Ice Cube is a famous rapper, actor, producer, and businessman who has a net worth of $160 million. He rose to prominence in the late ’80s as a member of perhaps the greatest and most influential hip-hop group of all time, N.W.A. He has constructed a career across the full range of entertainment: music, film, TV, and business.
Ice Cube has proven to be much more than just a rapper—a mogul in entertainment, producing anthems that have entered the lexicon while shaping the sound of gangsta rap; starring in some of the biggest blockbuster films, such as Friday and the Barbershop series; signing on to anchor some of Hollywood’s hottest franchises, such as 21 Jump Street; and producing his own entertainment by establishing viable production companies.
Ice Cube’s Early Life
Ice Cube, also known as O’Shea Jackson, was born in South Central Los Angeles on June 15, 1969. He was born to a mother who worked as a clerk and a father who worked as a custodian for UCLA. Ice Cube’s life experience was quite difficult, particularly after a half-sister of his was murdered and he was only 12 at the time.
Growing up in South Central, Ice Cube began writing raps by the time he was a teenager. He formed the first rap crew with his boyhood friend, Sir Jinx. His name, “Ice Cube,” was given to him as a joke by his older brother, who jokingly said he would put Ice Cube in a freezer until he turned into an ice cube.
Ice Cube attended William Howard Taft High School, sold his first raps to Eazy-E, and took classes in architectural drafting at the Phoenix Institute of Technology, although the love of music brought him back to Los Angeles.
Music Career: N.W.A.—From From Group Member to Solo Star
Ice Cube was a member of N.W.A. with Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella when he wrote most of the lyrics for the landmark album Straight Outta Compton (1988), but he left the group in 1989 when he felt they were not compensated fairly. His debut solo album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, was published in 1990, and was a hit and controversial due to his blunt commentary on social issues. He made history with Kill at Will, published the same year, as the first rap EP to reach Platinum status.
Following AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, Ice Cube published Death Certificate (1991), which became controversial but sold millions of copies, and The Predator (1992) debuted at #1 on both the Pop and R&B charts simultaneously for the first time ever in music history. The Predator remains Cube’s biggest album to this day.
By the 2000s Ice Cube shifted to focusing on acting and film production but continued to publish albums, including Laugh Now, Cry Later (2006), I Am the West (2010), and Everythang’s Corrupt (2018).
Acting and Hollywood Success
Ice Cube’s film debut was as “Doughboy” in the classic film Boyz n the Hood (1991), and this intelligent first performance launched an industry-recognized trajectory for a Hollywood acting career. In 1995, Cube co-wrote, produced, and starred in Friday. Friday became a cultural staple, and his performance in the movie quickly grew a fanbase leading to three sequels and three spin-offs.
Other notable film projects include:
Barbershop films,
Are We There Yet? and sequel
xXx: State of the Union
21 Jump Street & 22 Jump Street
He produced Straight Outta Compton (2015), in which his son O’Shea Jr. portrayed him.
Cube is also the proprietor of a production business, Cube Vision, that has produced both film and television projects.
Business Ventures
Clothing line: Solo by Cube, hoodies that have built-in headphones
Endorsements: long-time spokesperson for Coors Light
BIG3 League: In 2017, Cube created BIG3, a league devoted to professional 3-on-3 basketball featuring retired NBA players, which has since conglomerated into a global sports brand and inspired a docuseries for 2023.
Personal Life
Ice Cube has been married to Kimberly Woodruff since 1992, and they have five children together. His son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., is also an actor and rapper and is known for playing Cube in Straight Outta Compton.
Cube is known to be a family man. In interviews, he has explained that he doesn’t censor his music but teaches his children the value of context and respect.
Real Estate
In 2016, Cube paid \$7.25 million for a mansion in Marina del Rey previously owned by actor Jean-Claude Van Damme. He is also the owner of a $2.36 million mansion in Encino, California, which features seven bedrooms, a pool, and a basketball court.
FAQs About Ice Cube’s Net Worth
Q1: What is Ice Cube’s net worth in 2025?
Ice Cube’s net worth is \$160 million.
Q2: How did Ice Cube earn his money?
Ice Cube earns his income from various sources, such as his music sales, film productions, Cube Vision, business ventures, endorsements, and the BIG3 basketball league.
Q3: What is Ice Cube’s finest album?
The Predator (1992) is Ice Cube’s best-selling album at over 3 million copies sold in the U.S. alone, with
Q4: What are Ice Cube’s most popular movies?
Friday, Barbershop, Boyz n the Hood, The movies include Are We There Yet?, 21 Jump Street, and Straight Outta Compton, the latter of which he produced.
Q5: Did Ice Cube really start a basketball league?
Yes. He co-founded the BIG3 League in 2017, and he has continued to develop it into one of his most successful business ventures.
Q6: Is Ice Cube still involved in music?
While his time is currently spent primarily acting and producing and in business, Ice Cube does continue to record and perform musical projects.
Q7: How many kids does Ice Cube have?
Ice Cube and his wife, Kimberly, have five children together.
