by MangaMoon

Ice Cube

Remember… Eazy-E’s “Boyz-n-the-Hood”? Ice Cube wrote its lyrics, but the song was originally intended for the New York group H.B.O.—Home Boys Only. They rejected it because its West Coast language felt unfamiliar. Encouraged by Dr. Dre, Eazy-E eventually stepped up to the microphone, and the song became famous in his voice. Later, Ice Cube himself traveled east to develop his own music. After leaving N.W.A., he connected with Public Enemy’s production team, the Bomb Squad, in New York to create his solo debut, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. Working with them and Sir Jinx, he paired West Coast storytelling with dense, sample-driven East Coast production. The result established a powerful musical identity beyond his former group. His ambitions eventually reached the basketball court. In 2017, Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz founded BIG3, a professional three-on-three league played on a half court. It gave prominent former NBA players a new format in which to compete before their fans. From writing a hit for someone else to building his own album and launching a sports league, Cube’s career repeatedly shows an instinct for turning ideas into platforms of his own.

Material: wooden