O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, … Read Full Bio ↴O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the seminal rap group N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes). After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he began both a successful solo music career and an acting career which included roles in films such as Boyz n the Hood (1991), Friday (1995), for which he also co-wrote the screenplay, and Barbershop (2002). Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS series Are We There Yet?, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the main character.

Ice Cube is one of the founding artists of gangsta rap, and much of his musical output has contained harsh socio-political commentary. He was ranked number 8 on MTV's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, while fellow rapper Snoop Dogg ranked Ice Cube as one of the greatest MC of all time. AllMusic has called him one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists, as well as "one of rap's greatest storytellers". In 2012, The Source ranked him number 14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. In 2014, About.com ranked him number 11 on their list of the "50 Greatest MCs of All Time"

He released his solo debut album, "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted," in 1990 to critical and commercial success, although upon its release he was accused of racism and misogyny. He has since released 1991's "Death Certificate", 1992's "The Predator", 1993's "Lethal Injection", 1998's "War & Peace Vol 1 (The War Disc)", 2000's "War & Peace Vol 2 (The Peace Disc)", 2006's "Laugh Now, Cry Later", 2008's "Raw Footage", and 2010's "I Am the West."

Ice Cube was raised in South Central by his parents, both of whom were employed at UCLA. He began writing raps while attending George Washington Preparatory High School in Westmont, California, most notably "Boyz 'N Tha Hood", which later became famous when done by N.W.A in 1986. Cube finished his schooling at William Howard Taft Charter High School in Woodland Hills, a predominately white neighborhood in San Fernando Valley, some 40 miles from the high-crime neighborhood where his family stayed.

Cube and a friend, Sir Jinx, rapped as a partnership called C.I.A. at parties hosted by Dr. Dre. After a brief stint in a group called "HBO", Cube showed Eazy-E "Boyz 'N Da Hood," and the pair, plus Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, The Arabian Prince and MC Ren, formed N.W.A.

Cube took one year off to earn a degree in architectural drafting in Phoenix in 1987 but returned in time to participate in N.W.A's debut album, Straight Outta Compton. The album attracted much notoriety for the group, from the FBI and concerned citizen and parent groups. Cube did the lead verse for the album's infamous track "Fuck tha Police."

Ice Cube left N.W.A due to financial and personality conflicts in 1989. With Da Lench Mob and the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy's producers), Cube recorded his debut album in New York City. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted was released in 1990 and was an instantaneous hit as rap's popularity increased in mainstream society.

His 1991 follow-up, Death Certificate, was even more controversial. A few songs in the album featured Cube's hate of Uncle Sam and his politics, and a bonus track named "No Vaseline" was a diss to his former N.W.A bandmates. Also that year, he converted to the Nation of Islam. The album was re-released in 2003 with the bonus track "How to Survive in South Central," originally from the 1991 "Boyz N the Hood" soundtrack.

Controversy stirred about racist lyrics in his material: "Black Korea" (a song against Korean shopowners), referring to a former boss as "white Jew" in "No Vaseline", and songs such as "Enemy and Cave Bitch" (songs against "devils", a popular derogatory term at the time for white people). Partially to help deflect criticisms, Cube appointed a female rapper named Yo-Yo (who guested on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted) to the head of his own record label and helped produce her debut album, Make Way for the Motherlode.

That was followed by Cube's acting breakout as the grown-up version of Darrin "Doughboy" Baker in the 1991 coming of age crime drama "Boyz in the Hood." Writer and director John Singleton, another LA native, penned the role specifically Cube. Ice Cube was later named "Most Promising Actor" at the 4th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards in 1992, beating out his co-star Cuba Gooding Jr. and newcomer Brad Pitt from "Thelma and Louise."

