Ice Cube: Hip-Hop is Like the “Wild West”

Every hip-hop artist has to start somewhere. For Ice Cube, it all started in South Central LA where Cube started developing a taste and talent for rapping. While growing popularity with his then group CIA, Dr. Dre saw his potential and from there one of the most powerful relationships in hip-hop was formed. Cube teamed up with Dre with his then group the World Class Wreckin’ Cru and it blossomed into a much bigger calling with NWA.

Now here we are, talking to Ice Cube about the current state of hip-hop. Dave Morales of BackstageOL asked Cube what was his take on the scene and his response was clear as crystal, “It do what it do.”

“A lot of people are still getting the industry isn’t as vast as it was, as far as people knowing all the under ground. Everything is kind of like the wild west, everybody’s out on their own. But you know its cool, the cream will rise to the top,” said Cube.

Comparing the hip-hop scene from the early 90’s to now, is like comparing a Nintendo NES to a Wii U. Both are highly popular during their time, but both went through a different process to rise to popularity. During the time of NWA, hip-hop was vast with several opportunities for artist to make it into the scene. The genre was catching on and becoming a new form of popular music. Some might call the times of NWA the golden age of hip-hop, with artists such as Run DMC and Public Enemy being a part of the movement.

Looking at the current scene now, its completely different. Hip-hop is just as important as any other genre, the music isn’t just in America, its world wide! For artists that forms a problem.

The genre isnt small like it was during the golden age, everyone wants to get in the game. Some are lucky enough to make it, some have to claw their way to the top. For these artists they had to find different ways to be heard in a landscape where people wont go to a club or party to hear you play, they would rather go to their computer or cell phones to search what artist or song is trending. This is difficult since there are several other artists that are doing the same thing, with some lucky enough to get a radio station or label rep to listen.

Some new artists that are lucky enough to have made it are Big Sean, ASAP Rocky, and Kendrick Lamar. These artists had to develop a sound that is different than their peers.

Big Sean had to freestyle every Friday on the former HOT 102.7 station in Detroit and grew a reputation there. His golden opportunity was when he insisted to freestyle for his idol Kanye West after his interview. From there he was signed.

Kendrick Lamar had to gain his reputation by releasing mix tapes in Compton, CA. His reputation grew in Cali and would later gain praise by local artists such as The Game and most noticebly, former NWA member, Dr. Dre. Dre was first drawn to Kendrick with his single “Ignorance is Bliss”, Dre saw his music video on YouTube and now Kendrick is one of the top dogs in the game today.

For Asap Rocky he joined the now popular hip-hop crew Asap Mob. Asap Mob is like Andy Warhol’s group The Factory if The Factory was a collective of rappers, producers and fashion designers who just loved hip-hop. The group grew in popularity after the release of Rocky’s single “Peso”, which was leaked and later played in heavy rotation in New Yorks top Hip-Hop station Hot 97. Now he is one of the most versatile artists in music working with artists such as Skrillex, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Rod Stewart. He recently played a pivotal role in the film Dope, which is promised to be in some of critics top 10 list at the end of the year.

Ice Cube got it right, it is the wild west out there. Rappers are fully equipped to unleash a six shooter full of rhymes for the world to hear, but there are other cowboys with much bigger guns that reach the top. In order to obtain the big guns, artists have to constantly work and release material to be relevant. If the content isn’t good or isn’t released soon enough, its bound to be steamrolled or forgotten. For the current crazy hip-hop world, its all about being better than the rest.

Straight Outta Compton is in theaters on August 14th, 2015.

Check out the full Ice Cube interview below: