Interview Only: Rapper Ice Cube discusses Big3 season 8, mental health impact and league innovation.

My next guest is a multi hyphen legendary rapper, actor and producer of some of our favorite films, an entrepreneur, founding member of the iconic Rap collective NWA, and.

Of course, co founder of the Big Three Basketball League. We know them, we love them. It's my brother, the one and only Ice CBS in the house. What's going on, big time? How are you man? How's everything all?

Good? Man? Good to be here?

Thank you man, Please my pleasure now? Am I reading this correctly? Season eight of the Big Three tips off. The tipped off this weekend.

Bro Season eight, he's an eight.

You know, it's been it's been a nice long ride, but it's been a great ride. And you know, season eight that means, you know, the people really love the style of play and they rewarding us with, you know, little longevity here.

So we're gonna keep it going.

Express to everybody what your vision was when you first started this league and whether or not you believe that vision has become reality.

You know, I go back to what I said in twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, if this league I wanted to last one hundred years, you know, like like the NFL or the NBA, you know, was just going on a hunting so, yeah, I wanted to be here.

Why not. You know, we got this style of play.

Three on three has always been part of basketball. It's never really got it shine, and now it's starting to shine and people saying it's a great style of play.

You know, mono a mono.

You know, you gotta be able to pass, dribble, shoot, and defend to have success.

And it's a great game.

You know what you think about what the Big Three?

I mean, listen, I got to tell you, I'm proud of I'm proud of what you've done to the league with the league. I'm proud of the opportunities you've given cats. You know that obviously some of that retired from the NBA and stuff like that, but they still got skills. They just ain't trying to run up and down a quarter full ninety four feet for eighty two nights a year, that kind of thing.

But when I think about.

This league and what you've done for so many people, what are the kind of things these players are telling you the Big Three has done for them.

You know, one thing we never counted on was how much this league would help mental health of our heroes on the court, getting them back in the arena where they belong. These guys have honed their skills, you know, as long as you have, you know, doing your art, and just think, you know, somebody can walk up one day and tell you it's over just because of what you know. They don't have room for you.

You know what I mean.

It's like, yo, these guys still want to play at the highest level. They go overseas, but they want to be at home. They want to play in those arenas that they used to play, and they want to play in front of you know, American crowds, their friends, their family, they bring their kids to the game.

So never thought, you.

Know, we helping players' mental health as much as we are when it comes to, you know, what they can achieve on the basketball court.

I'm seeing former NBA players that's a part of the league right now. And I'm told former NBA champions Dwight Howard and Lance Stevenson were ejected from Saturday season open up between Miami and Los Angeles. That's spiled into the media box. What the hell is that about? I mean, they think you got cats getting fighting and doing all of that right now, what's that about how you feel about that ice que.

Hey man, you know it's part of the game. Like you know, they ready to play. You know, they they're passionate. They not just out there because you know they're getting you know, crazy money. They out there because they love the game. And this is what the fans want to see. As far as the passion. Now, we don't condone the fighting. You know, we let you trash talk a little. We don't want players touching each other, you know what I mean.

But we want to and you know it happened.

It's built over in our first game between two rookies. This is their first game in the Big Three, and welcome to the Big Three.

The Big Three, which is on CBS by the way, for everybody that's watching them debut with eight all new franchises.

Tell me about them.

I'm looking at Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Miami.

I mean, LA, talk to me about that eight new teams.

Yeah, well, you know, we decided to plan ourselves in cities before we were kind of a you know, barnstorming league not connected to any cities. We wanted to create Big Three fans and fans of the style of the game. And now that we have that, it's time to plant our flags in cities. We opening up a real big fandom when it comes to that.

So it's unlocking.

A lot of eyes onto the Big Three, a lot of interest. You know, when when you got your city pride to add to to you know, your you know, expectations of the game, it uh, it just takes us to another level. So we got eight, Now we want to go to twelve. We want to go to you know, sixteen twenty. You know, we don't have a team in New York yet, so you know, Steven that you might want to put it, put some you know, put put a team together, you know, grab that New York squad.

So you never know, I have to.

I might have to. How might have to?

You can't have you can't have a basketball league and no team in New York. We definitely got to talk about that, make no mistink about it.

But but I want to know this Qube.

You know when you came in, when you started this, since its inception, what's been the biggest challenge for you that you've encountered and try to help this league grow.

