Ice Cube has grown from being an angry young gangsta rapper to become a mature artist and powerful filmmaker. Figuratively speaking, Ice Cube and I have grown up together.

I was first introduced to Cube in the late 80s by a friend who was a fan of the seminal gangsta rap group N.W.A. Gangsta rap was an acquired taste, but I came to appreciate Ice Cube's ability to write and rhyme (some considered him to be the best lyricist in rap history). Ice Cube left N.W.A. and released the outstanding CD AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. He followed this with the strong EP Kill at Will.

Ice Cube firmly established his place in American popular culture in 1991. He made his acting debut, starring as Doughboy in Boyz 'N the Hood. He also released Death Certificate, an angry, insightful and bigoted portrayal of life in South Central Los Angeles. Death Certificate was controversial but prescient. Death Certificate examines the rage felt by many African-Americans who felt betrayed by "the system." Los Angeles was a hotbed of racial tension in the 1990s, punctuated by the Rodney King beating, the riots following the Rodney King verdict, and the O. J. Simpson trial.

In the early 90s, I was exploring my identity as a young, African-American man. This exploration was heavily influenced by the music of rap group Public Enemy. I read Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and The Autobiography of Malcolm X (a book which should be read by every literate person on the planet). I was angry about the King beating, disillusioned by the acquittal of the officers who beat King, and stunned by the L. A. riots.

I appreciated Death Certificate as a work of art, but struggled with its racist elements. I grew tired of being angry. Cube released The Predator in 1992. It was a weak effort. My interest in gangsta rap died as Dr. Dre's The Chronic simultaneously brought the genre into the pop music mainstream and ended the golden age of hip-hop.

I stopped listening to Ice Cube's music, but I kept an eye on his film career, which blossomed as his CDs lost critical acclaim and cultural impact. He co-wrote, produced, and starred in Friday, which catapulted comedian Chris Tucker to Hollywood's A-list and made Ice Cube a bankable actor and writer. No small accomplishment.

Dangerous Ground was a flop but I appreciated Ice Cube's willingness to experiment. The Player's Club was a pleasant surprise, despite being panned by critics. Three Kings increased Cube's profile as an actor. Cube dared to film a sequel to Friday, and Next Friday was well-crafted and funny.