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ICE CUBE

Artist profile

O'Shea Jackson a.k.a. Ice Cube

Born: June 15, 1969 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Years active: 1985 - present

“You better check yourself, before you wreck yourself”

Actor and rapper Ice Cube was born in South Central Los Angeles in 1969. With fellow rappers Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, DJ Yella and MC Ren, he rocketed to fame in the late 1980s as a member of the hard-hitting gangsta rap group, N.W.A. After breaking off on his own in ’89, Cube has put together a successful recording and acting career, having appeared in the numerous successful films.

Rapper, actor and producer Ice Cube was born O’Shea Jackson on June 15, 1969, in South Central Los Angeles, California. Ice Cube was raised by his mother, who worked as a hospital clerk, while his father was a groundskeeper at the University of California, Los Angeles.

With a set of strong parents behind him, Cube was able to navigate the tricky landscape that was his neighborhood, which became increasingly shaped by drugs, guns and violence. Cube was a good student who was passionate about football and music.

When Cube reached his teens, his parents pulled him out of his local school and bussed him to a suburban high school in the San Fernando Valley. For the young Cube, who’d known little beyond the deteriorating South Central L.A., the affluence and stability that marked his new surroundings left a deep impression. He saw his hometown in a new light and wondered why the violence and drugs that were wreaking havoc on it weren’t generating more attention.

As he saw more of his friends get killed or go to jail, Cube became determined to create a better life for himself. After high school, he enrolled at the Phoenix Institute of Technology, where he earned a two-year degree in drafting in 1988.

Around this time, he also continued to get involved in music, with much of his interest focused on the still emerging world of rap. He started writing his first raps in high school, and in the mid-1980s started a group with two others called CIA. The group, and Cube in particular, soon caught the attention of another up-and-coming rapper, Andre Romelle Young, better known as Dr. Dre.

Together, the two teamed up with a small crew of other young rappers (DJ Yella, Eazy-E and MC Ren) to form N.W.A. (N***** With Attitude).

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Considered one of the pioneers of gangsta rap, N.W.A.’s hard-hitting sound and lyrics jolted the music industry, all the while selling millions of records. The group’s second album, Straight Outta Compton (1988) rocketed the young men to fame. Anchored by the controversial hit “F*** tha Police,” the record made them one of the most contentious groups in the music business, while also delving into the complicated divide between black youth and law enforcement.

Cube’s involvement with N.W.A. came to screeching halt in 1989. Angered over how little he’d been paid, he bolted the group and went solo. A year later, he released the first of several critically acclaimed albums, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. He also enjoyed success with his collaborations as a rapper and producer, even stepping outside of the Hip Hop world to work with such artists as David Bowie and Trent Reznor.

Around the time of his departure from N.W.A., Cube launched his movie career with a highly praised performance in the John Singleton directed coming-of-age ‘hood film, Boyz n the Hood (1992). He went on to major roles in several other successful films, including Friday (1995), Three Kings (1999) and Barbershop (2002).

Ice Cube Dough Boy

Ice Cube cracked up audiences as the profane Captain Dickson in the 2012 movie adaptation of 21 Jump Street, and reprised the role in the 2014 sequel, 22 Jump Street. In between, he released his 10th studio album, Everythang’s Corrupt.

In 2015, the story of his early days in show business was revived with the release of Straight Outta Compton, a biopic about N.W.A.’s rise from the streets to become a global phenomenon.

Still, for all his success, Cube hasn’t forgotten his roots. “I keep the fire in me,” he said. “You gotta be able to survive in whatever environment you find yourself in. The ‘hood means everything to me. You never know when you could wind up back there.”

Official site: Ice Cube

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Discography

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Movies

Are We Done Yet?

Are We Done Yet?

Newlyweds Nick and Suzanne decide to move to the suburbs to provide a better life for their two kids. But their idea of a dream home is dist...

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Friday After Next

Friday After Next

Craig and his cousin Day Day have finally moved out of their parents' houses and into their own crib, working nights at a local mall as secu...