Cube toured on Lollapalooza in 1992 and widened his fan base. He released The Predator in November (1992) which debuted at #1 on both the pop and rnb charts, the first album in history to do so. For that album, Cube decided to load some G-funk style beats which at that time was the big thing and some remix tunes which brought a new style to Cube, in which previously he had released some hardcore and extreme work. Singles from The Predator included "Today was a Good Day" and "Check Yo Self (remix)" which all had a 2 part music video.

After The Predator, Cube's audience began to diminish. Lethal Injection (1993) was not very well-liked by critics, and Dr. Dre and the West Coast G-Funk sound was dominating hip-hop. It wasn't until later that the album became popular. Taking a break from his own albums, Cube assisted on debuts from Da Lench Mob (Guerillas in the Mist) and Kam (Neva Again). He later dueted with Dr. Dre on "Natural Born Killaz."

Around this time in 1993, Ice Cube also worked with soon-to-be-acclaimed rapper Tupac Shakur with his album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. and appeared on a track with 2pac.

In 1994 Ice Cube released Bootlegs & B-Sides.

During this time, hip-hop started making a transition from the West Coast Funk Hip-Hop to a more gritty East Coast hip-hop. With Mack 10 and WC, Cube formed the Westside Connection in 1996, releasing their debut album Bow Down later that year. This album was in due to Ice Cube's theory that the East Coast lacked respect for West Coast hip-hop. Songs like "Bow Down", and "Gangstas Make The World Go 'Round" make reference to this. Sales were brisk, but it did not establish a large audience. This album was later perceived as a classic, especially on the West Coast. Cube released several more solo albums; however, he is now known more for his movies than his music.

In 1998 Ice Cube released War & Peace Vol 1: The War Disc
In 2000 Ice Cube released War & Peace Vol 2: The Peace Disc
In 2003 Ice Cube along with W.C. & Mack 10 released Terrorist Threats as the West Side Connection.

In December 2004, after a long break from recording, he reached #2 in the UK singles chart with the club favourite, "You Can Do It" (featuring Mack 10 and Ms Toi), released as a single 5 years after it was first included on movie soundtracks such as
Ice Cube was influenced by and took his name from African American pimp-turned-author Iceberg Slim, who published his autobiography Pimp in 1969. At one point, Ice Cube was scheduled to play the lead role in a movie adaptation of Pimp, but the project appears to be halted.

Cube's oldest son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., made his feature film debut in the 2015 N.W.A biopic "Straight Outta Compton," portraying his father.

Hood Mentality
Ice Cube Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fuck school, nigga, I'ma be a dope dealer,
I'ma be a killer, yup a urban guerrilla,
I'ma stack strilla, yeah, buy me a villa,
Sell a five-oh to my Auntie Priscilla,
I don't give a fuck that she look like thriller,
Hit that shit, one more time and fuck around and kill her.
Cause I got the heart of a Pittsburgh Steeler,
Black nigga, draped in gold with a nine milla,

Love money, love jail, love that penitentiary mail,
Love the way these niggas smell, keep comin' back, can't you tell,
Love to see my mama cry, love to see my babies struggle,
Love to see my woman juggle nuts cause she got the hustle,

I don't give a fuck, how my life go,
Now I'ma slave man to this cave man, without Geico
Everybody wanna a car, Michael a psycho
But he ain't never came through the hood with a rifle,
Gunnin' niggas down cause they don't got the right clothes,
Hit the wrong person cause we shoot just like hoes,
First I was blood thirsty, Mr. Mr. Controversy,
Now I wanna beg for mercy, should of took my ass to first

If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,

Fuck school, Nigga, if I grow a little taller,
Everybody tell me I'ma gonna do it, I'm gonna be a baller,
So fuck that thinkin', fuck that thinkin',
Fuck them Lincolns, I want Franklin's
Come back through here with my crew, I'ma gonna have my own shoe,
I'ma gonna be that little fool, coming in your living room,
Startin' point guard, nigga, fresh outta middle school,
Either is the NBA, or is the NFL,
I dunno what else I can do, to keep my ass self outta jail,
I wanna be like Tiger Woods, swing that club, make you sick,
I wanna be like Pacman Jones, I wanna be like Michael Vick,
I wanna be like Barry Bonds, I wanna be like OJ Simpson,
Leader's feel, leader's prison, tell you motherfuckers where to kiss em,
I wanna be all broke'd up, moving all old and slow,
I wanna be a alcoholic, just like Barway Joe,
I wanna be a side show, kinda like Iron Mike,
Used to have a few Bentley, now I just ride a bike,

