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.

You Don't Wanna Fuck Wit These
Ice Cube Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Ice Cube]
You don't wanna fuck wit these

You don't wanna fuck wit these
Run up you big-ass bitch and I'll have you clockin G's
Wit my knockout jab, mess around and stab
yo' ass in the gut, I don't give a fuck
Down with the brown, clownin these honkies
that got us in the mix with they 666
Tricks get found, stinkin like tuna
Bailin through your hood in my fresh suede Pumas
And I don't hit gates, nigga pump yo' brakes
cause I ain't runnin, you better start gunnin
Take your hand off your metal
There's nowhere to hide, cause the world is a ghetto
Want my afro long like Mad Dawg
on a velvet poster, 40 on the coaster
cause moms don't play that shit
Been hard on a nigga since (?)8-8-6(?)
Sayin you need Jesus, cause I got the fresh sweatshirt
with the three fat, creases
And it's on like that, nigga where you at?
At a phone booth, I'm comin in the Coupe
Beanie pull over, fool there they go
Drive real slow so we can let them hoes know
that G's even bust on L.A.P.D.'s
Make 'em eat cheese, cause they don't wanna fuck with these
And he don't wanna fuck wit these

I got mo' flavor than a hoe with a dick
and a stick of gum on her tongue, I get you sprung
with the psycho-alpha-disco, my fist go
in my pocket, grabbin on my pistol
But I won't pull it out til it's time to spit
Make the girls say, "Damn, niggaz can't have shit"
Cause I see Satan, waitin in the cut
for this black motherfucker, to bail out his hut
And I don't give a mad-ass fuck
about a sheriff who's tryin to tear-off a (??)
My chinny chin chin hit him up with the right
and then I bend bend got his ass in my sight
My Chuck's hit the cement, then I bent the corner
Yellin, "+Cop Killer+, and fuck Time-Warner"
Got the wick-a-tick(??) niggaz say, damn he's so sweet
Hypnotize yo' ass like that shit "Knee Deep"
And you hate it, gang-affiliated
Niggaz be bumpin, just a little somethin
from that loc'ed out nigga that cater to the O.G.'s
And let you know, that you don't wanna fuck wit these
And you don't wanna fuck wit these
And you don't wanna fuck wit these

Rollin through the hood, when I see a bitch
I hit the switch, she's on my dick
Fresh t-shirt, thick like I hangs
They say I got St. Ide's rushin through my veins
from the CRASH units, all the way to Vice
They claimin Ice Cube, ain't nuttin nice
cause I keep hittin, fuck Bill Clinton
No repentin, just representin
I can walk through the park cause it's crazy after dark
Keep my hand on my gun, cause I ain't the one
Bang you're dead, brains out your head
I wish I was the nigga that invented infrared
Now I got it poppin but what's that odor?
Smells like a hot pot of that bakin soda
Cause I know nigs from A's to Z's slangin ki's
Sayin you don't wanna fuck wit these

Nigga please

Overall Meaning

In Ice Cube's song "You Don't Wanna Fuck Wit These," he speaks about the fearlessness of his gangster persona and the consequences of crossing him. The song is littered with allusions to violence, drugs, and gang culture, with the relentless pace of the lyrics mirroring the fast-paced lifestyle that Ice Cube is trying to portray. In the first verse, he speaks directly to those who think they can take him on, and he warns them that they will be met with a "knockout jab" or a "stab in the gut." Cube also makes references to the racial tension that exists between Black and White Americans, referring to "honkies that got us in the mix with their 666" and implying that they are the cause of the criminal behavior that he and his crew are forced to participate in. He then claims that he is not afraid of law enforcement, referencing the controversial song "Cop Killer" and stating that he will "make 'em eat cheese" if they try to come after him.

Line by Line Meaning

You don't wanna fuck wit these
Don't mess with me or my crew.

Run up you big-ass bitch and I'll have you clockin G's
If you come after me, you'll end up owing money to me instead.

Wit my knockout jab, mess around and stab yo' ass in the gut, I don't give a fuck
I'm not afraid to defend myself by any means necessary.

