Ice Cube, born O’Shea Jackson Sr. on June 15, 1969, is a rapper, actor, producer and entrepreneur who first rose to fame as a founding member of the groundbreaking hip-hop group N.W.A alongside Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella. After helping redefine rap music in the late 1980s, he launched a highly successful solo career with acclaimed albums such as AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, Death Certificate and The Predator. More recently, he released his 11th studio album, Man Down, in 2024 and followed it with his 12th studio album, Man Up, in 2025.
Beyond music, Ice Cube has built an impressive Hollywood career. He made his acting debut in 1991’s critically acclaimed Boyz n the Hood and went on to star in films including Friday, Barbershop, Ride Along, 21 Jump Street and xXx: State of the Union. In recent years, he has continued acting and producing while expanding his business ventures, including serving as co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league.
Ice Cube has been married to Kimberly Woodruff since 1992, and the couple share four children. Their eldest son, actor O’Shea Jackson Jr., famously portrayed his father in the hit N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton, which Ice Cube also helped produce.
See more photos of Ice Cube through the years in our gallery.
