After the slew of police shootings and killings around the country, Ice Cube maintains he will continue to perform the N.W.A. hit single “F— Tha Police.” The rapper said he has not heard of anyone telling him not to perform the song, which was featured in the biographical film “Straight Outta Compton” last year.
In an interview with TMZ at an airport baggage claim, Cube is asked if he has felt pressure to stop performing the group’s 1988 hit for the time being.
“Pressure me? Pressure me to do what?” Cube asked. “Nobody said nothing to me. I ain’t gonna change nothing I do. Know what I mean? Cause I ain’t doin’ nothing wrong.”
The question refers to the string of fatal police shootings of two Black men earlier this month. Atlanta Black Star reports Alton Sterling was shot at point-blank range outside a Baton Rouge convenience store in Louisiana July 5. He had been selling CDs with permission from the owner. Within the next 24 hours, a cop shot Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota when he reached in his pocket to hand over his license during a traffic stop.
In reaction, Army veteran Micah Xavier Johnson reportedly shot and killed five officers at a protest in Dallas July 7. He wounded seven others. Ten days later on July 17, former Marine Gavin Long allegedly killed three officers and wounded three others in Baton Rouge.
XXL reports Cube previously performed “F— Tha Police” at Coachella in April. He was joined on stage by MC Ren and DJ Yella – the surviving members of N.W.A. excluding Dr. Dre, who was unable to attend. Together, Cube, Yella and Ren belted “Straight Outta Compton” along with their defiant protest song.
Cube is set to perform at Pomona, California’s HARD Summer Music Festival July 30, and his fellow band mates are listed as special guests, according to the concert website. There is no word on what their set list includes, but political commentator Bill O’Reilly has added his opinion on “Police.” He called the song a “piece of garbage.”
See the Fox News host’s commentary below.
