DBIC: “I Am the West†is in stores right now of course. At this point in your career, what and why made it the right moment to make a statement like “I Am the West?†Not who gives you the right to do that, but what and why?
Ice Cube: I think after you’ve been in the game as long as I have, you can’t take anything for granted. You have to re-establish yourself. The big dog has to piss on trees every now and then to let everybody know he’s still there. That’s kind of the premise for the record being named “I Am the West.†Another one is to celebrate what we’ve added to the game of hip-hop and not shy away from it. We’re letting people know that we’re proud of where we come from. Hip-hop has turned on its ear because of the west coast (laughs). We’re not gonna’ be forgotten in this industry, even though the west coast has faced a backlash or abandonment from the industry towards the kind of music we do. It’s really a celebration of our contribution to hip-hop.
Be ready for the full interview dropping November 1st on www.dbicmag.com
