Hitmaking rapper and actor Ice Cube has a message for fellow blacks: It’s time to move on from supporting the Democratic Party.
Ice Cube, also known as O’Shea Jackson, recently appeared on the Full Send Podcast, hosted by Kyle Forgeard and Steiny Steinberg.
His efforts to promote change within the black community have gained widespread recognition, as he actively seeks to bridge the divide between politicians and grassroots movements. One of his significant undertakings is the development of a policy proposal document called “Contract with Black America,” which has garnered attention and acclaim in the past.
In 2020, he was criticized for collaborating with then-President Donald Trump on his plan for black Americans.
He defended the partnership in a tweet: “Every side is the Darkside for us here in America. They’re all the same until something changes for us. They all lie and they all cheat, but we can’t afford not to negotiate with whoever is in power or our condition in this country will never change. Our justice is bipartisan.”
Every side is the Darkside for us here in America. They’re all the same until something changes for us. They all lie and they all cheat but we can’t afford not to negotiate with whoever is in power or our condition in this country will never change. Our justice is bipartisan. https://t.co/xFIXXpOs8B
— Ice Cube (@icecube) October 14, 2020
During the interview, Kyle Forgeard asked Ice Cube about the backlash he faced as a Hollywood star for his association with Trump.
“I mean, I never supported Trump or Biden,” Ice Cube said in response. “I never asked to speak to the Republicans or the Democrats.”
“I created a document called the ‘Contract with Black America,’ which addressed various issues we believed were the cause of the unrest after George Floyd’s killing. I released the document, and both Republicans and Democrats wanted to talk to me. I spoke with both parties about the Contract,” he continued.
He went on to say that Republicans he met with were interested in implementing some of the provisions, but Democrats ignored him until after the 2020 election.
“The Republicans asked if they could implement some things from the Contract into their proposal. I stated that the document was open for anyone to use in any way they desired. If they wanted to use it for educational purposes, they could,” Ice Cube said.
“If they wanted to add more ideas or paragraphs to it, they could. If they wanted to use it to bring about legislative change, they could. So I didn’t mind them using it. I also met with the Democrats, who said they liked 90 percent of what was in there and would discuss it with me after the election,” he added.
He went on to stress the need for tangible results and urged fellow black Americans to reconsider their political loyalties.
“There seems to be a stigma in the African American community regarding Republicans and similar parties. I don’t know what’s going on in the African American community when it comes to that. Black people have overwhelmingly supported Democrats for 50 to 60 years, and yet nothing has changed.
“So something needs to change,” he said.