Down with the brown, clownin these honkies that got us in the mix with they 666
I'm standing up for my people against the white establishment who sees us as an issue.

Tricks get found, stinkin like tuna Bailin through your hood in my fresh suede Pumas
I can spot liars and fakes from a mile away, and I'm proud of my expensive style.

And I don't hit gates, nigga pump yo' brakes cause I ain't runnin, you better start gunnin
I won't back down from a fight, so you better prepare yourself.

Take your hand off your metal There's nowhere to hide, cause the world is a ghetto
Don't even think about pulling out a weapon. We're all living in a dangerous place.

Want my afro long like Mad Dawg on a velvet poster, 40 on the coaster
I'm embracing my blackness and enjoying the luxuries that come with fame.

cause moms don't play that shit Been hard on a nigga since (?)8-8-6(?)
My mom raised me tough and taught me to stand up for myself.

Sayin you need Jesus, cause I got the fresh sweatshirt with the three fat, creases
I'm confident in my style, and you can't deny it.

And it's on like that, nigga where you at? At a phone booth, I'm comin in the Coupe
I'm ready for a fight and I'll come find you if I have to.

Beanie pull over, fool there they go Drive real slow so we can let them hoes know that G's even bust on L.A.P.D.'s Make 'em eat cheese, cause they don't wanna fuck with these
We're driving by slowly to show off and intimidate the police. They know better than to mess with us.

I got mo' flavor than a hoe with a dick and a stick of gum on her tongue, I get you sprung
I'm charismatic and my charm can win people over.

with the psycho-alpha-disco, my fist go in my pocket, grabbin on my pistol
I'm ready to fight and I have my gun on me just in case.

But I won't pull it out til it's time to spit Make the girls say, "Damn, n****z can't have shit"
I'm only going to use my gun if I have to. And even then, it's just to make a point.

Cause I see Satan, waitin in the cut for this black motherfucker, to bail out his hut
The world is against me just because of my skin color.

And I don't give a mad-ass fuck about a sheriff who's tryin to tear-off a (?)
I'm not afraid of the police and their attempts to intimidate me.

My chinny chin chin hit him up with the right and then I bend bend got his ass in my sight
I stood up to the cop and knocked him out, just like that.

Yellin, "Cop Killer", and fuck Time-Warner" Got the wick-a-tick(?) niggaz say, damn he's so sweet
I'm singing an anti-police song and my fans love it.

Hypnotize yo' ass like that shit "Knee Deep" And you hate it, gang-affiliated
My music is so good that it draws people in and makes them feel connected to my gang.

Niggaz be bumpin, just a little somethin from that loc'ed out nigga that cater to the O.G.'s And let you know, that you don't wanna fuck wit these
People love my music because it's tough and appeals to the OG's. Don't mess with us.

Rollin through the hood, when I see a bitch I hit the switch, she's on my dick
I'm cruising through the neighborhood and picking up girls left and right.

Fresh t-shirt, thick like I hangs They say I got St. Ide's rushin through my veins
I look good and people think I'm high on St. Ide's beer.

from the CRASH units, all the way to Vice They claimin Ice Cube, ain't nuttin nice
The police are out to get me and want to make me look bad.

cause I keep hittin, fuck Bill Clinton No repentin, just representin
I'm not going to back down from my beliefs, even if it means going against the President.

I can walk through the park cause it's crazy after dark Keep my hand on my gun, cause I ain't the one
I'm tough enough to walk through the dangerous park at night, and I have my gun ready just in case.

Bang you're dead, brains out your head I wish I was the nigga that invented infrared
If someone tries to mess with me, they'll be sorry. I also wish I had invented a better targeting system for my gun.

Now I got it poppin but what's that odor? Smells like a hot pot of that bakin soda
I'm making money now, but there's a strange smell in the air.

Cause I know nigs from A's to Z's slangin ki's Sayin you don't wanna fuck wit these
I know people all across the drug trade and they all know not to mess with me.

Nigga please
Don't even try to come at me with foolishness.

Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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