O'Shea Jackson was born inLos Angeles on June 15, 1969, to hospital clerk and custodian Doris and machinist andUCLA groundskeeper Hosea Jackson.[15][16][17][18] He has an older brother,[19] and they had a half-sister who was murdered when Cube was 12.[20] He is a cousin of fellow rappersDel tha Funky Homosapien andKam. He grew up on Van Wick Street in theWestmont section ofSouth Los Angeles.[21][22] In ninth grade atGeorge Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles,[23] Cube began writing raps after being challenged by his friend "Kiddo" in typewriting class.[21] Kiddo lost.[24] He has said that his stage name came from his older brother, who "threatened to slam [him] into a freezer and pull [him] out when [he] was an ice cube".[24][25][26]
Cube also attendedWilliam Howard Taft High School in theWoodland Hills area of Los Angeles.[15] He was bused 40 miles (64 km) to the suburban school from his home in a high-crime neighborhood.[27][28] In Q3 of 1987, soon after he wrote and recorded a few locally successful rap songs withN.W.A, he enrolled at the Phoenix Institute of TechnologyPhoenix, Arizona.[15][29] In 1988, with a diploma inarchitectural drafting, he returned to Los Angeles and rejoined N.W.A, but kept a career in architecture drafting as a backup plan.[15][30]
Music career
Early work
In 1986, at the age of 16, Ice Cube began rapping in the trioC.I.A. but soon joined the newly formed rap groupN.W.A. He was N.W.A's lead rapper and main ghostwriter on its official debut album, 1989'sStraight Outta Compton. 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.[31] Meanwhile, he helped develop the rapperYo Yo.[5][32]
1986: C.I.A.
With friendSir Jinx, Ice Cube formed the rap groupC.I.A., and performed at parties hosted byDr. Dre. Since 1984, Dre had been a member of a popular DJ crew, theWorld 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 onEpic Records in 1986.[33]
In 1987, C.I.A. released theDr. 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".[34] In 2015, the nightclub's co-owner and Wreckin' leaderAlonzo Williams would recall feeling his reputation damaged by this and asking it not to be repeated.[35]
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,[36] which soon gainedMC Ren. Cube wrote some of Dre's and nearly all of Eazy's lyrics on N.W.A's official debut album,Straight Outta Compton, released in January 1989.[37][38][39][40] Yet by the end of the year, Cube questioned his compensation and N.W.A's management byJerry Heller.[41]
Cube also wrote most of Eazy-E's debut albumEazy-Duz-It. 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.[42] After leaving the group in January 1990,[43] Cube sued Heller, and the lawsuit was later settled out of court.[42] In response, N.W.A members attacked Cube on the 1990 EP100 Miles and Runnin', and on N.W.A's next and final album,Niggaz4Life, in 1991.[44]
1990–1993: Early solo career,AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted,Death Certificate, andThe Predator
In early 1990, Ice Cube recorded his debut solo album,AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, in New York with iconic rap groupPublic Enemy's production team,the Bomb Squad. 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 appointedYo-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 anEP—Kill At Will—critically acclaimed, and rap's first EP certifiedPlatinum.[45]
His second albumDeath Certificate was released in 1991.[46] 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's1990 EP and1991 album, which call him a traitor.[44][47] Besides calling for hanging Eazy-E as a "house nigga", the track blames N.W.A's managerJerry Heller for exploiting the group, mentions that he is a Jew, and calls for his murder.[48][49] Ice Cube contended that he mentioned Heller's ethnicity merely incidentally, not to premise attack, but as news media mention nonwhite assailants' races.[49] The track "Black Korea", also deemed racist,[46] was also thought as foreseeing the1992 Los Angeles riots.[45] While controversial,Death Certificate broadened his audience; he toured withLollapalooza in 1992.[31]
A ticket from a 1993 Ice Cube concert in Omaha, Nebraska
Cube's third album,The Predator, was released in November 1992. Referring to the1992 Los Angeles riots, 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" 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.[13]
1993–1998:Lethal Injection and forming Westside Connection
Cube's fourth album,Lethal Injection, came out in late 1993. Here, Cube borrowed from the then-popularG-funk popularized byDr. 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.[13]
FollowingLethal Injection, Cube focused on films and producing albums of other rappers, including Da Lench Mob,Mack 10,Mr. Short Khop, andKausion.[5][45] In 1994, Cube teamed with onetime N.W.A groupmateDr. Dre, who was then leading rap'sG-funk 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 theMurder Was The Case soundtrack, released by Dre's then-new label,Death Row Records.
