Ice Cube Net Worth (Updated 2023)
| Ice Cube Net Worth: | $160 million |
| Born: | 15th June 1969 (53 Years Old) |
| Profession: | Rapper, actor, and filmmaker |
| Children: | 4 |
| Nationality: | American |
The American rapper, actor, and filmmaker Ice Cube, has a net worth of approximately $160 million.
Early Life
O’Shea Jackson Sr., or Ice Cube, was born on the 15th of June 1969.
He was born in Los Angeles to parents Hosea Jackson and Doris Jackson. His father was a groundskeeper at UCLA as well as a machinist, while his mother was a custodian and hospital clerk.
Jackson grew up in the Westmont area of South Los Angeles, on Van Wick Street. He has an older brother and a half-sister. Unfortunately, his sister was murdered when Ice Cube was just twelve years old.
According to Ice Cube himself, it was his older brother who made him think of his stage name. This is after his brother had threatened to put him into a freezer and only take him out when he had turned into an ice cube.
Education
Ice Cube went to LA’s George Washington Preparatory High School. It was when he was in 9th grade here that he began to write raps. The rapping began in his typewriting class when he was challenged by a friend who went by the nickname “Kiddo.”
Jackson attended William Howard Taft High School in California’s Woodland Hills. This was a suburban school that was 40 miles away from where he lived. He went there on the bus to get away from the high-crime neighborhood he was living in.
In the fall of 1987, Ice Cube enrolled at the Phoenix Institute of Technology in Arizona. A year later, he had achieved an architectural drafting diploma and returned to LA to try to launch his rap career. His architecture drafting career was his backup plan.
Building a Rap Career
At the age of 16 in 1986, Ice Cube began wrapping in a wrap trio called C.I.A., which was an acronym for Cru’ in Action!
During his time with this group, he performed at parties that were hosted by fellow rapper Dr. Dre who was a member of the World Class Wreckin’ Cru, a famous DJ crew.
In the same year, Dre had Ice Cube join him on a side project, and he recorded a 12-inch record called “She’s a Skag” that was released in 1986 on Epic Records.
It wasn’t long before he joined a new group called N.W.A, however. This group was one of the first to popularize the subgenre of gangsta rap.
When he was a part of N.W.A., he was the group’s lead rapper and ghostwriter on their debut album Straight Outta Comptom in 1988. He was also the group’s only member not to be born in Compton.
However, there was a dispute over finances and Ice Cube left the group before the new decade. He sued Jerry Heller, N.W.A’s manager and it was settled out of court.
Going Solo
In 1990, Jackson released his first solo album called AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted through Priority Records. This album was a huge success and was partly responsible for Ice Cube’s integration into the mainstream.
The album was, however, controversial and there were accusations of racism and misogyny. It was this album that affirmed Ice Cube’s ideology of black struggle and Black nationalism.
Ice Cube also helped to develop Yo-Yo as a rapper as he appointed her to feature on his album and then helped her with her own debut album called Make Way for the Motherlode.
The same year, Ice Cube released Kill at Will, his first EP, and a huge success. This EP was certified platinum and critically acclaimed.
Second and Third Albums
The rapper released his second album in 1991. Death Certificate was more controversial than his first album and was accused of being misogynistic, antisemitic, and anti-white.
The album also sends insults toward N.W.A and their manager, mentioning him as a Jew and calling for his murder. “Black Korea” was also a track deemed to be racist.
Despite its controversies, the album broadened Ice Cube’s audience, and he ended up touring in 1992 with Lollapalooza music festival.
The Predator was Ice Cube’s third album, and this was released in November 1992. This was the first to debut at number one on both the pop charts and R&B/hip-hop charts. It drew critical praise was sold more than three million copies in the United States alone.
The Predator was the last of Ice Cube’s albums to please his rap audience and his audience diminished after this.
4th, 5th, and 6th albums
The controversial rapper released his 4th album Lethal Injection in 1993. This showed a different direction and followed in Dr. Dre’s footsteps in the G-funk subgenre of gangsta rap.
Critics were harsh about it, but it did bring about many successful singles like “Really Doe” and “Bop Gun (One Nation).”
