ICE CUBE  (July 2003) | Interview By: Westcoast2K

      

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WC2K: Alright first off, I wanna say that this is a big honor to do this interview with the Hip Hop legend himself!

Ice Cube: Oh man, I appreciate it, apppreciate it!


WC2K: I like the first scene of the "Gangsta Nation" video that was dope seein you rockin the Curl again!

Ice Cube: Hahaha fo sho! Thats cool, cause you know Im from the Old School!


WC2K: The New Westside Connection album is coming in December. Can you just talk about it real quik and say what people can expect from it?

Ice Cube: Well the name of the album is "Terrorist Threats" which is really kinda like a metaphor for what we think this music is gonna be to people in 20 years. Its just full of hardcore songs, its not that soft hip hop that we been really listening to for the last 2 to 3 years. Its just back to the hardcore with us together again. We got 13 songs on there, it has songs like "Pimp The System", "Call 911", "Potential Victims", "Get Ignit", "So Many Rappers In Love", so we got songs that Hardcore Hip Hop fans gonna love.


WC2K: You mentioned the track "So Many Rappers In Love", do you think those Rappers you're talkin about are hurting the state of Hip Hop?

Ice Cube: Yeah you know I think its time for a change. In Hip Hop, sometimes its about egos, sometimes its a political thing, or a street thing. I just think its enough of this Love Rap that is all over the radio. Cause we losin something. We losing some of the enegery it used to give to the youth. We losin all that so we felt it was time to talk about it, and time to try to swing the thing back where it belongs. And thats the Hardcore Raw music that changed the peoples attitude.


WC2K: Is there anything new that you're gonna bring to the table on the Terrorist Threats album?

Ice Cube: Well you know, its concepts. We all got lyrics, we all got styles, we all flip. We got a record thats great from start to finish. Some albums you can listen to one or two songs and then you're done. But this is an album that you can truely listen all the way through to from start to finish and people gonna really appreciate it.


WC2K: On the first album it was the Eastcoast that got dissed, whos gonna get it this time?

Ice Cube: Oh you know, we aint really targeting no people like that, but we just talkin about different things. Like we got a song called "Superstar" where we talk about that. Do you have to get shot up to be a Hip Hop star nowdays? Do you have to murder somebody, or double murder to go double platinum? We bringing up concepts like that. And "Pimp The System". Everybody wants to pimp a hoe, but we say pimp the CEO. So we trying to bring in a new frame of thinking, and push this Westside Connection movement worldwide. We want people to throw the "W" all over the world.


WC2K: Could you imagine puttin out another "Bow Down" album nowadays, content wise? And how do you think the album would fare in todays music?

Ice Cube: Well not really. It would start alot of contraversy. People understood a little but where we was coming from. Now I think it would come out of nowhere. Heartfelt, kinda like when I first heard "Fuck Compton" by Tim Dog for the first time. When NWA was blowing up and he came out of nowhere, and we was like 'Why did he do that?'. So thats what I think "Bow Down" would do nowadays.


WC2K: You're on the cover of the next Source Magazine Issue and I was kinda surprised when I heard this, after you guys dissed the Eastcoast on that level a few years back.

Ice Cube: Any true B-Boy could understand the "Bow Down" record and why we had to do it. Somebody had to take up for the West Coast. So with 7 years from that record it can be understood why we had to do it but its a different situation now.


WC2K: So personally, do you feel that "Terrorist Threats" is better than "Bow Down"?

Ice Cube: I think so, yeah. I think its produced better, sounds better, lyrics are better. "Bow Down" was a very good record but I think the climate of the day feels those records and made them better.


WC2K: Do you think it matters who writes the lyrics if its dope?

Ice Cube: I do, because Im from the Oldschool. I think you should write your shit. If I write songs for you to rap, thats what singers do, you know? (laughs). Thats why you like Rap, cause its creative with the lyrics. Thats just part of it for me. Havin a good voice aint gonna get you far, and it goes so far.


WC2K: So Is "Terrorist Threats" gonna be the last Westside Connection album?

Ice Cube: Nah definitely not, theres gonna be some more. But they all gonna happen when they supposed to, you know? We not just gonna do records just to make em. But we aint gonna stop like that, its my job. Not do records cause we inspired.




WC2K: You do Gangsta Rap but do or did you ever rep a Gang outside of the music or live the Gangsta life?

Ice Cube: Yeah when I was young and dumb (laughs). Not Anymore though, cause now I aint trying to rep nobody but myself.


WC2K: I was talkin to Shorty of the Lenchmob not too long ago, and he was talkin about the old days and about what
happened with the Lench Mob. Is there still bad blood between you and Shorty?

Ice Cube: Well I havent talked to Shorty in years. I mean I hope not, because I have no bad blood with Shorty. I just felt Shorty didnt recognize his position in the group and really wanted what he deserved. And their suffistication in the music business wasnt really that much, cause they really didnt know the game. So alot of stuff they didnt understand, they held against me. And them dudes wasnt never really true artists, they was kinda like homeboys that we made into artists. So thats what really went down with them, but I have no bad feelings, because I understood why they didnt really wanna be down no more. I didnt support it, but I understood why.


WC2K: Do you feel that you still owe them something?

Ice Cube: Nope, not at all. None of my homies.


WC2K: Cause they think you left alot of your homies behind...

Ice Cube: I left nobody behind. Everybody that wanted to go their own separate way, went their own separate way. And they cant come back 10 years later and say that I left them, you know? Thats just not fair. Everybody had the opportunity to mend all fences into some better things, that they put up. Either they reached out or they didnt. But evidently they have a problem with me so they need to reach out, but I aint got no problem with them so Im not gonna reach out.


