Ice Cube is still immersed in his eleventh studio album, Man Down, which was released on November 22nd.
The 19-track project features contributions from legendary MCs including Busta Rhymes, Killer Mike, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, B-Real, J-Dee of the Lench Mob, E-40, Too $hort and Xzibit. Standout tracks like “I’mma Burn Rubber” and “Facts” prove that deep down, the pioneer of West Coast gangster rap is still alive and well.
Ice Cube has been famous for nearly 40 years; the ’80s were marked by the rise and eventual decline of the NWA, the ’90s saw Ice Cube’s solo career take off along with his acting career, and the ’00s officially ushered in Ice Cube’s movie stardom and Westside Connection’s Reunited in the ’10s to produce his ninth solo album, I Am West, he founded the Big3 Basketball League, introduced Mount Westmore in the ’20s, and that was just a small part of everything he did.
Needless to say, Ice Cube has become a household name. In an interview with AllHipHop, the undeniably driven mogul opened up about being “celebrity” and how he really feels about it.
“I appreciate fame,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s been great for me. It’s given me a lifestyle that I never dreamed of. I appreciate my fans because they’re the reason. So, you know, I consider my fans my Little army. They are the ones who always support my project. Sometimes you may like it and sometimes it may not be to your liking. But they always give me a second look. The opportunity to give them some cool stuff, so I’m grateful for that.
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While Ice Cube’s new album didn’t hit as high as Kendrick Lamar’s GNX project, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 300,000 album-equivalent units in its first week , but he didn’t care. He made this album for day one fans who expect nothing but raw and authentic lyrics and a healthy dose of simple, punchy, West Coast rap-infused beats.
“People like a simple song,” Cooper said with a shrug. The formula worked for him. His music resonates with people of all backgrounds, which he calls “pretty incredible.”
He continued: “What I’ve tried to do throughout my career is just provide a realistic perspective. Some people sometimes get offended by that perspective and it turns them off or whatever. So in order for people to understand it, Rock out with it, think of it as art, and then, we drop the street knowledge, so that’s cool because I think you can learn a lot about who I am and who we are as a community just by listening to the music.
As Chuck D once said, Hip-Hop is akin to “CNN for black people,” and Cube has always tried to accurately portray his life – no matter what stage he was at. Reunion of Lench Mob member J-Dee, who was released from prison in 2021 after serving 25 years for murder. He also reflects on some of the hard-won wisdom he’s learned throughout his life in “Ghetto Stories,” his disillusionment with social media in “Talk About These Rappers,” and owning himself in “Talk About These Rappers.” It’s not always a bad thing.
As for Cooper’s relentless work ethic, he attributes it to his mother, Doris Benjamin, a former hospital clerk and administrator, and his father, Hosea Jackson, who Worked as a machinist and groundskeeper at UCLA.
“I would attribute that to my parents,” he said. “I see my mom and dad get up and go to work every day. Sometimes my dad would work several jobs at the same time and he wouldn’t let anything make him miss work. It was always ‘This is what proves your worth,’ so to speak. Another day”. We cannot succeed on our own; it does nothing for anyone. We have to execute every day and everything will be fine.
For those of you who haven’t heard it yet, find “Man Down” below.
