Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, actor, screenwriter, film director, and producer. He began his career as a member of C.I.A and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in 1989, he built a successful solo career in music and cinema. He married Kimberly Woodruff in 1992, with whom he has four children. From the 2000s onwards, Jackson focused on acting, and his musical output has slowed down considerably. He remains one of the most visible West Coast rappers, having helped originate gangsta rap. Jackson was born in South Central Los Angeles, California, the son of Doris Jackson (née Benjamin), a hospital clerk and custodian, and Hosea Jackson, who worked as a groundskeeper at UCLA. His cousins are Teren Delvon Jones, also known as Del tha Funkee Homosapien, of Deltron 3030, Gorillaz and Hieroglyphics; and Kam of rap group The Warzone. At age sixteen, Jackson developed an interest in hip hop music, and began writing raps in Taft High School's keyboarding class. He attended the Phoenix Institute of Technology in the fall of 1987, and studied Architectural Drafting. With friend Sir Jinx, Jackson formed the C.I.A., and they performed at parties hosted by Dr. Dre. In an interview with well-known British broadsheet newspaper The Guardian, Jackson stated that he is a Muslim, having converted sometime in the 1990s. He was believed to be a member of the Nation of Islam, the controversial Islamic group led by Louis Farrakhan and was quoted as saying that the organization is "the best place for any young black male". Discography1990: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted |
