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Ice Cube, a true icon in both music and film, played a pivotal role in shaping the gangster rap genre as a solo artist and as a founding member of the legendary group N.W.A. Born O'Shea Jackson in 1969 in South Central Los Angeles, Ice Cube discovered his love for hip-hop during high school, where he even adopted his now-famous stage name—inspired by a warning from his older brother. After briefly studying architectural drafting at the Phoenix Institute of Technology, Ice Cube reignited his passion for music, teaming up with Sir Jinx to form The C.I.A. and working with Dr. Dre on the side project Stereo Crew. It was Dr. Dre who recognized Ice Cube’s raw talent and brought him into the fold of N.W.A., a groundbreaking crew out of Compton that would go on to revolutionize rap music.
Ice Cube reportedly penned half of their landmark 1988 album *Straight Outta Compton*, but left the group just a year later due to a contract dispute with manager Jerry Heller. That didn’t slow him down. In fact, Ice Cube doubled down with his bold 1990 solo debut *AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted*, an album that sparked intense debate over its lyrical content. Controversy followed again with 1991’s *Death Certificate*, but around this time, Ice Cube also began proving himself as a serious actor—delivering a powerful performance as Doughboy in John Singleton’s critically acclaimed *Boyz n the Hood* (1991).
The early '90s were a turning point. Ice Cube’s 1992 album *The Predator* not only hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold over three million copies in the U.S., but it also produced the iconic single “It Was a Good Day.” He continued to expand his creative reach, appearing in the neo-noir thriller *Trespass* (1992) alongside Ice T and diving into the G-funk wave with 1993’s *Lethal Injection*. For the next five years, Ice Cube shifted focus, putting his solo music career on pause to co-found Westside Connection with WC and Mack 10, mentor artists like Da Lench Mob and Mr. Short Khop, and contribute to tracks by Tupac, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Kan.
All the while, Ice Cube was building an impressive filmography. He played a crime suspect in *The Glass Shield* (1994), returned to collaborate with Singleton in *Higher Learning* (1995), and then made a massive cultural splash by writing, producing, and starring in the stoner comedy classic *Friday* (1995). That same year marked the beginning of a successful Hollywood trajectory. He took on dramatic roles in *Dangerous Ground* (1997) and *Anaconda* (1997), before stepping behind the camera to direct the edgy drama *The Players Club* (1998). Musically, Ice Cube came back strong with *War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc)* in 1998, followed by Vol. 2 in 2000, which featured contributions from former N.W.A. members Dr. Dre and MC Ren.
By then, Ice Cube had firmly established himself across multiple entertainment spheres. He co-starred with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in the Gulf War film *Three Kings* (1999), appeared in the ensemble rap drama *Thicker than Water* (1999), and brought Craig Jones back to life in *Next Friday* (2000). Choosing to prioritize acting for a stretch, Ice Cube starred in John Carpenter’s *Ghosts of Mars* (2001), teamed up with Mike Epps in *All About the Benjamins* (2002), and delivered a fan-favorite performance as Calvin Palmer in *Barbershop* (2002)—a role he’d revisit in sequels in 2004 and 2016.
He kept evolving. Ice Cube stepped into Vin Diesel’s shoes for *XXX: State of the Union* (2005) and surprised audiences by embracing family-friendly fare as Nick Parsons in *Are We There Yet?* (2005). Music-wise, he returned with *Laugh Now, Cry Later* in 2006 and followed it with *Raw Footage* in 2008. But films kept coming—*First Sunday* (2008), *The Longshots* (2008), and *The Janky Promoters* (2009), once again alongside Mike Epps.
In 2010, Ice Cube added *I Am the West* to his discography, explored his roots in the ESPN *30 for 30* documentary on gangster rap and the Oakland Raiders, starred in *The Lottery Ticket* (2010), and expanded his *Are We There Yet?* universe into a TV series on TBS (2010–13), which he produced and co-starred in. His momentum carried into the 2010s: he delivered a gritty performance in *Rampart* (2011), stole scenes as Captain Dickson in *21 Jump Street* (2012), and launched another box office franchise with Kevin Hart in *Ride Along* (2014). He even lent his voice to *The Book of Life* (2014), showing off his range.
One of the most meaningful moments in Ice Cube’s career came in 2015 when he served as a producer on *Straight Outta Compton*, the biopic about N.W.A.—a story in which he was portrayed by his real-life son, O'Shea Jackson Jr. That personal connection added depth to the project and highlighted Ice Cube’s enduring legacy. He continued performing, too, starring in *Fist Fight* (2017) and finally releasing his long-gestating tenth studio album, *Everythang's Corrupt*, in 2018.
Never one to slow down, Ice Cube joined the cast of the music-centered drama *Covers* (2020) and brought the *Friday* series full circle with *Last Friday* (2020), cementing his status as a cultural architect whose influence spans decades. From the streets of South Central to the heights of Hollywood, Ice Cube has remained authentic, fearless, and undeniably impactful—proving time and again that he’s much more than just a rapper or an actor. He’s a movement.
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