Ice Cube was one of the most influential founders of the gangsta rap movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, working with legends of the hip-hop world like fellow N.W.A artists Dr. Dre and Eazy E. After creating a successful solo career that was filled with controversy for his politically-charged and poignant content, Cube sought to diversify his career, lending a hand on the production side of music and continuing a career in acting. Ice Cube’s appeal has not melted, though, as his stern frown and cutting rhymes remain a bold embodiment of rap music in the ‘90s and the social implications of the genre. Ice Cube was born O’Shea Jackson, a product of what would be come the notoriously iconic neighborhood most associated with gangsta rap, South Central Los Angeles. It wasn’t until Ice Cube was in high school that he really took an interest in rap music, and he would spend many hours writing down raps while soaking up more formal music lessons at school. His first stint with a proper rap group was the time he spent with C.I.A., a team which played at parties hosted by Dr. Dre. Cube would later leave C.I.A. for Dre’s N.W.A., but not before attending an architectural school in Phoenix in 1987. Once he returned with a one-year degree, N.W.A released perhaps the most influential body of work in gangsta rap’s early years, the 1988 album Straight Outta Compton.With N.W.A.’s album earning headlines for its combustible content, Ice Cube and the rest of the team gained a reputation for their unapologetic political stance, molded from their lives in lower-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Ice Cube ran into confrontations with N.W.A., leaving the group in 1989 to pursue a solo career. Cube worked with other East Coast rappers for a time, and soon was recording for his debut solo album, AmeriKKKa‘s Most Wanted. The album was a hit right out of the gates, powered by the strong chart success of the title song as well as "Who‘s the Mack?" Ice Cube went on to produce a steady stream of hit singles, many in collaboration with rappers like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Ice T. Many people today will recall Ice Cube for his acting talents, for which he first gained widespread acclaim in the movie Boyz N the Hood. But he’s also been involved with several action movies (such as XXX: State of the Union) and, more recently, family comedies (such as Are We There Yet?). Ice Cube might have slowed down the music production and rounded out his edges heading into the later part of the 2000s, but by no means has Cube disappointed his legions of fans, who wait with anxious anticipation for more from this prolific gangsta rap institution.