More info

Next Friday

Next Friday

A streetwise man flees South Central Los Angeles, heading to the suburbs and his lottery-winner uncle and cousin, to avoid a neighborhood th...

More info

Barbershop

Barbershop

A day in the life of a barbershop on the south side of Chicago. Calvin, who inherited the struggling business from his deceased father, view...

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Friday

Friday

Craig and Smokey are two guys in Los Angeles hanging out on their porch on a Friday afternoon, smoking and drinking, looking for something t...

More info

Barbershop 2: Back in Business

Barbershop 2: Back in Business

The continuing adventures of the barbers at Calvin's Barbershop. Gina, a stylist at the beauty shop next door, is now trying to cut in on hi...

More info

Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet?

The fledgling romance between Nick, a playboy bachelor, and Suzanne, a divorced mother of two, is threatened by a particularly harrowing New...

More info

xXx: State of the Union

xXx: State of the Union

Darius Stone's criminal record and extreme sports obsession make him the perfect candidate to be the newest XXX agent. He must save the U.S....

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Janky Promoters

Janky Promoters

Two shady concert promoters get into hot water when their chance to book a superstar rapper goes awry....

More info

The Longshots

The Longshots

The true story of Jasmine Plummer who, at the age of eleven, became the first female to play in Pop Warner football tournament in its 56-yea...

More info

All About the Benjamins

All About the Benjamins

Bucum Jackson (Cube) is a bounty hunter with a lot of attitude and no interest in taking on a partner. Working at Martinez Bail Bonds, Jacks...

More info

First Sunday

First Sunday

Durell and LeeJohn are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. When told they have one week to pay a $17,000 debt or Durell will lose his...

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Dangerous Ground

Dangerous Ground

Vusi Madlazi returns to the South African village he left as a young boy to bury his father. He meets up with his brother Ernest, who tells ...

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Ride Along

Ride Along

For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben has been trying to show decorated APD detective James that he's more than just a vide...

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Barbershop: The Next Cut

Barbershop: The Next Cut

To survive harsh economic times, Calvin and Angie have merged the barbershop and beauty salon into one business. The days of male bonding ar...

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G-Funk

G-Funk

G-Funk is the untold story of three childhood friends from East Long Beach who helped commercialize hip hop by developing a sophisticated an...

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An Intimate Look Inside the Acting Process with Ice Cube

An Intimate Look Inside the Acting Process with Ice Cube

Ice Cube discusses his acting process on the set of "Three Kings" in this satirical poke at actors’ pretensions....

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Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert

Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert

The Coachella concert series is examined through the lens of rare footage, interviews, and performances from some of the most famous perform...

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The Making of Mr. October: The Reggie Jackson Story

The Making of Mr. October: The Reggie Jackson Story

Reggie Jackson's prolific power made him one of baseball's best hitters. But it was his magnanimous personality that made him so controversi...

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Ice Cube: The Making of a Don

Ice Cube: The Making of a Don

A true-life tale of the Great American Dream, this movie showcases one man's rise from the streets of South Central L.A. to the hills of Hol...

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Ghosts of Mars

Ghosts of Mars

In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find the post ...

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Torque

Torque

Biker Cary Ford is framed by an old rival and biker gang leader for the murder of another gang member who happens to be the brother of Trey,...

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NWA & Eazy-E: The Kings of Compton

NWA & Eazy-E: The Kings of Compton

Documentary looking back at the West Coast group who invented gangster rap. The original lineup of N.W.A consisted of Dr Dre, Ice Cube and E...

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Ride Along 2

Ride Along 2

As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the d...

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Fist Fight

Fist Fight

When one school teacher gets the other fired, he is challenged to an after-school fight....

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Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies

Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies

A two-part series exploring the Celtics–Lakers rivalry, focusing mainly on the 1980s era of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson but also examinin...

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Straight Outta L.A.

Straight Outta L.A.