WC2K: Shorty said the same about you. All you need to do is holla at him. So you're not gonna reach out?

Ice Cube: No I wont. I'm not gonna work with them again, I can tell you that right now. I dont do no more business with them good dudes no more. Because that was how we got our problems. When we was just friends everything was alright. But when business came in the place, you know they felt that they deserved more money when the record went gold. Money they didnt suppose to get. Like, 'Hey you dont understand the record business, its 3 of you guys, so the money has to be split up. 3 ways man. I cant just give you what you think you're supposed to have. I give you what you really supposed to have, what the contract said.' So makin business with them wouldnt make no sense, and they cant Rap no more anyway. They're done.


WC2K: But damn, so many people wanna see you back together. All you need to do is holla!

Ice Cube: (Laughs) Nah, it wouldnt be the same. Nah, nah definitely not.


WC2K: Can you live up to anything you've said in the past or are there things that you regret, be it about you or your background?

Ice Cube: I regret saying nothing. Not at all, I mean every interview should have a date on it.



WC2K: I heard every NWA member who's left talk about a possible reunion and everyone seems to have a different opinion. Do you see a NWA reunion really happening?

Ice Cube: Honestly? No. I dont see it happening. I dont think we can get it, I dont think we can get it together to make a great record. I just think we're all in all different places man.


WC2K: Is it about Egos?

Ice Cube: Yep, thats it. I think that has something to do with it. Egos, perceptions and status.


WC2K: So who is the main factor in your eyes?

Ice Cube: You never know man. I mean shit, I got a big ego myself. And Im not cuttin my standards for nobody. And I think thats what it all boils down to. You dealin with people who used to make all that money (laughs), and you talkin about finding a way with people who might not be as large as you are. That dont work well you know? That just wont work. So everybody tries to say I deserve this and then I deserve that. So pretty soon it makes no sense to even do this record cause it costs too much. So thats how a record doesnt get done. But its really up to Dre man. Whenever Dre says 'Yo I'm ready to produce this NWA record', Im pretty sure we'll all be there and work the studio stuff out.


WC2K: So its all up to Dre?

Ice Cube: Until he says so, yep. Cause who else is gonna produce it? So thats what it all boils down to, and till he has that feelin its not gonna happen.


WC2K: Doesnt that make you angry sometimes? Why is he not down with the project anymore?

Ice Cube: Uhh, I think he just likes to work with new artists. I think thats just what he likes. I dont think he likes workin with artists that are already established that much. I've heard him say it before.


WC2K: When you recorded tracks like "Hello" and "Chin Check", were they meant to be for a NWA reunion or just more like a test?

Ice Cube: No well, it wasnt never really planned. It was kinda like, we was all together and we was just vibin, and kinda testin the idea. But that was when we was all together doing our thing. When youre not all together hanging like that its hard to come out with a good record. And if the records not gonna be good its gonna hurt our legacy.

WC2K: Have you signed with Aftermath yet?

Ice Cube: No. Nope, not yet.


WC2K: But are you planning to do that in the near future or..?

Ice Cube: When the paperwork is right. I dont know yet. Its not sure. We just gotta work out a few details, thats all. Cant tell you much about that right now cause its all up in the air.


WC2K: So the whole contract thing with Aftermath is kinda holding you from workin on a solo record once "Terrorist Threats" dropped?

Ice Cube: Yeah you can put it like that. But I got movies Im gonna work on so its not just that. Im gonna put out another solo album one day, but all I'm worrying right now is Westside Connection.


WC2K: "Bow Down" made alot of noise for obvious reasons. How do you think people are gonna react to the new album?

Ice Cube: I'm pretty sure that Ice Cube fans gonna love it, Dub C and Mack 10 fans gonna love it. You know, but I dont know about everybody else. Cause I mean, at a certain point you gettin in this music cause you love it and do records that you love, and they sell. Then you gettin to a point where there are expectations from your record company, they wanna make sure that they got records that can sell. So the artists is making sure that they do a record that can sell. But then, when you stop caring about that part, and when you get back to just doing music, worrying about your fans only, then to me you do better music. Thats the point of my career. Im makin enough money with movies. When the records dont sell thats the record companys problem. But my problem is if people dont like it, the ones that do buy it. So thats my problem, they gotta like it. But everybody that dont buy it, I cant worry what they think about it, I cant really depend on them.


WC2K: But there are alot of established artists makin quality music but they need to care about the others cause they depend on them, most of them are not backed by majors or movies like you. I think this is kinda sad cause alot of quality music gets overlooked, and thats frustrating for them. So they switch and do music that appeals to the fans, and thats why I think music was more enjoyable back in the days, cause there was more quality music around. Mostly artists that was in for the love of the music, nowadays they just wanna get rich.

Ice Cube: Yeah exactly, thats true. It really depends on what label you on to be heard. That answers the question. A lot of my records havent done what they was supposed to do, because of the label. It just wasnt powerful enough, but now that Im with Priority/Capitol we have much more strength in the music business. So its really what label you on, the faith of how big you gonna get.


WC2K: Well you cant say the same about Ras Kass, and he was on Priority too and they messed up big time.

Ice Cube: Yeah you right, that was before Capitol took over Priority. See Priority was on its own for so many years, and now Capitol has takin em over a few records so they powerful again in the music business.




WC2K: Well thats basically it, I appreciate you takin the time to do this interview.

Ice Cube: Oh fo sho, thanks for havin me. And I hope you gonna like the record when you get it!