O’Shea Jackson Jr. is setting the record straight — he may be the product of hip hop royalty, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t out here working twice as hard!
After New York Mag’s recent feature surrounding Hollywood’s favorite nepotism babies sparked conversations about famous celebrity children carving their own paths, the actor took to social media to share his journey to making a name for himself outside of his father’s shadow. And if you’ve been living under a rock, Jackson is the eldest child of legendary rapper Ice Cube.
“My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in Straight Outta Compton,” Jackson wrote via Twitter. “I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that, it was up to me. He couldn’t hold my hand through my career. I had to get my a** up and make it work. Once the door was opened, it was up to me to walk through it and thrive.”
Furthermore, he detailed how his upbringing played a pivotal role in his success as an actor. “None of that happens that way without the love of my father,” the Den of Thieves actor continued. “The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that, or not accept and use [it] as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful. I am grateful, and I use his teachings daily.”
In a previous interview, Ice Cube admitted that he was blown away by Jackson’s portrayal of him in the 2015 N.W.A. biopic. “To have him be in the movie and do a great job, and organically be the best person for the part… That, to me, [is] what I’m proud of,” said the Friday creator. “I got him ready, but he had to do it. He had to have Donna Langley give [him] the stamp of approval, not me.”
After New York Mag’s recent feature surrounding Hollywood’s favorite nepotism babies sparked conversations about famous celebrity children carving their own paths, the actor took to social media to share his journey to making a name for himself outside of his father’s shadow. And if you’ve been living under a rock, Jackson is the eldest child of legendary rapper Ice Cube.
“My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in Straight Outta Compton,” Jackson wrote via Twitter. “I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that, it was up to me. He couldn’t hold my hand through my career. I had to get my a** up and make it work. Once the door was opened, it was up to me to walk through it and thrive.”
Furthermore, he detailed how his upbringing played a pivotal role in his success as an actor. “None of that happens that way without the love of my father,” the Den of Thieves actor continued. “The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that, or not accept and use [it] as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful. I am grateful, and I use his teachings daily.”
In a previous interview, Ice Cube admitted that he was blown away by Jackson’s portrayal of him in the 2015 N.W.A. biopic. “To have him be in the movie and do a great job, and organically be the best person for the part… That, to me, [is] what I’m proud of,” said the Friday creator. “I got him ready, but he had to do it. He had to have Donna Langley give [him] the stamp of approval, not me.”
