Ice Cube has been looking at untouched topics since his emergence with N.W.A in the late 1980s. As the lyrical mastermind behind N.W.A, the group’s “Straight Outta Compton” launched the gangster rap revolution thanks in large part to the landmark “F*ck Tha Police” song, and Ice Cube’s solo material, including undeniable early 1990s classic albums “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” and “Death Certificate,” solidified Ice Cube’s place as rap’s most important and socially aware artist.
Soon thereafter Ice Cube became a major Hollywood force. He is the star, producer and catalyst for the “Friday” and “Barbershop” film franchises, all released through his own company, Cube Vision. He has become one of the most bankable actors thanks to his charismatic turns in box-office hits such as “First Sunday,” “Are We There Yet?,” “Are We Done Yet?,” “Boyz N The Hood” and “Three Kings” to name a few.
As his status in the film world increased, Ice Cube remained prolific in the music realm, with 14 releases as a solo artist or a member of a group (Da Lench Mob, Westside Connection), including the blockbuster 2006 release of “Laugh Now, Cry Later,” the first album Ice Cube released on his own Lench Mob Records and the most successful independent hip-hop release of 2006. It all adds up to a remarkable rap career that continues expanding and evolving. “When you start peeling off the layers—as far as content, staying relevant in the game, always having something to say, not repeating myself too many times, groundbreaking stuff, being a champion of the West Coast—once you tally it all up, I don’t know who else can hold up,” he says. “Just on volume alone, it’s hard to keep up.”
It’s also hard to keep up with all of Ice Cube’s projects outside of rap and film. In 2007, he partnered with the prestigious McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota to establish an annual music scholarship. The Ice Cube Scholarship will be awarded to one student annually in the music technology department. Ice Cube will personally select each winner judged on the creativity, talent and skill in developing a song based on elements he provides them with. Also in 2007, Ice Cube and long-time collaborator DJ Pooh announced the launch of UVNTV.com, the world’s first real-time streaming television network online.
