Q&A With Ice Cube Ahead of 4/20 Red Rocks Party

It’s going to be a smoky evening at Red Rocks when Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg take the stage with Too Short and Czarface, the hip-hop supergroup comprising Inspectah Deck (Wu-Tang), 7L and Esoteric.

After all, the show is taking place on 4/20, one of our favorite holidays. And Ice Cube wants audiences to remember one thing: “Bring your own sack. Don’t be bumming off nobody.”

The hip-hop legend, who got his official start in 1989 at age eighteen as the lead rapper with the groundbreaking group N.W.A., took a call with Westword from his L.A. office to discuss what fans can expect from the show, his relationship with Snoop Dogg, how the hip-hop industry has changed, and more.

Westword: Last year in April, you did imprints at the TCL Chinese Theater, and now this April, you’re going to be doing Red Rocks at 4/20. Must be a good month for you.

Ice Cube: Yeah, April’s nice! And it’s always great to play Red Rocks; it’s always a privilege. It’s always a great experience being there, no matter what the show looks like, you know? And so, I’m always honored when they have me come back. I remember doing it, and it started snowing, and it was so cool to be able to rock the crowd with the snow coming down. Hopefully, we get some sunny skies this time.

Do you remember your first time playing Red Rocks?

Ummmm. I actually do! You know, what I remember was just the rock formations, how they protruded into the dressing room. It was real dope. And I still got a plaque that they gave me. This was April 19, 2022. And I keep those plaques, which is really cool that they even give you something to commemorate that. And they’ve got a picture of Red Rocks on it. It’s in my office — I’m looking at it right now.

Were you aiming to do the 4/20 date specifically? That’s a very special show day, especially for Red Rocks.

Yeah, I mean, I know how much it means to Colorado, being one of the first states to legalize the use of cannabis on the recreational level. So it’s cool to be able to play on that day. Means so much to the bud smokers, you know? And we got the kind of music that works — you know, that West Coast ’90s, that music that still got the grooves, that feels good out there.

Your last tour, Truth to Power, was fully solo, and this show has a bunch of familiar faces. How did the lineup come together?

At first, I was with Big Boi from OutKast, and he ended up picking up a major tour, so he dropped out. So we called the homie Short, Too Short, to come through — Czarface was already on the show. And then Snoop, he must’ve heard about it, because he like, “Man I’m in town! I wanna do the show too!” [laughs]. And so we added Snoop, which is a major plus for people who got tickets for me and Too Short, and now Snoop as an added bonus. He’s going to do a whole show, so it’s dope. It’s going to be a whole party, a celebration.

I read that you and Snoop Dogg met on a boat in the ’90s. Could you tell us a bit about how your relationship with him has developed over the years, as well as Too Short?

I’ve been knowin’ Too Short since ’88. We met in San Diego, we was both on the same show with Easy E, N.W.A., Too Short, MC Hammer, UTFO, Heavy D & the Boyz, and Salt-N-Peppa. So it was our first time meeting, he gave us Born to Mack tape, and we drove from San Diego to Oakland just bumpin’ his music. And me and him got real close, because we was around the same age, speaking the same language and shit — excuse my French. So we became cool since then and working together ever since.

Snoop, I met him, he had dropped “Deep Cover,” he had been on The Chronic. And he was dropping a solo record, and they [Death Row Records and Interscope Records] had a listening party on the yacht. So I got invited and I came through, you know, I just wanted to say what’s up, because I didn’t want to go out on that yacht — didn’t want to get in the water [laughs]. So say what’s up and get off this boat before they leave (and they did have to bring the boat back because there was some problems). So anyway, I’ve been knowing him ever since, admiring him as an artist, and then getting to know him. We always choppin’ it up. He take advice and run with it, you know what I mean. It’s just always been love and respect between us. We just been cool ever since he came in the game.

You’ve been doing this for decades now. Do you have any reflections on how hip-hop has developed or changed since you started in the ’80s?

You know, the biggest thing is, you know, it started off as art. You know, rap music is art, a creative way to express yourself, talk about some frustrations you may have, whatever. It was viewed as art. Somewhere, it became a shift where people want, kind of like a self-snitch and testimonial confession right now, you know, talk about your dirty secrets in the music. And that’s kind of where the music has lost its way, because people are not expecting it to be art anymore. People expect it to be more of a testimonial of the things you did in life. And that’s not necessarily art. I mean, it’s like, I didn’t expect — I don’t know if people know this, I might date myself — but I didn’t expect Gladys Knight to actually have taken a midnight train to Georgia, if you know what I’m saying. Let’s keep in perspective. Once we go back to doing art, and making music as part of the art, it’ll heal.

So more using metaphor and storytelling type of language?

Well, you know, make a good song about situations that people understand and can relate to in some way, shape or form, is the key.

Recently on a podcast, J. Cole shouted out how Denver has an affinity for hip-hop. Do you have any thoughts on the audience out here in Colorado, or specifically in Denver?

I mean, it’s not surprising to me. Denver’s always been at the shows, always been, you know, kind of in tune with whatever’s poppin’. And this is before the internet. This is before social media. So, you know, new artists from the East Coast, newer artists, they probably don’t realize that. But me being from L.A., I understand what’s poppin’ out there.

And Denver has a great hip-hop scene with great artists. Would you have any advice for these artists who are trying to break into rap?

They’ve got to shout out Denver more! [Laughs]. Shout it out, let me know where you from. Hip-hop don’t care where it’s made, really. It’s about being creative, going back to being creative. Make a song that’s undeniable, that breakthrough that they can’t resist.

Is there anything else you want to tease for the Red Rocks show, any message for the fans coming out there?

[Laughs]. Get ready to party! You know what I mean. It’s a West Coast love fest. Come through, have a good time, bring your own sack. Not trying to condone nothing, but don’t be bumming off nobody else! And have fun — that’s the most important thing.

Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Too Short, Czarface play Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison, 7 p.m. Monday, April 20. Tickets are available via the Red Rocks website.