In 1995, Cube joined Mack 10 andWC in forming a side trio, theWestside Connection. Feeling neglected by East Coast media, alongstanding 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 certifiedPlatinum by year's end. Interpreting rapperCommon'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.[50]
In November 1998, Cube released his long-awaited fifth solo albumWar & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc). The delayed sixth album,Volume 2, arrived in 2000. These albums feature theWestside Connection 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" fromVol. 1. Many fans maintained that these two albums, especially the second, were lesser in quality to his earlier work.[51] In 2000, Cube also joined Dr. Dre,Eminem, andSnoop Dogg for theUp in Smoke Tour.[52]
In 2002, Cube appeared on British DJPaul Oakenfold's solo debut album,Bunkka, on the track "Get Em Up".
Released in 2003, Westside Connection's second album,Terrorist Threats, fared well critically, but saw lesser sales. "Gangsta Nation" (featuringNate Dogg), 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.
2006–2012:Laugh Now, Cry Later,Raw Footage, andI Am the West
In 2006, Cube released his seventh solo album,Laugh Now, Cry Later, selling 144,000 units in the first week.[53]Lil Jon andScott 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 broughtIn the Movies, a compilation album of Ice Cube songs on soundtracks.[54]
As a fan of theNFL football team the Raiders, Cube released in October 2009 a tribute song, "Raider Nation".[55] In 2009, Ice Cube performed at theGathering of the Juggalos, and returned to perform at the 2011 festival.[56]
Ice Cube performing at Metro City Concert Club in October 2010
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 likeDJ Quik,Dr. Dre,E-A-Ski, and, after nearly 20 years, again Cube's onetime C.I.A groupmateSir Jinx. Offering the single "I Rep That West", the album debuted at No. 22 on theBillboard 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.[57]
In September 2012, duringPepsi's NFL Anthems campaign, Cube released his second Raiders anthem "Come and Get It".[59]
2012–present:Everythang's Corrupt, Mount Westmore,Man Down andMan Up
Ice Cube in 2014
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."[60][61] But the album's release was delayed.[62] On February 10, 2014, iTunes brought another single from it, "Sic Them Youngins on 'Em",[63] and a music video followed the next day.[64] Despite a couple of more song releases, the album's release was delayed even beyond Cube's work on the 2015 filmStraight Outta Compton. After a statement setting release to 2017,[65] the album finally arrived on December 7, 2018.[66]
In 2014, Cube appeared onMC Ren's remix "Rebel Music", their first collaboration since the N.W.A reunion in 2000.[67]
Ice Cube's eleventh studio album and his first new album in six years,Man Down, was released on November 22, 2024. The album was preceded by the singles "It's My Ego", "Ego Maniacs (featuringBusta Rhymes andKiller Mike)" and "So Sensitive". On August 29, 2025, Ice Cube announced that his twelfth studio album,Man Up, would be released in 2025 and will be preceded by the first single "Before Hip Hop" on September 5, 2025.[78]
Film and television career
Ice Cube in 2024
Since 1991, Ice Cube has acted in nearly 40 films, several of which are highly regarded.[13] Some of them, such as the 1992 thrillerTrespass and the 1999 war comedyThree Kings, highlight action.[13] Yet most are comedies, including a few adult-oriented ones, like theFriday franchise, whereas most of these are family-friendly, like theBarbershop franchise.[13]
Cube starred as the university student Fudge in Singleton's 1995 filmHigher Learning.[79] Singleton, encouraging Cube, had reportedly told him, "If you can write a record, you can write a movie."[80] Cube cowrote the screenplay for the 1995 comedyFriday, based on adult themes, and starred in it with comedianChris Tucker. Made with $3.5 million,Friday drew $28 million worldwide. Two sequels,Next Friday andFriday After Next, were respectively released in 2000 and 2002.
In October 2021, Ice Cube was set to star in the comedy filmOh Hell No (now titledStepdude[81]) alongsideJack Black, but left the project after refusing to get vaccinated forCOVID-19. The project would have paid him $9 million.[82]
Documentary
In late 2005, Ice Cube andR. J. Cutler co-created the six-part documentary seriesBlack. White., carried by cable networkFX.
