Los Angeles, CA – October 6, 2025 – Hip Hop icon and cultural truth-teller Ice Cube releases “Before Hip Hop (Premix),” an explosive collaboration featuring two of rap’s most powerful voices — LL COOL J and Chuck D of Public Enemy.
The premix reimagines the lead track from Cube’s acclaimed 12th studio album, Man Up (Lench Mob Records/Hitmaker Distro), released on September 12, transforming it into a generational moment — a collision of legacy, lyricism, and leadership that reaffirms hip-hop’s purpose as the voice of truth. The song is available Thursday, October 9 on all digital streaming platforms. Stream “Before Hip Hop (Premix)” and experience the power of hip hop’s truth-tellers.
The accompanying visualizer challenges revisionist history — revealing that the world’s struggles, from injustice to inequality, existed long before hip hop became the scapegoat.
Watch the visualizer here.
New Visualizer Captures a World in Pain Long Before the Beat Dropped
“I’ve seen people try to rewrite history and blame hip hop for everything wrong in the world,” says Ice Cube. “But the truth is, we were reporting the struggle — not causing it.”
With LL COOL J’s commanding flow and Chuck D’s revolutionary fire, the “Before Hip Hop (Premix)” becomes an anthem of awareness and authenticity. The three legends hold court with urgency and purpose, adding new depth to Cube’s message and delivering one of the most powerful collaborations of the year.
“Before Hip Hop (Premix)” underscores why Ice Cube, LL COOL J, and Chuck D remain the blueprint for every artist who follows — fearless voices, unfiltered truth, and timeless impact.
Don’t miss out on this electrifying collaboration. Stream it this Thursday and experience the power of hip hop’s truth-tellers.
Ice Cube is currently on the “Truth To Power: 4 Decades of Attitude’ Tour (remaining dates can be found below):
- Mon Oct 06 – Chicago, IL – United Center
- Wed Oct 08 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
- Thu Oct 09 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
- Sun Oct 12 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
- Tue Oct 14 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
- Thu Oct 16 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
- Fri Oct 17 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
About Ice Cube
Ice Cube, a multi-hyphenate international music, film, and sports legend, has garnered accolades such as recently receiving being honored with a handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Rising to fame with N.W.A., he launched a solo career selling tens of millions of albums and co-founded the West Coast supergroup Mount Westmore with Snoop Dogg, E-40, and Too $hort. As a true trailblazer in television and film, through his film and television production company, CubeVision, Ice Cube produced 50 episodes of the hit series “Hip Hop Squares” for VH1 and MTV, and he produced the award-winning, Oscar-nominated biopic “Straight Outta Compton,” which grossed over $200 million worldwide. His films, collectively, have grossed over $1 billion at the box office, with franchises such as “Friday,” “Barbershop,” “Are We There Yet?,” “21 Jump Street,” and “Ride Along” shaping the landscape of cinema. As co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, Ice Cube continues to make an impact, bringing in its first franchise owners, achieving its most-viewed season ever in 2024, and securing groundbreaking partnerships with title sponsors. He also launched the Ice Cube Impact Award in collaboration with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, where he was the first recipient. His latest album, Man Down, debuted in the Top 10 on multiple Billboard charts, including Top Rap Albums, and hit #2 on iTunes’ Hip-Hop/Rap Chart, proving his enduring influence.
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