He’s gone by the title of Ice Cube for so long that using his given name is kind of unheard of since to those that grew up listening to and watching him, Ice Cube has been one of the most influential rappers turned actor out of all of them. When he was younger he was definitely hardcore, but as he got older he didn’t so much lose his edge as gain some wisdom and temper his more aggressive side, becoming a much more approachable human being it would seem as he changed his attitude just a bit. In many ways he’s become much more family-friendly as he gets older as well, as some of his movies would attest to. But make no mistake, the guy has plenty of edge left and he’ll show it when he has to in order to make certain that people take him seriously when it comes to what he loves to do.
Here are a few movies that show just how good he can be on screen.
5. Higher Learning
The only typical college experience you’ll ever see is on screen since each and every school has something unique to it that other schools just don’t do. In this film however it’s not possible to miss the racial undertones that are seen throughout the entire movie as they’re loud and clear. People of different races can get together and live in a state of harmony so long as there’s a mutual respect and a very clear attitude that allows the peace to be kept by showing that people can get along without focusing on their differences in a negative manner. But there are always those that want to divide people for one reason or another.
4. 21 Jump Street
You can almost feel sorry for Ice Cube’s character in this film since he has to deal with some of the biggest problem cases when it comes to the police force. Those that he has working under him are those that are deemed capable of working undercover for one reason or another, but it hardly ever seems to be because they’re good at their job. He truly seems dumbfounded at times that the guys working under him can form a coherent thought, much less perform their work in the line of duty. This job seems like it would need to come with a benefits package that included a big supply of Tylenol and a lot of paid vacation time.
3. Are We There Yet?
Ice Cube has gotten to show a softer side throughout the years as he’s gotten away from the hardcore gang member, rapper, and otherwise edgy roles that helped define him when he was younger.This film and it’s sequel were considered to be decent family films but it doesn’t seem as though they’ve stood the test of time all that well. However, Cube’s role in this movie is still something that’s fun to see since it shows in a short span how he is capable of maturing and how he’s changed in many different ways. He’s been the tough guy in so many movies that seeing him soften up is kind of nice.
2. Friday
This is a classic simply because it was a pairing with Chris Tucker when he was at his funniest and all Ice Cube had to do was play the friend of the neighborhood loudmouth that just wanted to get through his day. Craig wasn’t exactly the greatest guy in the world but it was easy to sympathize with him despite the fact that he was old enough to be out on his own. The film starred a great number of actors and comedians that have been around for a while and it’s largely because of this that the movie reached the kind of cult status that it did. This movie helped to redefine the reason behind Friday being the most favored day of the week.
1. Boyz n the Hood
A lot of us don’t live in neighborhoods like this and therefore a lot of think this kind of movie is entirely dramatized and made up. Unfortunately if you’ve ever lived close to a place like this then you realize just how real it can be. The level of violence varies from place to place but the conditions are pretty much the same in many cities, making it feel as though anyone stuck within such a spot is lucky just to see the sun come up some days. For Tre and his friends getting by from day to day meant trying to work for something better or learning the ways of the streets and sticking to them.
He’s come a long way from being a rapper and a tough guy, and what he’s done to date is actually pretty cool since he still has the edge, but it’s been tempered into something even greater than before.Higher Learning
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