Listen to Ice Cube on Batanga

Born O'Shea Jackson in 1969, Ice Cube grew up in a middle-class home in South-Central Los Angeles, where he first began rapping in high school. After studying architecture in Phoenix, Ariz., Ice Cube returned to Los Angeles in 1987 and released a few 12-inches (including "My Posse") with his crew the CIA. He also worked with the World Class Wrecking Crew before joining the controversial rap group N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitudes), which also included Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren, and the Arabian Prince.

Though N.W.A. was quite successful, selling millions of albums thanks to the media controversy generated by their trademark violent, sexist, homophobic lyrics, Ice Cube felt he was not being treated fairly by the group's management (Eazy and Jerry Heller). As a result, Cube quit N.W.A. in 1989 and moved to New York, where he formed a backing group called Da Lench Mob and recorded a solo album, 1990's AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Though his album was as vulgar as those by N.W.A., it earned critical praise for its style and production (done by Public Enemy's Bomb Squad), and went gold within a week of its release. Riding on his crest of fame, Cube produced an album for female rapper Yo-Yo, Bonnie to his Clyde, and appeared in the hit movie Boyz N the Hood.

Ice Cube returned in 1991 with Kill At Will, with the classics "Jackin' For Beats" and "Dead Homies," and Death Certificate. Death Certificate reached No. 2 and went platinum despite the fact that it contained an anti-Semitic rant ("No Vaseline") and called for Blacks to attack Korean-Americans ("Black Korea"). The following year Cube appeared on the Lollapalooza tour, expanding his following among suburban youth. Not surprisingly, 1992's The Predator was an even bigger hit, debuting at No. 1 on the pop and R&B charts and spawning the smash single "It Was a Good Day." After the release of 1993's Lethal Injection Ice formed the group Westside Connection with WC and Mack 10, stirring up more friction within the cauldron of East-West Coast relations.

He's produced and remixed albums for other artists including K-Dee and Anotha Level, and appeared in movies like the hardly-seen The Glass Shield, the contrived Tresspass with Ice-t the overrated Higher Learning, and the damn-near unwatchable Anaconda. On the other hand Cube co-wrote the hilarious Friday and wrote and directed The Players Club marking himself as a credible multi-media rap icon.

Cube is back in the 9-8 with his double CD War and Peace.