Former NWA member and Los Angeles legend Ice Cube has always held controversial opinions and has been a fiery character since he first began releasing his anti-establishment music. However, few know that his brand and some things he has said mean he is currently banned from appearing on Oprah and other daytime talk shows.
In an interview on The Tucker Carlson Show, the emcee (real name O’Shea Jackson) explained his predicament, unveiling, “I tried to go on The View. They didn’t have me on The View. A few of the hosts just really didn’t like where I was coming from. That’s what I was told by the producers.
He added, “I don’t know if it was the producers was just copping out and using some of the hosts to have me not explain myself. I’ve been on there before. It’s just when I’ve become an independent thinker. I don’t follow their brand of politics, I guess.”
Jackson admitted he really doesn’t understand why Winfrey has an issue with him, stating, “I’ve been excluded on Oprah. I don’t know why that it is. You know, I had a movie called Barbershop that I wasn’t invited to participate with the cast [on Oprah’s show]. I produced a show called Black White. It was a very controversial show, and once again, [Oprah] had the whole cast on, and I wasn’t invited. So I don’t know what that’s really about. I really don’t know [why]. That’s something that I would love to find out.”
This is not the first time Ice Cube has spoken about his issues concerning Oprah Winfrey. In 2006, he conducted an interview with FHM, during which he explained how she cherry-picked certain cast members to appear on her show and excluded him, disclosing, “For Barbershop, she had Cedric The Entertainer and Eve on, but I wasn’t invited. She’s had damn rapists, child molesters and lying authors on her show. And if I’m not a rags-to-riches story for her, who is?”
Even the Atlanta legend Ludacris has called out Winfrey for her “anti-hip-hop” attitude. In promotion of the 2005 film Crash, Ludacris appeared on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. However, after doing so, the rapper let it be known to various media outlets that he felt unwelcome and highly uncomfortable in Winfrey’s presence.
Diddy also unveiled he had a problem with Oprah Winfrey. However, both Ludacris and Diddy have appeared on the show, whereas, with Ice Cube, it seems Winfrey has been stubborn from the outset. You can hear Ice Cube speak about his feelings about it in the video below.