In 1982, the Raiders and owner Al Davis captivated black and Latino fans with swagger and charisma that matched the rapidly changing city....

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Hip Hop Don't Stop

Hip Hop Don't Stop

This film gives us the definitive chronicle of hip-hop from its beginnings. See the evolution of music with vintage footage, live performanc...

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DJ Crazy Toones – It's A CT Experience: The DVD Files

DJ Crazy Toones – It's A CT Experience: The DVD Files

Released when the mixtape game was just starting to go digital, and the hand-to-hand hip-hop DVD-R market was huge in giving artists a direc...

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Boyz n the Hood

Boyz n the Hood

Boyz n the Hood is the popular and successful film and social criticism from John Singleton about the conditions in South Central Los Angele...

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Three Kings

Three Kings

A group of American soldiers stationed in Iraq at the end of the Gulf War find a map they believe will take them to a huge cache of stolen K...

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The Glass Shield

The Glass Shield

J.J. is a rookie in the Sheriff's Department and the first black officer at that station. Racial tensions run high in the department as some...

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Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wh...

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Rampart

Rampart

The story follows veteran police officer Dave Brown, the last of the renegade cops, as he struggles to take care of his family, and fights f...

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Thicker Than Water

Thicker Than Water

In Los Angeles, two rival gang leaders are also trying to be music producers. When DJ's equipment shorts out and Lonzo is cut out of the act...

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Comedy Central's Colossal Clusterfest

Comedy Central's Colossal Clusterfest

Highlights from the inaugural Colossal Clusterfest that took place in San Francisco from June 2-4....

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20 Most Shocking Unsolved Crimes

20 Most Shocking Unsolved Crimes

Examines the 20 of the most shocking unsolved crimes in history including the disappearance of Adam Walsh, the murder of Jam-Master Jay, the...

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Stand

Stand

Raw and unflinching examination of the courageous life of basketball star and social justice activist Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Born Chris Jackson...

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Red Desert Nights: Making Ghosts of Mars

Red Desert Nights: Making Ghosts of Mars

Documentary about the making of John Carpenter's sci-fi horror movie, Ghosts of Mars....

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Trespass

Trespass

Two Arkansas firemen, Vince and Don, get hold of a map that leads to a cache of stolen gold in an abandoned factory in East St. Louis. What ...

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Anaconda

Anaconda

A "National Geographic" film crew is taken hostage by an insane hunter, who takes them along on his quest to capture the world's largest - a...

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I Got the Hook-Up

I Got the Hook-Up

Two broke buddies feel lucky when they come upon a truckload of cellular phones and begin selling them out of the back of their van. Trouble...

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The Up in Smoke Tour

The Up in Smoke Tour

The Up in Smoke Tour is a West Coast hip hop tour in 2000 featuring artists Ice Cube, Eminem, Proof, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Kurupt,...

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The Players Club

The Players Club

Single mother Diana struggles to provide for her child and pay for her college education. When she meets two dancers from a nearby gentlemen...

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The Enduring Significance of 'Boyz n the Hood'

The Enduring Significance of 'Boyz n the Hood'

A wonderful retrospective supplement that features much of the primary cast cast as well as Writer/Director John Singleton looking back at t...

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The Fab Five

The Fab Five

Depicts the story of Jalen Rose and his other Fab Five teammates, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson. Called by some “...

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Higher Learning

Higher Learning

African-American student Malik is on a track scholarship; academics are not his strong suit, and he goes in thinking that his athletic abili...

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Beef II

Beef II

Beef II (released on DVD in August 2004) is a sequel to the 2003 documentary Beef, which continued to document the history of rivalries in h...

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Murder Was the Case: The Movie

Murder Was the Case: The Movie

Follows the exploits of Snoop Doggy Dogg as he gets shot, and makes a deal with the devil to survive....

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Rap: Looking for the Perfect Beat

Rap: Looking for the Perfect Beat

Rap music has articulated a black aesthetic that is influencing pop culture around the world. But does it also promote violence, misogyny, a...

