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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (June 11, 2014)
Arts & Entertainment Ice Cube: The ‘21 Jump Street’ Interview A s much as technolo- gy, business and society have changed since the Eighties, one thing has remained con- stant: Ice Cube has been a premier cultural watchdog, astutely commenting on, examining and detailing the breadth of the American experience in uncompro- mising terms with an unflinching honesty and a sobering perspective, as well as a deft comedic touch that has endeared him to several generations of fans. Indeed, growing up in crime and gang-infested South Central Los Angeles, he learned how to navigate a world where the lines between right and wrong shifted constantly. Of equal import, the L.A. based entertainment mogul also found a lasting way to pres- ent the comedy that exists in B e y o n d music, Ice Cube has established himself as one of entertain- ment’s most reliable, suc- cessful and prolific figures. In the film arena, he’s an accomplished producer (Friday, Barbershop 2: Back In Business, Are We There Yet?), writer (Friday, The Players Club, The Janky Promoters) and director (The Players Club) who is best known for his acting. One of the most bankable actors in cinematic history, his films include the acclaimed Friday, Barber- shop and Are We There Yet? franchises, as well as star turns as a conflicted teen in Boyz N The Hood, as a Kam. C ELEBRITY I NTERVIEW by Kam Williams versial “Black - White” reality series. He’s also a pitchman for Coors Light and has been featured in various commercials for the brand. In 2012, he appeared in the blockbuster film 21 Jump Street and the inde- pendent thriller Rampart. More recently, he enjoyed major success with the #1 box office hit Ride Along, which his company Cube Vision produced. The pic- ture has already been greenlit for a sequel, prov- It’s always great when you’re able to give fans what they expect and even a little more the midst of difficult situa- tions. After penning the most memorable lyrics on N.W.A’s groundbreaking songs “Straight Outta Compton” and “F— Tha Police,” Ice Cube left the group at the peak of its pop- ularity because he was not being paid correctly. That move led to one of the most successful careers in music history. As a solo recording artist, Ice Cube has sold more than 10 million albums while remaining one of rap’s most respected and influential artists. greedy soldier in Three Kings and as an elite gov- ernment agent in xXx: State Of The Union. Ice Cube’s ability to bring a natural, everyman aesthetic to any film genre makes his char- acters compelling and memorable, whether he’s playing a confrontational career college student (Higher Learning) or a skeptical football coach (The Longshots). As a television producer, he took the “Barbershop” and “Are We There Yet?” series to successful network runs as well as the contro- ing once again that Cube is the king of the franchise film category. While Cube loves making movies, his first passion will always be music. His forthcoming album, “Every- thang’s Corrupt,” slated for a release later this year, will be his 18th as either a solo artist or member of a group (N.W.A, Da Lench Mob, Westside Connection). Here, he talks about repris- ing the role of Captain Dickson in 22 Jump Street. Kam Williams: Hi Cube, thanks for the interview. Ice Cube: Oh, no problem, KW: I loved the film. Did you enjoy rejoining -and the rest of cast to shoot the sequel? IC: Yeah, we had a lotta fun. We shot it in Puerto Rico and New Orleans. You can’t beat that, especially since we went in knowing that we’d been successful the first time, and that we were going to make some- thing just as cool. KW: You guys managed to measure up to the high bar you set with 21 Jump Street. IC: It’s always great when you’re able to give fans what they expect and even a little more. I think some people were a little nervous about the sequel because you never think you can get close to the original. But I think the audience is going to love this one just much, if not more than the first one. KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: What was the funniest thing that hap- pened during the shooting? IC: [Chuckles] Every- body asks that, but nothing unusual happened on the set. Like I said, we had a lotta fun, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. We just went to work, and everything that was funny was caught on camera, so you should be able to see all the fun that was had in the movie. KW: Harriet Pakula- Teweles was wondering whether it’s hard to play a supporting role after getting used to being the star, pro- Ice Cube ducer, scriptwriter and director? IC: No, I just want to be a part of good projects. I enjoyed playing my role. It actually felt like a vacation to only have to act and not have to worry about all the business stuff. I was happy for all that to be somebody else’s headache. KW: Erik Daniels would like to know what advice the Ice Cube of today would give to the Ice Cube of N.W.A.? IC: Keep doin’ what you’re doin’, fall in love with what you’re creating, and everything else will fall into place. KW: Realtor to the Stars Jimmy Bayan would like to know what you think of the deal Dr. Dre just cut to sell See CELEBRITY on page 11 June 11, 2014 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 7
