"Make Bob De Niro Look Like a Zero"-Ice Cube

[Laconic]

Thought that shit was funny when I saw it.  Anyway, check the article about "Straight Outta LA"

ttp://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/04/23/ice-cube-on-his-new-documentary-straight-outta-la/

By Lorraine Cwelich

Simmering fury boils over from the streets of South Central to the L.A. Coliseum at Raiders’ games in “Straight Outta L.A.,” which premieres tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The passionate film was directed by first-time documentarian Ice Cube, founding member of the groundbreaking gangsta rap group, N.W.A.

In 1982, the team whose logo is a pirate with a sword and shield, departed Oakland for L.A., where it was embraced by N.W.A. and urban fans. The team returned to Oakland in 1995.

Through archival news/game/concert/music video footage and interviews with rappers Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, Russell Simmons, MC Ren, Chris “Kid” Reid and Raider greats Marcus Allen, Howie Long, Bill Madden and Al Davis, Cube probes the hardcore NFL team whose silver–and-black tailgate parties were a Mad Max-like collision of Bloods, Crips, outlaw bikers, flying fists, crashing glass, flashing gang signs and pick-up tackle games played on parking-lot pavement.

This afternoon, Cube discussed his film with Speakeasy, which will be broadcast on May 11 on ESPN, as part of its “30-for-30” film series:

The Wall Street Journal: Was aligning themselves with the L.A. Raiders a way for N.W.A. to forge their identity as separate from East Coast rap?

Ice Cube: Back then the West Coast were big fans of East Coast rap. All of our influences, most of the songs on the radio, were East Coast. The East Coast-West Coast beef really came from the industry. We thought this [N.W.A.] would be so underground because we were talking about things that only related to our neighborhood. We weren’t aware that the rest of the country was going through the same thing.

In the film, you say, ‘the Raiders were violent and rough around the edges; that’s what I liked.’ Why?

In football, you want your team to be able to hit hard. You have to embrace the violence of the game or you won’t succeed. To me, that was an appeal. Another appeal was that the Raiders bent the rules. In my neighborhood, bending the rules was something we thought we needed to do to be successful.

By bending the rules, you mean they were more physical, more aggressive than other NFL teams?

Yeah, they wouldn’t mind a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty if it would rattle the other team. It’s like a hard foul in basketball; it’s a strategy. The only instructions the coach gave back then was, ‘kick the guy’s ass in front of you.’ This is what made them appealing to my neighborhood.

Today, sports and hip-hop are both considered part of the entertainment industry; back then the two worlds were more separate.

It wasn’t til the early 90’s that sports understood the power of music, of rappers wearing their logos year-round. N.W.A. and the Raiders were one of the first intersections of sports and music, as far as a rap group taking on the persona or image of sports team and vice versa.

Russell Simmons, in the film, describes N.W.A. as ‘honest poets.’ What were your goals as a writer?

To be as truthful to the subject as possible. The ingredients in rap are: rhyme, style and flava.

Did you hope to influence your generation to take action, to inspire them politically?

First, we knew we had to entertain, to capture the listener’s attention. Whatever information — what I call ‘game’ — that I think my audience could use to understand something better or make better decisions, you then inject that in there. But you can’t lose sight of entertainment because then you lose ears.

What rappers do you currently listen to?

I’m listening to my sons now, nicknamed OMG and Doughboy. It’s kinda cool because they’ve done it without any help from me. It’s interesting to watch them becoming good artists. They’re 19 and 23.

In the film, in both football and rap, being a man is defined as being hard, tough. How does that definition evolve as you get older?

Well, it’s more than being tough. It’s being respected. I think that’s one of the most important things at any age, having the respect of people around you, from people in your career field. I think that’s the reason why you have the bravado, the hardness, to make sure that you’re getting the proper respect from another man who might be in a better position than you. I think that is really the quest – for people to gain that respect. And they do it through outrageous ways and upstanding ways. As I grew up, I learned how to obtain that respect without necessarily being hard or machismo but by showing that I’m a well-rounded person.

What’s next in your career? More directing, acting, music?

I’d like to direct more features. I’m working on one called “Chrome and Paint,” which I wrote. I also have a record coming out in July and want to tour. It’s a solo album called, “I Am the West.”

[shoo]

who the fuck is Bob De Niro?

[Okka]

who the fuck is Bob De Niro?

[Tutlock]

who the fuck is Bob De Niro?

LMFAO

[Fonkarround]

who the fuck is Bob De Niro?

omg

[Trip Dee]

who da fuck is William Clinton?

[Gamestarr]

who the fuck is Bob De Niro?

[Blasphemy]

who the fuck is Bob De Niro?

LOL

[Westdog]

Ice Cube: I’m listening to my sons now, nicknamed OMG and Doughboy. It’s kinda cool because they’ve done it without any help from me. It’s interesting to watch them becoming good artists. They’re 19 and 23.    23??? Cube is only 40. 40-23=17    wtf? How old is his wife?Who knows?

[Muhfukka]

Ice Cube: I’m listening to my sons now, nicknamed OMG and Doughboy. It’s kinda cool because they’ve done it without any help from me. It’s interesting to watch them becoming good artists. They’re 19 and 23.    23??? Cube is only 40. 40-23=17    wtf? How old is his wife?Who knows?

hahahahaha i know in your european countries thats probably rare but here thats not a surprise

[Mista Rosa]

Ice Cube: I’m listening to my sons now, nicknamed OMG and Doughboy. It’s kinda cool because they’ve done it without any help from me. It’s interesting to watch them becoming good artists. They’re 19 and 23.    23??? Cube is only 40. 40-23=17    wtf? How old is his wife?Who knows?

hahahahaha i know in your european countries thats probably rare but here thats not a surprise

haha. i just saw on mtv "16 years old and pregnant". This shit is pathetic.. fat amarican teenagers having babies haha just disgusting

[Hazzard]

Ice Cube: I’m listening to my sons now, nicknamed OMG and Doughboy. It’s kinda cool because they’ve done it without any help from me. It’s interesting to watch them becoming good artists. They’re 19 and 23.    23??? Cube is only 40. 40-23=17    wtf? How old is his wife?Who knows?

hahahahaha i know in your european countries thats probably rare but here thats not a surprise

haha. i just saw on mtv "16 years old and pregnant". This shit is pathetic.. fat amarican teenagers having babies haha just disgusting

ah cmon man this is a worldwide "problem" not only in the states... 

[Westdog]

Cube's wife is Kim. Is not my bussiness, but how old is she?, who knows?

[Muhfukka]

Cube's wife is Kim. Is not my bussiness, but how old is she?, who knows?

why does it matter

[Westdog]

Cube's wife is Kim. Is not my bussiness, but how old is she?, who knows?

why does it matter

just curiosity. Do u know?