West Coast rap legends Snoop Dogg, Too Short, E-40, and Ice Cube have formed a millennial supergroup called Mount Westmore and have done several promotional runs to advertise their new project. Talib Kweli’s People’s Party podcast hosted the four man crew, speaking openly about the keys to the longevity pf their careers. Ice Cube spoke openly about meeting a young, hungry emcee by the name of Tupac Shakur when he was still a roadie for Digital Underground.
Cube stated that ‘Pac insisted that he wanted to make music reflective of the music by Cube and N.W.A., saying, “He would always tell me like, you know, ‘This Digital s**t is cool, man, but I want to do records like y’all.’” He went on saying, “‘Cause where I live at, s**t is f**ked up. You know what I’m saying? I want to talk about how the s**t is.’”
With the holiday season underway, many holiday lovers may have already begun decorating their trees or blasting Mariah Carey’s timeless tune. Another popular tradition is rewatching the popular 2003 Christmas comedy, Elf. Then I started thinking. What if Elf were remade today with a hip-hop cast? Here is my recasting of a Hip-Hop Elf Movie. […]
The debate about so-called “nepotism babies” is all the rage this week after a New York magazine feature detailing the current crop of kids in showbiz with famous parents. Of course, this is nothing new; most of “New Hollywood” when I was a kid in the ’90s consisted of the children of actors my parents grew up watching. But since this is the internet, and nobody remembers anything that happened more than 18 months ago — this holds up, feel free to test it — here we are, talking about a new generation of stars entering their families’ business.
One of the stars who was named in the article weighed in on the debate, offering a nuanced perspective a far cry from his observations about his favorite NBA team and taking “both sides” into consideration. O’Shea Jackson Jr., who is not only named after his father Ice Cube but also actually played him in Straight Outta Compton, noted on Twitter how it was a combination of his father’s advice and his own hard work that got him to where he is in his career as a respected and prolific actor (not a rapper, as his dad started out).
“My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in Straight Outta Compton,” he wrote. “I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn’t hold my hand through my career. I had to get my ass up and make it work. From the roles I chose. The work ethic I put into them. My professionalism on sets and promo tours. Even leaving HIS agency and goin to find a team of my own. Once the door was opened it was up to me to walk through it and thrive.”
However, he admitted his dad did give him the support system he needed to be able to make those moves. “But none of that. NONE. OF. THAT. Happens that way without the love of my father. The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that or not accept and use as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful. I am grateful and I use his teachings daily.”
My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in straight outta compton. I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn’t hold my hand through my career
But none of that. NONE. OF. THAT. Happens that way without the love of my father. The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that or not accept and use as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful. I am grateful and I use his teachings daily.
The 31-year-old Ice Cube doppelganger has appeared in a number of buzzy films and TV shows over the course of his career including Ingrid Goes West with Aubrey Plaza, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he’ll be appearing in next year’s internet-anticipated action comedy Cocaine Bear. Meanwhile, Ice Cube just put out his second studio album as part of the California supercrew Mount Westmore with Snoop Dogg, E-40, and Too Short.
Nepotism has permeated every avenue of business, but the entertainment industry is crawling with successful kids with famous parents. Those wealthy and successful parents often use their finances and resources to support their children’s success in the business. Many of our favorite stars’ relatives helped open doors for them that others don’t receive, but it has long been argued that a parent should help their children, no matter what.
New York Magazine recently featured an article about “Nepo Babies,” pointing out the genetic ties that many emerging or stand-out stars of this generation have to icons. As the article went viral across social media channels, O’Shea Jackson Jr. chimed in with his take.
As the son of Ice Cube—even portraying his father in Straight Outta Compton—Jackson knows what it’s like to be around Hollywood’s elite. However, he detailed his experience and the hard work he says he put into his career.
My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in straight outta compton. I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn’t hold my hand through my career
“My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in straight outta compton. I was already in college for screenwriting at USC.” Jackson added, “I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn’t hold my hand through my career.”
“I had to get my ass up and make it work. From the roles I chose. The work ethic I put into them. My professionalism on sets and promo tours. Even leaving HIS agency and goin to find a team of my own. Once the door was opened it was up to me to walk through it and thrive.”
He encouraged those of “2nd, 3rd or any number of generational talent/wealth” to “embrace” that sh*t.”” their nepotism ties.
“I wish everyone in this world to be able to present opportunities for their children to succeed. No matter how big or small. It’s something all parents work for. How many people you know working multiple jobs to put they kids through school. Making opportunities is a parents goal.”
Ice Cube has undoubtedly made his fair share of hits throughout his decorated career. However, he declined to participate in a Verzuz battle with both LL Cool J and Scarface.
His reason? Because it’s all love on his side.
