O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1968), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, MC, songwriter, actor, screenwriter, and film director.rnRegarded as one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time, he began his career as a founding member of the rap group N.W.A, and later launched a successful solo career in music and cinema. In 1992, he married Kimberly Woodruff, with whom he has four children. In 1992, he converted to Islam. From the mid-1990s onwards, Cube focused on acting, and his musical output has slowed down considerably. He remains one of the most visible West Coast rappers, having helped originate gangsta rap. He is particularly well-known for his incendiary raps on political topics, social relations and ethnic discrimination, particularly the mistreatment of African Americans.