ICE CUBE(August
2008) | Interview By: Nima Etminan Dubcnn caught up with the West
Coast War Lord himself, Ice Cube, to discuss his new album "Raw Footage",
which dropped online and instores on August 19th. Ice Cube tells us about
his highlights on the record, the single "Do Ya Thang" and why this album
means so much to him.
We also talk about the rumours of
The Game replacing Mack 10 in the Westside Connection and Cube's
relationship to Mack 10. Cube tells us about the possibility of an Ice Cube
mixtape with DJ Crazy Toones, why he's concentrating on himself right now
and much more in this exlcusive interview.
As always we have both the transcript and the video for you to
check and please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to:
nima@dubcnn.com
Dubcnn: We're right here with Ice Cube, what's going on with you man?
I feel good, ready to go out there and rip that shit.
Dubcnn: The new album, "Raw Footage", dropped August 19th. You got the new
video out there for "Do Ya Thang", tell us about that song and what made you
pick it as a single.
"Do Ya Thang", the reason why we picked that as a single was because we felt
like that was our most friendly radio song we got on the album, to be
honest. All that shit on there is really hardcore, "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do
It" a lot of people felt that was too hard to play. So we kind of eased off
the gas just a little bit to make sure that we got our visuals out there
before the album comes out. But the album is raw. It's really the record
I've been waiting to do since "Death Certificate".
Dubcnn: I don't wanna talk around it, let's get right to it. What everybody
is talking about right now is the situation with The Game, to where they're
saying that The Game is joining the Westside Connection?
Is that right? That's what they're saying?
Dubcnn: There's a song on your album called "Get Use To It" with you, Game
and WC.
Yeah that song is banging!
Dubcnn: Does that mean we should get used to hearing this trio on records
together?
Maybe. Maybe... *laughs* You might want to get used to it.
Dubcnn: How did you and Game actually hook up? You're in his video, on his
album, he's on your record...
The Game is one of my favorite artists. He's one of my favorite young
ferocious MC's. We've been down ever since we met, which was during his
first album. We always wanted to work with each other, we did something on
WC's record "Guilty By Affiliation". I've done a couple of things for him,
he did a couple of things for me, you know!
Dubcnn: What does that mean for the relationship between you and Mack 10?
Me and Mack 10's relationship is the same as it was a few years ago. So
ain't nothing changed, I just think it's better that he does his own thing
and I do mine. It's just two bosses making a decision not to work together.
Dubcnn: It sounds exciting, WC and Ice Cube, two vets, The Game, the new
face.
I would love to see that. I think a lot of the West Coast artists should
collaborate. I was hoping to do a record with me, Snoop Dogg and The Game
called "The Big 3". You never know, hopefully we can get some of these
things together. There's no reason why we can't collaborate, make a whole
lot of money and go on tour.
Dubcnn: What are some of your personal highlights on "Raw Footage"? I heard
you got a song with Young Jeez on there?
Yeah I got a song with Jeezy called "I Got My Locs On". That song is gonna
be for real OG's that's been down from day one, they're gonna love that. "It
Takes A Nation", I'm pretty sure you've heard that one, that's a banger. I
got a song on there called "Hood Mentality" that people are gonna love. "Why
Me?", which is a real serious song, it's one of my most serious songs since
"Dead Homies". That one is with Musiq Soulchild. It's a few bangers on
there.
Dubcnn: I know you were involved in DJ Crazy Toones' "CT Experience" mixtape
and DVD, but is there any chance of Ice Cube releasing a full mixtape with
DJ Crazy Toones the same way?
I would hope so! Can you talk to him for me and see if we can put one
together? [CT Experience] was sick and we're encouraging him to do another
one. Right now, after I finish this European tour, when we get home we're
gonna start working on WC's new album called "Return Of The Barracuda". I
can't wait to start working on that. Hopefully we can get Toones to throw in
a mixtape in between and give peope something to bang, I know people are
waiting for his next one!
Dubcnn: Can we expect Ice Cube to put out a new artist, the way people have
proteges? I know at one point you've had a few people around you, the last
one I remember was Mr. Short Khop, but that was years ago. Any chance of you
getting behind a new artist?
I don't know, that ain't in my plans right now. I opened Lench Mob Records
to be able to put out my own records, WC's records, and put them out how we
feel is smart for us. These new dudes, sometimes their head ain't right. I
don't have time to teach nobody how to be a star, you gotta kind of come in
already popping.
Dubcnn: I know Young Maylay is involved with Lench Mob Records.
Yeah, Maylay is starting to come around a little more and do his thang. To
me, he's a dude that could be on the line for a release. But his mind is
right, he's been in the game for a long time, he's ready, he's actually a
vet. So I feel like he's a good dude. You never know, somebody might come,
they might have the whole package, they're hot - then I gotta go, I gotta do
it. But for now, I really don't have the time to invest in cultivating
nobody's career.
Dubcnn: The question "What's wrong with the West Coast" and why it's not
successful commercially has been asked for years now. Is that something that
you still think about?
I think the West Coast, we're outlaws. We're on the fringes of Hip-Hop. Most
of Hip-Hop is generated on the East Coast and in the South as far as the
industry goes, newspapers, magazines, video shows, all that is pretty much
East Coast. So we're always getting the leftovers, we're never recognized at
any of the award shows or anything. It's fucked up, cause they'll come out
to L.A. and have the fuckin' Source Awards or some bullshit but no artists
from L.A. is up for no awards! So it's hard to show up to that bullshit.
We're always outlaws, we're gonna stay outlaws, I like it that way, it keeps
a chip on my shoulder and Dub's shoulder. We just do it, keep going, fuck
whoever don't wanna be down with West Coast Hip-Hop.