Ice Cube and basketball starLeBron James paired up to pitch a one-hour special toABC based on James's life.[83]
On May 11, 2010, ESPN aired Cube's directed documentaryStraight Outta L.A., examining the interplay of Los Angeles sociopolitics, hip-hop, and the Raiders during the 1980s into the 1990s.[84][85]
Serial television
Ice Cube'sAre We There Yet? series premiered onTBS on June 2, 2010. It revolves around a family adjusting to the matriarch's new husband, played byTerry Crews. On August 16, the show was renewed for 90 more episodes,[86] amounting to six seasons. Cube also creditsTyler Perry for his entrée to TBS.[87] In front of the television cameras, rather, Cube appeared with Elmo as a 2014 guest on thePBS children's showSesame Street.[88]
Personal life
In 1990, a musical associate in the rap groupPublic Enemy introduced Cube to theNation of Islam (NOI).[89] Heconverted to Islam,[90] though he denied membership in the NOI,[31] whose ideology against white people andespecially Jews led to its categorization as ahate group by theSouthern Poverty Law Center.[91] However, he readily adopted the group's ideology ofblack nationalism,[6] a concept familiar to the hip-hop community.[92] He nevertheless has claimed to listen to his own conscience as a "naturalMuslim",[89] claiming to do so because "it's just [him] and God".[93] In 2012, he expressed support forsame-sex marriage.[94] 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 theBuddhist tip as well. Everyone has something to offer to the world."[95]
Ice Cube has been married to Kimberly Woodruff since April 26, 1992.[96][97] They have four children together;[98] their oldest sonO'Shea Jackson Jr. (born 1991) portrayed him in the filmStraight Outta Compton.[99][100] 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.[101][102]
In 2017, he launchedBig3, a3-on-3 basketball league starring formerNBA players.[103] Ice Cube is a notable fan of theLas Vegas Raiders, originally supporting the team during their tenure inLos 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.[104][105] Ice Cube is also a fan of theLos Angeles Dodgers of MLB, performing a pregame show before game 2 of the2024 World Series and later at the team's World Series win celebration atDodger Stadium,[106] and has equally been a devout fan of theLos Angeles Lakers.[107]
In response to accusations of racism andantisemitism, Cube said in 2008, "I ain't got time to be fuckin' antisemitic, anti-this, anti-that,anti-Korean. I ain't got time for that shit. I'm too busy bein' pro-black, you know what I'm saying?"[108] 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".[48]
In 2020, Marlow Stern wrote an article in theDaily Beast addressing Cube's "long, disturbing history" of antisemitism.[49] The article was a response to Cube's day-long Twitter posting spree the day before, during which he promoted Nation of Islam leaderLouis Farrakhan.[92] He also shared various disproven antisemitic conspiracy theories.[112] Again calling himself "just pro-black" and not "anti-anybody", he dismissed "the hype" and professed that he was just "telling [his] truth".[113]
^abcdeTodd Boyd,Am I Black Enough for You?: Popular Culture from the 'Hood and Beyond (Bloomington & Indianapolis:Indiana University Press, 1997),p 75 skims Ice Cube's early successes in music, whileindexing "Ice Cube" reveals analysis of his political rap.
^abcdSteven Otfinoski, "Ice Cube",African Americans in the Performing Arts (New York:Facts On File, Inc., 2003),p 108.
^abcGail Hilson Woldu,The Words and Music of Ice Cube (Westport, CT & London, UK:Praeger Publishers, 2008),pp 44–45.
^abDavid J. Leonard, "Ice Cube", in Mickey Hess, ed.,Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture (Westport, CT:Greenwood Press, 2007),p 311.
^"Ice Cube". Hiphop.sh. Archived fromthe original on October 16, 2012. RetrievedDecember 12, 2012.
^Nashawaty, Chris (November 15, 2002)."They call him Mister Cube".Entertainment Weekly.Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. RetrievedJune 1, 2010.
^Brown, Jake (2006).Dr. Dre in the Studio: From Compton, Death Row, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, the Game, and Mad Money: the Life, Times, and Aftermath of the Notorious Record Producer, Dr. Dre. London: Amber Books Publishing. p. 6.ISBN9780976773559.
^TheSouthern Poverty Law Center, an advocacy group, is categorical in its declaration that the Nation of Islam is ahate group"Nation of Islam"Archived January 27, 2025, at theWayback Machine,SPLCenter.org, The Southern Poverty Law Center, visited 15 Jun 2020]. Yet although that view has arguments in its favor, including the NOI's ideology of black superiority and white guilt as well as Jewish guilt, that is not a consensus view among scholars, who identify other context and functions of the NOI [Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld,Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies, 4th ed.] (Thousand Oaks, CA:SAGE Publications, 2018),indexing "Nation of Islam".
^abDawn-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), pp140–141.
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