Ice Cube's songs that changed his life

Ice Cube is a godfather of West Coast Rap. He joined NWA as a teenager, and penned their most powerful song when he was 17. One album later, he left the group and set off on a solo path, and succeeded again. His first two albums are still considered to be defining records of the 90’s and while that was going on, in 1991 Ice Cube starred in his first feature film “Boys N the Hood”. Through the 90’s, and noughties, he has pivoted between film and music and everything in between. But he has never sat down in front of a live audience to look back on his creative life. Until now. With 1200 people watching on, inside the iconic Sydney Opera House, Cube shared the five songs that changed his life. From eye opening moments with Grandmaster Flash, to the hip-hop styles of James Brown. Marvin Gaye’s reflection of a community’s hurt and a pin-drop moment with a never before heard story from Cube’s family tree. We laughed, we gasped, we sat in awe of a writer, actor and legend whose wisdom, humour and fierce resolve has powered everything he’s made. This is Ice Cube, ripping the lid off the first ever Take 5, live on stage.

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - ‘The Message’

James Brown - ‘The Payback’

Marvin Gaye - ‘What’s Going On’

Funkadelic - ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’

Sam Cooke - ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’