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Lottery Ticket

Lottery Ticket

Kevin Carson is a young man living in the projects who has to survive a three-day weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he's ho...

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Beef

Beef

A documentary on the evolution of MC battles from verbal one-upmanship to street warfare....

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Katt Williams: 9 Lives

Katt Williams: 9 Lives

From Lord Have Mercy to A Pimp Named Slickback, original comedy freak Katt Williams has made his mark inhabiting a hustler's gallery of fast...

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xXx: Return of Xander Cage

xXx: Return of Xander Cage

Extreme athlete turned government operative Xander Cage comes out of self-imposed exile, thought to be long dead, and is set on a collision ...

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Friendly Fire: Making of an Urban Legend

Friendly Fire: Making of an Urban Legend

Cast and crew offer up a nice overview piece, discussing the picture's authenticity, real life in the time of "Boyz n the Hood," the paralle...

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The DOC

The DOC

Dave Caplan’s directorial debut tells the inspirational story of hip hop icon The DOC, 30 years after losing his voice in a horrific accid...

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Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James

Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James

This profile of legendary funk/R&B icon Rick James captures the peaks and valleys of his storied career to reveal a complicated and rebellio...

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21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street

When cops Schmidt and Jenko join the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go under cover as high-school students....

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Korn: Deuce

Korn: Deuce

Deuce is the second DVD by the American Nu Metal band, Korn. It was released on June 11, 2002 - the same day as the band's fifth studio rele...

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22 Jump Street

22 Jump Street

After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt and Jenko when they go deep undercover at ...

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The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports

The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports

Fifty years ago in the Bronx, a new genre of music was born, the product of a people searching for their voice and the opportunity to be hea...

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The High Note

The High Note

Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis, a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable...

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Family Values Tour '98

Family Values Tour '98

This program captures some of the highlights from "The Family Values Tour '98," the rock excursion that includes headliners Korn, Rammstein,...

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Letter to the President

Letter to the President

Narrated By Snoop Dogg- Letter To the President is a feature documentary that showcases the close-knit ties between the Hip Hop Music commun...

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The Book of Life

The Book of Life

The journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing wh...

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal ...

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Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren

Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren

Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren is an professional boxing match between YouTuber Jake Paul and former MMA fighter Ben Askren. The bout took take p...

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Music Genres. Voices of the World

Music Genres. Voices of the World

Explore the world of sounds and rhythms, the documentary film "Music Genres" invites viewers on a fascinating journey through the diversity ...

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Burn Motherfucker, Burn!

Burn Motherfucker, Burn!

An in-depth and provocative look at the 1992 Los Angeles riots exploring the roots of civil unrest in California and the relationship betwee...

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You're Watching Video Music Box

You're Watching Video Music Box

The untold story of the world’s longest running video show, Video Music Box. A hip hop mainstay since 1983, VMB gave a platform to artists...

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Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

A provocative look into the seven-year history of the series that gave hip hop a voice and broke color barriers, integrating MTV with rap. "...

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CB4

CB4

A "rockumentary", covering the rise to fame of MC Gusto, Stab Master Arson, and Dead Mike: members of the rap group "CB4". We soon learn tha...

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Africa Rising

Africa Rising

How African artists have spread African culture all over the world, especially music, since the harsh years of decolonization, trying to off...

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The Players Club

The Players Club

Single mother Diana struggles to provide for her child and pay for her college education. When she meets two dancers from a nearby gentlemen...

More info

Straight Outta L.A.

Straight Outta L.A.

In 1982, the Raiders and owner Al Davis captivated black and Latino fans with swagger and charisma that matched the rapidly changing city....

More info

Are We Done Yet?

Are We Done Yet?

Newlyweds Nick and Suzanne decide to move to the suburbs to provide a better life for their two kids. But their idea of a dream home is dist...

