Hip Hop legend Ice Cube has swiftly responded to Candace Owens’ controversial assertion that gangsta rap was a product of U.S. government intervention. Owens, known for her provocative right-wing opinions, recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to make the bold claim that the genre, often associated with the streets, was actually engineered by federal authorities.
Owens wrote: “Gangster rap was never Black culture. It was created by the Feds, who offered deals to homosexual Black men in prison, turning them into manufactured celebrities. The objective was to create false idols to dismantle Black American values.”
Owens stood firm on her theory, adding, “I will never change my mind on this.”
Ice Cube, a pivotal figure in the rise of gangsta rap as a founding member of N.W.A., didn’t waste any time addressing Owens’ outlandish theory. The rap icon, who helped shape the gritty and unapologetic sound in the late 1980s, fired back with a sharp response.
“We called it Reality Rap. The industry labeled it Gangsta Rap. Fans wanted gangsta rap, and that’s what they got,” Ice Cube clarified. “The Feds didn’t write any of my lyrics. I’m a real MC.”
Cube’s response not only shuts down Owens’ claims but also reinforces the authenticity of a genre born from real-life experiences and struggles rather than government agendas.
