Ice Cube told us in 1990 that he was the one “ya love to hate,” and the reactions to his recent appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show “Tucker On Twitter” are proving that claim still rings true for some.
For episode 10, titled “Stay In Your Lane,” Cube and Carlson take a ride through the rap icon’s childhood neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles, taking in the sights and just kicking it, philosophizing on politics, the NBA, the COVID-19 vaccine and more.
The two controversial 54-year-olds were aligned on pretty much every topic — which seemed to only further enrage those who were already upset that the man who wrote “True To The Game” would even sit down with the man considered by some to be a white nationalist, and who was fired from FOX News for sending allegedly racist text messages.
“I first listened to NWA as a sophomore in high school in ‘87 and instantly became a fan of Cube’s ferocity, aggression, and lyrical ability,” said one Twitter user. “But these last few years it’s like he’s misdirected and misinformed as he caters to the right wing. Smh.”
“Ice Cube has become the sellout Black man that he always warned us about,” said another.
The ‘Ride Along” actor has had the “sellout” label thrown at him repeatedly since he decided to work with the Trump campaign in 2020 to help bolster the team’s Platinum Plan for Black Americans. But, in classic Ice Cube fashion, he doesn’t care what anyone thinks because he believes he’s doing the right thing.
“I’ve told everybody that I’m not playing politics with this,” he told Chris Wallace at the time, referring to the implementation of his Contract With Black America. “I’m willing to meet with anybody who could bring this to life and make it a reality.”
But not everyone is critical of Cube.
Many Twitter users who are Carlson fans have been praising Cube for his positions on certain issues. Perhaps surprisingly, though, many on Black Twitter have also been defending him against the “sellout” label.
“Sellout how?” asked one user. “Ice Cube can only talk to certain people? It’s his people who criticize him daily. You’ll soon realize Black men aren’t entertaining the status quo of the same thing.”
“What’s hilarious to me is people think because Ice Cube wrote songs that were anti establishment in 1987 that meant he was a liberal or that meant that 30+ years later he would be one….good grief,” said another.
One even flipped the script and attempted to point a mirror at some of those criticizing: “If bringing Tucker to the ‘hood’ is peak trash, what is bringing Biden and other empty politicians into the Black church? What is voting for anti-Black, pro-war Biden? Truth is that @icecube is truer than sellout Democratic shills.”
While he has yet to publicly respond to the reactions to this latest interaction with the far right, it’s probably safe to assume that his response will be consistent with his past responses — like earlier this month when he shot back at a fan who asked him if he was selling out.
Watch part one of Ice Cube and Tucker’s chat here.