After his 4th album, Ice Cube focused on producing albums for other rappers and films.
Ice Cube also started to collaborate with others outside his genre. He worked with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie on a “I’m Afraid of Americans” remix.
He also featured on “Children of the Korn” by Korn and joined them on tour in 1998.
Ice Cube’s fifth album was long-awaited. It was released in 1998 as War & Peace Vol. 1 (The War Disc). Volume 2 didn’t arrive until 2000.
In The New Millenium
Ice Cube didn’t release another solo album until 2006 when he released Laugh Now, Cry Later.
In 2010, he released I Am the West and in 2012, Everythang’s Corrupt, his tenth studio album.
Film and TV Career
Ice Cube has appeared in been in almost 40 films, and many of them have been critically acclaimed. These include Trespass in 1992 and Three Kings in 1999.
Perhaps his most famous movie appearance was in the 1991 Oscar nominated Boyz n the Hood which starred Cuba Gooding Jr, Morris Chesnut and Laurence Fishburne. Jackson played Darin “Doughboy” Baker in what was his first movie role.
Jackson’s career also spans TV shows and documentaries like Straight Outta L.A. and Are We There Yet?
Ice Cube has also voiced the role of Chief Petty Officer Joseph Bowman in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Achievements
Ice Cube has been nominated for many awards for films and has won two film awards. These are Blockbuster Entertainment Award:
- Favorite Action Team in 2000 for Three Kings
- Mecca Movie Award: Acting Award in 2002.
For his music, he has won:
- 2006 VH1 Hip Hop Honors
- 2009 BET Hip-Hop Award
- 2014 BET Honores.
Finally, in 2017, he was awarded a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
Family Life and Personal Life
Ice Cube married Kimberly Woodruff in 1992. He reportedly saw her for the first time when she was coming down an escalator in a mall. However, Kimberly was dating someone else at the time.
Six months later, Kim was single, and the couple started dating in 1989.
Ice Cube surprised Kim with a BMW for her birthday and left an engagement ring sitting on the seat.
Together, the couple had four children: O’Shea Jr. in 1991 before they got married, Darryl in 1992, Kareema in 1994, and Shareef in 1995, making that four children in 4.5 years.
O’Shea Jackson Jr. has followed in his father’s footsteps and is an actor and rapper. He even played the role of his father in the biographical drama Straight Outta Compton in 2015. O’Shea’s stage name is OMG.
O’Shea also has a daughter, which means Ice Cube is a grandfather.
Ice Cube officially and legally changed his name to Ice Cube!
Ice Cube Quotes
“I make a mean cup of coffee if you give me the right ingredients.” – Ice Cube
“I think the worst thing you can do about a situation is nothing.” – Ice Cube
“I think, to me, reality is better than being fake.” – Ice Cube
“Sports without music, it’s nothing but a game. Music adds the emotion.” – Ice Cube
“South Central is just who I am.” – Ice Cube
“Ice Cube is the piece of me that I give away to the public.” – Ice Cube
“Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide.” – Ice Cube
“I’m always happy. I’ve just got a mean face.” – Ice Cube
“Create your own path, hone your talent, be ready to show your talent, and don’t doubt yourself.”
– Ice Cube
“Sometimes you got to start somewhere. And it’s cool, as long as where you start is not where you plan on finishing.” – Ice Cube
“Money comes and goes, but your inner feelings, your gut feelings, your manhood, your womanhood, whatever, that stays with you. That don’t go anywhere. So, you either proud of who you are and how you handle situations or you not. If you handle a situation wrong, you, it will haunt you.” – Ice Cube
Summary: Ice Cube Net Worth
- Ice Cube Net Worth is $160 million.
- He was born O’Shea Jackson but got the nickname Ice Cube after his brother threatened to put him in a freezer. He has since legally changed his name to Ice Cube.
- He has had 10 solo studio albums and has also done a lot of work in film and television.
- Ice Cube’s earlier albums caused some controversy, and he was accused of racism, antisemitism, and misogyny.
- Ice Cube has been married to his wife Kimberly since 1992 and has 4 children.
- His eldest son is called O’Shea Jr. and is also in the music and film industry.
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