Ice Cube speaks during SiriusXM and Pandora Playback with Mount Westmore including E-40, Too Short & Ice Cube at SiriusXM Studios on December 07, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
In a recent appearance on the Bootleg Kev Podcast, Cube explained he has an entirely different concept for the famous battles.
The “No Vaseline” rapper was asked about whether or not he has any desire to compete in a head-to-head hit battle. His answer remains no.
His preferred concept is just for him and his opponent to play each other’s favourite songs of theirs. Of course, this ultra-friendly format isn’t exactly how the Verzuz battles actually go down.
Currently, artists go head-to-head in the popular web series by choosing the best of their own hits. After going back and forth over 20 rounds, the viewers determine the winner on their own terms.
As a result, the N.W.A. star is not interested. “I can’t go against people I admire. LL is an OG to me in the game, so I can’t see it. Me and Scarface love each other, but we don’t communicate enough to do a Verzuz together. I don’t want it to be competition,” says the 53-year-old.
Ice Cube talks #VERZUZ: “I can’t go against people I admire. LL is an OG to me in the game, so I can’t see it. Me and Scarface love each other, but we don’t communicate enough to do a Verzuz together. I don’t want it to be competition.” pic.twitter.com/qKOadS1jwP
Just last year, the Houston native funnily made similar comments about the possibility of a Verzuz clash against his friend. In an interview with The Breakfast Club, the “Smile” rapper claimed he would beat Cube by playing his favourite “Cube sh*t.”
In other recent news, Ice Cube has dropped his new album as a member of MOUNT WESTMORE. The supergroup finds the Ride Along actor uniting with three other West Coast hip-hop legends – Snoop Dogg, E-40 and Too $hort.
SNOOP CUBE 40 $HORT officially dropped just last night (December 9). The project had been teased since last year.
What do you think of Ice Cube’s proposed format for a Verzuz battle? Comment down below, and check back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop news updates.
Throughout the pandemic (which is still ongoing, despite relaxed safety precautions), the Verzuz battle series has been an uplifting constant. The show, which highlights classic artists and their catalogs, brought hip-hop and R&B fans together when we were still in the house, then gave us a reason to get back out there with its live shows. However, there have been a few names missing from the fun, such as Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z, for whom the show’s producers have had a tough time finding a match, and West Coast gangsta rap pioneer Ice Cube.
That’s not for lack of trying, though. Cube explained why he turned down offers from Verzuz to do battles with both LL Cool J and Scarface during a recent episode of the Bootleg Kev Podcast. According to Ice Cube, “They was talking LL at one point, they was talking Scarface at one point. I said, ‘No.’ Verzuz is good, but my concept would have been, ‘Yo, I’m a fan. You do this song for me.’ Like, okay, I get to have LL do my favorite LL songs and he gon’ have me do my favorite Ice Cube songs, and it’s not Verzuz, but it’s love. It’s like, ‘Yo, do this, and he do ‘Rock the Bells,’ and he asks me, ‘Yo, do ‘Once Upon a Time in the Projects.” That would have been my concept.”
As he put it, “I can’t go against people I admire. LL is an OG to me in the game, so I can’t see it. Me and Scarface love each other, but we don’t communicate enough to do a Verzuz together. I don’t want it to be competition.”
For nearly two years, Snoop Dogg, E-40, Too $hort, and Ice Cube have kept teasing a Mount Westmore project. Now, it’s no secret that each rapper has left a mark on the culture but the idea of them joining forces for a collaborative project felt like a dream come true.
After a few singles to build anticipation, the four rappers came together for Mount Westmore’s new album, SNOOP CUBE 40 $HORT. The first collaborative effort boasts 16 songs with a run time of over one house. The four titans handle the project on their own for the most part. However, P-Lo does come through with the assist on “Too Big.”
During an interview with the LA Times, the four rappers explained that they created the Mount Westmore project over Zoom during the pandemic. All four of them utilized their resources to bring the project off the ground, according to Ice Cube.
“I think everybody saw an opportunity to do something bigger than just us. Something fun. Hip-hop can be so serious … but ain’t nobody having more fun than us. We all love each other, it’s like being in a group with your cousins,” Ice Cube explained.
“It felt like being a kid again, being able to be with your friends and not have to go in when the street lights come on,” Snoop said of Mount Westmore’s creative process. “We can have a friendly argument and then talk about football, basketball, whatever. We want to show the youngsters how to grow into Ice Cube, Too Short, 40, Snoop Dogg. How you can grow into your 50s and still be relevant.”
The Mount Westmore project includes the previously released singles, “Big Subwoofer,” “Too Big,” “Activated,” and “Free Game.”
Check out the new project from Mount Westmore below and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
