The beef is squashed, the music lives on.
Dr. Dre and Ice Cube share a longstanding friendship that has endured despite their tumultuous history.
The Beginning of the Feud
The discord began in 1989 when Ice Cube—whose real name is O’Shea Jackson—left N.W.A over disputes regarding royalties. Shortly after his departure, Cube embarked on a successful solo career with his debut album AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted in 1990.
In response, N.W.A took jabs at Cube in their subsequent releases, notably in the track “100 Miles and Runnin'” with the line, “We started with five, but yo one couldn’t make it. So now it’s four cuz the fifth couldn’t make it.”
The feud escalated with Ice Cube’s scathing track “No Vaseline,” where he directly called out his former bandmates, rapping, “You lookin’ like straight bozos, I saw it comin’ that’s why I went solo, kept on stompin. When y’all Muthaf**kas moved Straight outta Compton, you got jealous when I got my own company. But I’m a man, and ain’t nobody humpin’ me.”
The Road to Reconciliation
Despite the bitter past, Cube and Dre eventually decided to bury the hatchet. In an interview with Howard Stern, Ice Cube recounted the moment of reconciliation: “It was a little awkward because he had a house in West Lake and he was producing a record called ‘Natural Born Killaz’ and he just wanted me on it. That was during the Death Row [Records] years. He called me and I hadn’t heard from him in forever, so I was excited to go over there.”
Upon arriving at Dre’s house, Cube was initially taken aback by the crowd present, but eventually found Dre working alone in the back room. “I go back there and it’s just him in the room… we hugged and it’s like, we never even talked about the past. We just went forward.”
A Renewed Friendship
From that point on, the iconic hip-hop duo was back in business. Ice Cube confirmed in the 2016 interview with Howard Stern that he and Dre frequently hang out and were eager to collaborate on the hit 2015 film Straight Outta Compton.
Their story serves as a testament to the power of forgiveness and moving forward, leaving a legacy of not just music, but also a friendship that withstood the test of time.
Despite their differences, Ice Cube proved to be a true friend when Dr. Dre was hospitalized for a brain aneurysm in January 2021. Ice Cube publicly expressed concern and support for Dre during this challenging time.
Their enduring bond showcases the power of friendship beyond music and fame. In summary, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube’s relationship has weathered storms, but their shared love for making music ultimately brought them back together.
