Ice Cube (born June 15, 1969) is an American rapper, actor, screenwriter, and producer who goes by the stage name O’Shea Jackson Sr. He was a member of the well-known rap group N.W.A., and his album Straight Outta Compton is credited with popularising the gangsta rap genre (1988). He began his solo career after quitting N.W.A.
Ice Cube rose to prominence in the 1990s with hard-hitting gangsta rap before moving on to serious politically-charged songs and prestige films. While he currently appears in lighter fare, he remains a divisive character both online and off, and his personal life has been marred by tragedy and scandal behind the scenes.
His Backstory Is Surprising
Ice Cube is his stage name, but his real name is O’Shea Jackson. So, whence did he get his stage name? It’s not a subtle reference to anything; it was accidentally inspired by his older brother. Ice Cube’s brother used to threaten to toss him in the freezer and “pull me out when I was an ice cube” when they were younger. Jackson chose Ice Cube as his stage name, and the rest is history.
He Expanded on the concept of a “Breakout” Album
Because rap music has evolved so much since the 1980s, it’s difficult to appreciate just how revolutionary N.W.A.’s music was—and how much controversy it sparked. Straight Outta Compton, their debut album, was too violent and full of wrath to be aired on the radio, but it nonetheless became the first gangsta rap album to go platinum, a near-impossible feat at the time. It wouldn’t be the first time Ice Cube was the center of attention.
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Ice Cube was born O’Shea Jackson in South Central Los Angeles to working-class parents. Ice Cube grew up in a difficult neighborhood, but owing to his family, he kept out of severe trouble for the most part.
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He thanks his father and older brother for keeping him on the right course, but it wasn’t all sunshine and daisies during his youth. Not at all.
He Was Bereaved by His Half-sister
Ice Cube endured a devastating tragedy while he was just a teenager. Beverly Jean Brown, his ten-year-old half-sister, was his only sibling. Brown had died, and the specifics were completely terrifying when the Jackson family received terrible news one night in 1981.
It Forever Changed His Life
Brown was shot by her husband in their own home, just a few blocks from her family’s home. Ice Cube, who was only 12 years old at the time, described the tragedy as a “wake-up call.” The loss jolted him out of his boyhood and thrust him into a violent and heartbreaking reality.
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His life was forever impacted by the loss of his sister, and it spilled into every part of his life.
He’s a Survivor
Ice Cube was instilled with a newfound vigilance and sense of survival after losing his sister to a senseless act of violence. He admitted that his life had become focused on “preventing” anything bad from happening to him—a serious outlook and way of life for a 12-year-old. Ice Cube’s music and films would be influenced by the incident.
He Sucked at Music
He Was in a Bad Part of Town
Ice Cube attended George Washington Preparatory School in Los Angeles for his high school education. Despite the fancy name, it had a shady history. The two founding members of the notorious Crips street gang had met at Washington, and the school was still plagued by danger and brutality even years later. Cube’s mother made the decision to take action.
He Wasn’t A Good Fit
His mother Doris had seen too many young people chewed up and spit out at Washington Prep, so she signed and got her son to take the bus out to William Howard Taft High School instead—but the change brought about its own challenges. While his surroundings were far more stable during the day, they still had a dark side. Cube and the other inner-city kids were treated poorly and made to feel unwelcome—not by other students, but by the faculty and the community around the school… and his troubles didn’t end there.
He Couldn’t Escape Inner City Life
Even though Taft High provided a relatively safe space for Ice Cube during the day, he still had to return to South Central every afternoon, diving right back into the environment of gangs and substance use that his mother had tried to keep him out of.
This is when Cube’s sense of self-preservation kicked in, as a result of his sister’s tragic death.
High School Made Him Tough
Ice Cube said that the most stressful part of his day was returning home to South Central after a day of school in the valley. He lived in fear of what could befall him after he stepped off of the bus—but these experiences weren’t all bad.
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They also taught him resilience. He felt impervious to threats and insults from those around him when he was at school, knowing that those situations were the least of his concerns… but he also had another outlet at the time.
Never Won the Granny Award
Ice Cube is one of the hip-most hop’s illustrious figures, and after a tremendous career as a rapper, he went on to have a similarly successful career in Hollywood. Although he is now better renowned for his work in movies, there was a time when his abilities on the microphone were what made him famous, yet he was never awarded a Grammy for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do they call him Ice Cube?
What is Ice Cube Net Worth 2020?
Ice Cube has a net worth of $160 million.
Are Ice Cube and Dr. Dre friends?
Ice Cube and Dr. Dre have a long and illustrious history as colleagues and friends.
Who’s richer Ice Cube or Dr. Dre?
DR. DRE. Net worth: ~ $820 million
ICE CUBE. Net worth: ~ $160 million.