More info

Friday After Next

Friday After Next

Craig and his cousin Day Day have finally moved out of their parents' houses and into their own crib, working nights at a local mall as secu...

More info

Next Friday

Next Friday

A streetwise man flees South Central Los Angeles, heading to the suburbs and his lottery-winner uncle and cousin, to avoid a neighborhood th...

More info

Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet?

The fledgling romance between Nick, a playboy bachelor, and Suzanne, a divorced mother of two, is threatened by a particularly harrowing New...

More info

Beauty Shop

Beauty Shop

Far from Chicago, hairdresser Gina Norris has relocated to Atlanta with her daughter and has quickly established herself as a rare talent in...

More info

Ride Along

Ride Along

For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben has been trying to show decorated APD detective James that he's more than just a vide...

More info

Straight Outta Compton

Straight Outta Compton

In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous p...

More info

Ride Along 2

Ride Along 2

As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the d...

More info

Fist Fight

Fist Fight

When one school teacher gets the other fired, he is challenged to an after-school fight....

More info

The Longshots

The Longshots

The true story of Jasmine Plummer who, at the age of eleven, became the first female to play in Pop Warner football tournament in its 56-yea...

More info

Janky Promoters

Janky Promoters

Two shady concert promoters get into hot water when their chance to book a superstar rapper goes awry....

More info

The Players Club

The Players Club

Single mother Diana struggles to provide for her child and pay for her college education. When she meets two dancers from a nearby gentlemen...

More info

All About the Benjamins

All About the Benjamins

Bucum Jackson (Cube) is a bounty hunter with a lot of attitude and no interest in taking on a partner. Working at Martinez Bail Bonds, Jacks...

More info

Barbershop: The Next Cut

Barbershop: The Next Cut

To survive harsh economic times, Calvin and Angie have merged the barbershop and beauty salon into one business. The days of male bonding ar...

More info

Lottery Ticket

Lottery Ticket

Kevin Carson is a young man living in the projects who has to survive a three-day weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he's ho...

More info

First Sunday

First Sunday

Durell and LeeJohn are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. When told they have one week to pay a $17,000 debt or Durell will lose his...

More info

Barbershop 2: Back in Business

Barbershop 2: Back in Business

The continuing adventures of the barbers at Calvin's Barbershop. Gina, a stylist at the beauty shop next door, is now trying to cut in on hi...

More info

Friday

Friday

Craig and Smokey are two guys in Los Angeles hanging out on their porch on a Friday afternoon, smoking and drinking, looking for something t...

More info

Friday After Next

Friday After Next

Craig and his cousin Day Day have finally moved out of their parents' houses and into their own crib, working nights at a local mall as secu...

More info

Friday After Next

Friday After Next

Craig and his cousin Day Day have finally moved out of their parents' houses and into their own crib, working nights at a local mall as secu...

More info

Next Friday

Next Friday

A streetwise man flees South Central Los Angeles, heading to the suburbs and his lottery-winner uncle and cousin, to avoid a neighborhood th...

More info

Next Friday

Next Friday

A streetwise man flees South Central Los Angeles, heading to the suburbs and his lottery-winner uncle and cousin, to avoid a neighborhood th...

More info

Janky Promoters

Janky Promoters

Two shady concert promoters get into hot water when their chance to book a superstar rapper goes awry....

More info

The Players Club

The Players Club

Single mother Diana struggles to provide for her child and pay for her college education. When she meets two dancers from a nearby gentlemen...

More info

All About the Benjamins

All About the Benjamins

Bucum Jackson (Cube) is a bounty hunter with a lot of attitude and no interest in taking on a partner. Working at Martinez Bail Bonds, Jacks...

More info

Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn feat. Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane

Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn feat. Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane

“Burn Hollywood Burn” was released as a single for PE’s third album, Fear of a Black Planet. The song is a scathing examination of ste...

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Friday

Friday

Craig and Smokey are two guys in Los Angeles hanging out on their porch on a Friday afternoon, smoking and drinking, looking for something t...

More info

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