If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,

Fuck school, nigga, they ain't tryin' to educate me,
All they give a fuck is what I memorize lately,
I'ma gonna have to teach myself,
Clock that money, get that wealth,
I wanna be like Santa Claus,
I don't wanna be no fucking elf,
No kid left behind, buddy get the run around,
Can't you motherfuckers see that they tryin' to doom us down,
Don't trust the government, president, is for sale,
He don't give a fuck about a nigga, just a oil well,
Sell crack, go to jail, bust a rap, go to hell,
Do I got to sell my soul, if I wanna go to Yale,
Go kiss Oprah's ass, if you wanna be Gail,
I rather have my ass kissed, up in Bloomingdale,
You can go, be a pimp, you can go, be a hoe,
But you only gonna get paid off, what you know,
If you don't know shit, then you can't work for me,
Cause you read your first book, in a penitentiary,

If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,

If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,

Overall Meaning

The song, "Hood Mentality" by Ice Cube, depicts the struggles of a person who is born and raised in the hood, and has to choose between education and a life of crime. The first verse begins with the persona stating that he will become a dope dealer and a killer. He goes on to express his love for money, jail, and seeing the people around him struggle, highlighting the allure of the streets for those living in inner-city neighborhoods. The persona then draws attention to his desire for material wealth, which he hopes to obtain by playing basketball, selling drugs or rapping.

In the later verses, he criticizes the education system, calling out the government for not caring about the education of inner-city children. He suggests that the only way to get ahead is by teaching oneself and making money through illegal means, and ends the song by urging his peers to shake off their 'hood mentality' to change their reality.

Overall, Ice Cube uses his lyrics to raise awareness about the challenges faced by African American youths living in low-income neighborhoods and highlights the factors that lead them to crime. He also emphasizes the importance of education in breaking out of the cycle of poverty and systemic oppression.

Line by Line Meaning

Fuck school, nigga, I'ma be a dope dealer,
I don't care about education, I plan to make money selling drugs.

I'ma be a killer, yup a urban guerrilla,
I want to be a violent criminal and fight against the system.

I'ma stack strilla, yeah, buy me a villa,
I'll accumulate wealth and buy luxury property.

Sell a five-oh to my Auntie Priscilla,
I have no moral qualms about selling drugs to my family.

I don't give a fuck that she look like thriller,
I don't care what my customers look like as long as they have money.

Hit that shit, one more time and fuck around and kill her.
If my customer OD's, it's not my problem.

Cause I got the heart of a Pittsburgh Steeler,
I am tough and ruthless, like a football player.

Black nigga, draped in gold with a nine milla,
I am black and proud, with a gun for protection.

Love money, love jail, love that penitentiary mail,
I am addicted to money and the feeling of being in jail.

Love the way these niggas smell, keep comin' back, can't you tell,
I am attracted to the scent of other criminals and the lifestyle they lead.

Love to see my mama cry, love to see my babies struggle,
I enjoy the pain of others, including my own family.

Love to see my woman juggle nuts cause she got the hustle,
I like to see my partner work hard and bring in money through any means necessary.

I don't give a fuck, how my life go,
I couldn't care less about the consequences of my actions.

Now I'ma slave man to this cave man, without Geico
I am trapped in a violent world with no protection or security.

Everybody wanna a car, Michael a psycho
Everyone wants the flashy lifestyle of a famous celebrity, even if it's dangerous.

But he ain't never came through the hood with a rifle,
Even though they are famous, they never come back to the neighborhood to help.

