The actor-rapper on his new film, Ride Along, the progress of the NWA biopic and how the old righteous fury still burns brightly
Hi, Cube. What are you up to?
Ah man, just sitting here chilling with my wife, watching the Lakers game.
Nice. Did you do any police research for Ride Along?
Ha ha! Nah, I didn't have to do no research – I've been in the back of those cars, I know how it goes! And my character is undercover. The difference between an undercover cop and a crook is a badge.
When was the last time you were in the back of one of those cars?
In real life? '90.
What for?
It was a bad night. Let's leave it at that.
So what was it like working with Laurence Fishburne again? (1)
The best. I owe a lot to Larry just for the advice he gave me on Boyz n the Hood. Which was: "Don't act. Become Doughboy." (2) It really put acting into perspective for me.
On Twitter recently someone wrote to you: "Buddy cop movies and light-beer commercials (3). Might be time to remove 'gangsta' from your profile bio." You said: "Why don't you come and try to remove it, bitch." Do you often get people ribbing you about your more family-oriented work? (4)
Only corny people who don't do nothing for the world, but always want to criticise people that do. People who would never get on the mic. Who would never write an article. Who would never put themselves out there like that. But they sit in the shadows and criticise me for how I entertain. Criticise you for how you write. It's always these people who never show you what they got but always try to diminish what you got. I don't mind having your opinion, but don't give me no bullshit advice! That's what I take offence to. Tell me, "I didn't like this, it sucks," but don't tell me, "What you should do is …" Nah. Cos that's when I'mma smash.
A few years ago you were talking about making a vigilante drama with David O Russell (5). Is that still on the cards?
Well he's so fuckin' famous. He's such a big deal now, so it's been getting pushed back! He's cool, I think we're gonna get down in the future, but he's just been on that ride with the movies he's been making. We'll figure it out.
What's happening with the NWA biopic (6)?
We're getting the script tight and we're starting to cast. Hopefully we'll start shooting in April. We've had a few different writers; we're still working that out. We're going for a dramatic story that encompasses hip-hop, dope-dealing, Reaganomics, Aids (7), LAPD, rap feuds, FBI, PMRC, the Parental Advisory stickers on the records ... all of it.
Is it true you want your son O'Shea to play you?
Yes. I've been trying to get that pushed along. Just wanna make sure that he's the best man for the job.
Does he remind you of you when you were that age?
Yup! At that age people think that I was all serious and mean, but there was a mixture of hot and cold. I could turn on a dime. And he has my temperament.
When did your kids first listen to NWA?
They discovered it. I wasn't hiding it, it was right there. My son Darrel could recite Straight Outta Compton at two years old. He loved it! You can expose your kids to anything as long as you sit there and explain it to them.
In 1988 I went with my friend's mum to pick him up from the airport – he'd been visiting his dad in America. He'd brought back the Straight Outta Compton album and it took 30 seconds for his mum to yank it from the tape deck.
Ha ha! That reminds me of us sneaking about listening to Richard Pryor records. That was our Straight Outta Compton. Laughing to those records, looking out the window making sure your mum wasn't pulling up the driveway. That's adolescence: discovering the stuff your parents try to keep you away from. Happens for every generation.
How much of the angry young NWA Ice Cube is still in you now?
A lot. A lot! I know what this business is. It's an illusion. A facade. You can't lose yourself. You can mature, grow up, but you can't lose yourself. The same thing that fuelled my fire back then fuels my fire now (8). If it was all about me I'd do a whole lot of pop records, make a whole lot of money, just rake in the dough. But it's never been all about me. It's all about being a voice for the voiceless. People who can't speak for themselves, who don't have a mic, don't have a say.
When was the last time you were you last in Compton?
It's been a while. I'm not actually from Compton – I'm from South Central Los Angeles, and my father still lives in the same house I grew up in, so I'm there all the time.
What's it like when you go home?
I don't get nothing but love. In every ghetto all over the world. Nothing but love. They respect that I came outta there and I'm doing it the right way. You can't do nothing but respect that.
Footnotes
(1) Fishburne plays Ride Along's bad guy. They first worked together in 1991 on John Singleton's Boyz n the Hood, Ice Cube's film debut.
(2) Singleton wrote the Doughboy character for Cube.
(3) Cube recently starred in a series of Coors Light adverts.
(4) Are We There Yet?, originally written for Adam Sandler but retooled for Cube, made $98m and spawned a sequel and a TV series.
(5) In 1999 Ice Cube starred in David O Russell's Three Kings.
(6) A film about his seminal gangsta rap band is being produced by Cube and his old cohort Dr Dre, and is being directed by F Gary Gray, who directed Cube in 1995's Friday.
(7) NWA's Eazy-E died of Aids-related complications in 1995.
(8) Cube's forthcoming album is called Everythang's Corrupt.
•Ride Along is released in the UK on 28 February
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/20/ice-cube-straight-outta-compton-ride-along-nwa-interview
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