube was influenced by and took his name from African American pimp-turned-author Iceberg Slim, who published his autobiography Pimp in 1969. At one point, Ice Cube was scheduled to play the lead role of a movie adaptation of Pimp, but the project appears to be on hold.
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78m).
- A critically acclaimed biography entitled Ice Cube: Attitude, written by British author Joel McIver, was published by Sanctuary Books in 2002.
- Graduated from Phoenix Institute of Technology.
- Began Cubevision Production Company.
- Graduated from William Taft High School in Los Angeles, California.
- Wife: Kim Jackson 1992-present
- Directed music videos for Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex You Up" and Prince and Nona Gaye's duet "Love Sign".
- Is a Muslim. Also claims not to be in the Nation of Islam. "Ah, when you say involved with the Nation, it's tricky. I never was in the Nation of Islam... I mean, what I call myself is a natural Muslim, 'cause it's just me and God. You know, going to the mosque, the ritual and the tradition, it's just not in me to do. So I don't do it."[15]
- Still owns the gold lowrider he was driving in the 1991 film Boyz N the Hood.
Awards
Film Award History
Ice Cube has been nominated for many films in the past. He has only won two awards as of yet.
| Category | Award | Film | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Theatrical Film | BET Comedy Award | "Are We There Yet?" | 2005 | Nominated |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Box Office Movie | BET Comedy Award | "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" | 2005 | Nominated |
| Best Actor, Musical or Comedy | 'Black Reel | "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" | 2004 | Nominated |
| Theatrical - Best Actor | Black Reel | "Barbershop" | 2003 | Nominated |
| Theatrical - Best Supporting Actor | Black Reel | "Three Kings" | 2000 | Nominated |
| Favorite Action Team | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | "Three Kings" | 2000 | Won |
| Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture | Image Award | "Barbershop" | 2003 | Nominated |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Image Award | "Higher Learning" | 1995 | Nominated |
| Choice Rap Artist in a Movie | Teen Choice Award | "xXx: State of the Union" | 2005 | Nominated |
| Acting Award | MECCA Movie Award | "" | 2002 | Won |
Music Awards
- 2005 Soul Train Music Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Discography
Albums
Solo
- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) #8 US (RIAA Certification: Platinum) (Priority)
- Kill At Will (1990) #10 (RIAA Certification: Platinum) (Priority)
- Death Certificate (1991) #2 US (RIAA Certification: 2x Platinum) (Priority)
- The Predator (1992) #1 US (RIAA Certification: 2x Platinum) (Priority)
- Lethal Injection (1993) #5 (RIAA Certification: Platinum) (Priority)
- War & Peace - Volume 1 (The War Disc) (1998) #2 (RIAA Certification: Platinum) (Priority/Interscope)
- War & Peace - Volume 2 (The Peace Disc) (2000) #3 US (RIAA Certification: Gold) (Interscope)
- Laugh Now, Cry Later (2006) #4 US, #11 UK, #9 CA (Lench Mob)
With C.I.A.
- My Posse (1987) (Demo EP) (produced by Dr. Dre)
With N.W.A
- N.W.A. and the Posse (1987)
- Straight Outta Compton (1988) #9 US (RIAA Certification: 2x Platinum)
- The N.W.A. Legacy: 1988-1998 (1998) (RIAA Certification: Gold)
Compilations
- Bootlegs & B-Sides (1994) #19 US (RIAA Certification: Gold) (Priority)
- No Vaseline EP (1996) (Death Row Records)
- Featuring Ice Cube (1997) (Priority)
- Ice Cube - Greatest Hits (2001) #54 US (Priority)
With Westside Connection
- Bow Down (1996) #3 (RIAA Certification: Platinum)
- Terrorist Threats (2003) (RIAA Certification: Gold)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B / Hip-Hop | US Rap | UK Singles Chart | |||
| 1990 | "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" | - | - | #1 | - | AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted |
| 1992 | "Wicked" | #55 | #31 | #1 | - | The Predator |
| 1993 | "It Was a Good Day" | #15 | #7 | #1 | #27 | The Predator |
| 1993 | "Check Yo Self" (feat. Das EFX) | #20 | #1 | #1 | #36 | The Predator |
| 1993 | "Really Doe" | #54 | #30 | #3 | - | Lethal Injection |
| 1994 | "You Know How We Do It" | #30 | #21 | #5 | #41 | Lethal Injection |
| 1994 | "Bop Gun (One Nation)" (feat. George Clinton) | #23 | #37 | #6 | #22 | Lethal Injection |
| 1994 | "Natural Born Killaz" (with. Dr. Dre) | - | - | #20 | #45 | Murder Was The Case OST |
| 1996 | "Bow Down" (with Westside Connection) | #21 | #19 | #1 | - | Bow Down |
| 1997 | "Gangstas Make The World Go Round" (with Westside Connection) | #40 | #30 | #10 | - | Bow Down |
| 1997 | "The World Is Mine" | - | #55 | #39 | #60 | Dangerous Ground OST |
| 1998 | "Pushin' Weight" (feat. Mr. Short Khop) | #26 | #12 | #1 | - | War & Peace - Volume 1 (The War Disc) |
| 2000 | "Until We Rich" (feat. Krayzie Bone) | - | - | #50 | - | War & Peace - Volume 2 (The Peace Disc) |
| 2001 | "$100 Bill Y'all" | - | #67 | - | - | War & Peace - Volume 2 (The Peace Disc) |
| 2004 | "You Can Do It" (feat. Mack 10 & Ms. Toi) | #32 | - | - | #2 | War & Peace - Volume 2 (The Peace Disc) |
| 2006 | "Chrome and Paint" (feat. WC) | - | - | - | - | Laugh Now, Cry Later |
| 2006 | "Why We Thugs" | #92 | #37 | #36 | - | Laugh Now, Cry Later |
| 2006 | "Go To Church" (feat. Snoop Dogg and Lil' Jon) | - | - | - | - | Laugh Now, Cry Later |
Filmography
Actor
- Boyz N the Hood (1991) as "Doughboy" Darin
- Trespass (1992) as Savon
- The Glass Shield (1994) as Teddy Woods
- Higher Learning (1995) as Fudge
- Friday (1995) as Craig
- 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
- Ghosts of Mars (2001) as James 'Desolation' Williams
- All About the Benjamins (2002) as Bookum
- Barbershop (2002) as Calvin Palmer
- Friday After Next (2002) as Craig
- 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
Director/Producer filmography
- Friday (1995) Executive Producer
- Dangerous Ground (1997) Executive Producer
- The Players Club (1998) Director
- Next Friday (2000) Producer
- All About The Benjamins (2002) Producer
- Friday After Next (2002) 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
- Last Friday'' (2008) Executive Producer
