How Ice Cube Harnessed Controversy to Become a Master Storyteller

In 1983, a 14-year-old in Compton, California with a gift for the written word had an idea. Initially recognized for his storytelling abilities in the fifth grade, O’Shea Jackson took up rapping in high school, taking the stage name Ice Cube. The group he co-founded as a teenager, N.W.A, would revolutionize music, and Cube’s ability to craft compelling narratives would provide the foundation for a decades long career spanning music, movies, and sports. And it all started with one idea.

Chapters:

0:00 – 3:59 Intro
4:00 – 5:39 Childhood and Growing Up
5:40 – 7:29 Starting to Write Raps
7:30 – 8:28 Meeting Eazy-E
8:29 – 11:59 Emergence of N.W.A
12:00 – 13:29 Discovering Bad Contracts
13:30 – 17:43 Going Solo
17:44 – 22:29 Meeting John Singleton, Friday, and Hollywood
22:30 – 26:29 Reinventing His Image
26:30 – 28:29 Music Industry vs. Film Industry
28:30 – 33:49 Creating BIG3
33:50 – 36:09 Building a Fan Base / Receiving Criticism
36:10 – 40:39 New Album ‘Man Down’
40:40 – 42:09 Maintaining Discipline / The Creative Process
42:10 What’s Next?

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COMPLEX is a community of creators and curators, armed with the Internet, committed to surfacing and sharing the voices and conversations that define our new America. Our videos exemplify convergence culture, exploring topics that include music, sneakers, style, sports, and pop culture through original shows and Complex News segments. Featuring your favorite celebrities, authoritative commentary, and a unique voice, our videos make culture pop.

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