Gunnin' niggas down cause they don't got the right clothes,
People are killed for superficial reasons like not wearing the right clothes.

Hit the wrong person cause we shoot just like hoes,
Innocent people are often killed because we shoot recklessly.

First I was blood thirsty, Mr. Mr. Controversy,
I used to crave violence and conflict, causing controversy everywhere I went.

Now I wanna beg for mercy, should of took my ass to first
Now I regret my choices and wish I had focused on education instead.

If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
If you don't want to change your mindset and lifestyle,

How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
How can we hope to improve our situation?

Fuck school, Nigga, if I grow a little taller,
Education doesn't matter, I'll still find success because of my physical stature.

Everybody tell me I'ma gonna do it, I'm gonna be a baller,
People expect me to make it big in sports and become wealthy.

So fuck that thinkin', fuck that thinkin',
I don't want to rely on stereotypes, I'll do things my way.

Fuck them Lincolns, I want Franklin's
I don't care about luxury cars, I want cash.

Come back through here with my crew, I'ma gonna have my own shoe,
When I return to my hometown, I'll be successful enough to have my own shoe line.

I'ma gonna be that little fool, coming in your living room,
I'll be so famous, I'll be on TV and in people's homes.

Startin' point guard, nigga, fresh outta middle school,
I plan to enter the NBA as a young and talented point guard.

Either is the NBA, or is the NFL,
I'm determined to make it big in professional sports, no matter which league.

I dunno what else I can do, to keep my ass self outta jail,
I'm not sure what other options I have to avoid a life of crime.

I wanna be like Tiger Woods, swing that club, make you sick,
I want to be successful and rich like Tiger Woods, making people envious.

I wanna be like Pacman Jones, I wanna be like Michael Vick,
I want to admire athletes who have been through legal troubles and come out on top.

I wanna be like Barry Bonds, I wanna be like OJ Simpson,
I want to emulate famous people who have been notorious for their negative actions.

Leader's feel, leader's prison, tell you motherfuckers where to kiss em,
Leaders are both respected and feared, and they don't hesitate to show their Power.

I wanna be all broke'd up, moving all old and slow,
I don't want to retire comfortably, I want to end up broke and struggling.

I wanna be a alcoholic, just like Barway Joe,
I want to be like people famous for their vices and addictions.

I wanna be a side show, kinda like Iron Mike,
I want to be a spectacle and attract attention, like Iron Mike Tyson.

Used to have a few Bentley, now I just ride a bike,
I used to be wealthy and drive expensive cars, but now I'm broke and resort to a bike.

No kid left behind, buddy get the run around,
Education programs intended to help struggling children often fail and leave them behind.

Can't you motherfuckers see that they tryin' to doom us down,
The education system is designed to keep us down and prevent us from succeeding.

Don't trust the government, president, is for sale,
The government and even the president can be bought and corrupted.

He don't give a fuck about a nigga, just a oil well,
The president only cares about oil and profits, not the well-being of individuals.

Sell crack, go to jail, bust a rap, go to hell,
In my community, it feels like there are only two paths- jail or death.

Do I got to sell my soul, if I wanna go to Yale,
Do I have to compromise my beliefs and morals in order to succeed in life?

Go kiss Oprah's ass, if you wanna be Gail,
If you want to be successful like Oprah, you have to be willing to submit to people higher up.

I rather have my ass kissed, up in Bloomingdale,
I'd rather be rich and famous, and have people idolize me, than be subservient to someone else.

You can go, be a pimp, you can go, be a hoe,
In our community, it seems like the only way to make money is through crime or sex work.

But you only gonna get paid off, what you know,
Ultimately, the only way to truly succeed is through knowledge and education.

If you don't know shit, then you can't work for me,
If you're not knowledgeable or useful, I have no need for you in my life.

Cause you read your first book, in a penitentiary,
If you're only just beginning to educate yourself while in jail, you're already behind.