You know, it's been challenging in different ways. You know, we we really thought we were going to get more love from the sports media. Having the names that we have involved with this league. You've always you know, been able to you know, shine light on the league with your platform, which I appreciated from day one. You know, but you know a lot of sports media looks over the league and it's a shame because in the dog days of summer, you know, for who fans you know, this is to me, you.

Know, a league that is bite sized.

You know, we got ten weeks and we crowned champion and then you know, we can get to the NFL. So it's pretty pretty cool for the summer. So I just wish the sports media get with the program.

I totally agree with you that I certainly could do more and I am gonna do more.

But I'll tell you else. I think the players could do more as well. I'm not talking about.

Playing because I know they bring what they bring, but I'm talking about talking about the Big Three when you're looking forward to I just saw Dwight Howard the other day. He about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He didn't mention the Big Three. It would have been nice and he mentioned that you see what I'm saying stuff like that, just letting cats know, Yo, this ain't the only kind of basketball is going on.

We got some.

Skills that we still want to showcase as well. So I think a lot of the players can do the same. It's a collective effort.

To media.

You do, you're the.

One person that you're the one reliable commodity with the Big Three from the standpoint, you always, always, always are promoting this league. And I think the players, they got a lot to say with their podcasts and all of that stuff, they could do a lot more as well.

Would you say that.

We would love that.

You know, some players do, you know, use their platform to hype up the Big Three, But we would love for the players to do more that. You know, why the players love the league is that we don't put you know, too many you know, like ain't doing them like that. You know they want If they want to do it, it's got to be out the love of their heart. We're not going to require them to do that.

So you know, I don't think we're gonna change that. You know.

Of course we would love for them to talk about it twenty four seven, but at the end of the day's growing men, it's up.

To them on what they want to talk about.

One of the things that you've done with this league has become more than just sport to touch his culture, music community, all of that.

Was that always your intention.

Always, you know, I thought, you know, music culture and sports is like you know, peanut butter and jelly with the milk, you know what I mean, it all go together.

It's perfect.

So that's always been you know, our philosophy. We had Jim Jones come out rock the house today. I mean, you know, on Saturday doing Game one, we're gonna have spot Face out and.

Uh out there in Baltimore.

So you know, we plan on bringing the best entertaining the people with basketball music culture. You know, we got break dances out there from Monster Energy, we got DJ dancers, dunkers, everything you can name.

At the Big Three. So it's you know, it's a carnival.

You know, it's a lot of fun at the events.

You've also talked about ownership involving you know, ownership opportunities for these players, and I know equity is has always been important with the Big Three and how different is that you know from other leagues in your estimation in terms of ownership opportunities for these players.

Explain that to the audience.

Well, you know, a lot of our day one players who helped start the league have an ownership in the league, which is amazing. And you know, once the league is you know, profitable, we'll be able to start cashing them out and that'd be a great thing. You know, at the end of the day, it's really about you know,

We got four owners now looking for four more.

And then we're gonna expand the league, so it's going to continue to go up. So we want some of the players you know who want ownership in the league, like this to come forward. Like I said, put groups together on some of these franchises and think about, you know, their generational wealth.

We think we got it here with the Big Three.

Big Three's embraced innovation like the special all red fireball five ball three rules, a four point shot, a fourteen second shot clock, and to bring the five challenge where teams can contest a foul call with an in game one on one. How does that enhanced the game and estimation?

Well, you know, if you look at three on three, if you saw the Olympics, it feels you know, amateur if you really put it frankly. But at the end of the day, the Big Three we professional league. We wanted to have our wrinkles that helped our game. We wanted to have things that you couldn't see nowhere else in a pro basketball game, like our four point shot, like our bring the fire rule, one shot free throws.

One of the last questions I got for you on the Big Three man Big Three head coach of basketball legend Nancy Lever as the first woman to become a head coach of a men's professional team. As powers head coach, she led the team to the title in twenty eighteen. Have you considered expanding the league to include more women athletes?

Sure? You know, we we u offered Caitlin.

Clark, you know, a shot at our league last year and it didn't work out.

You know, we thought she could probably.

Have a Billy Jeane King moment, and we thought she could maybe have success in our league because you know, small guards have had some success in the league, like you know, like more ab du Roof and Nate Robinson, you know, not comparing them, but at the end of the day, we thought, you know, more than a bigger player, you know, she could maybe get loose.

So it didn't happen.

You know, the player captain's pick who they want to be in the league.

We've got owners. Now, you never know what's gonna happen.

So if a player captain pick a woman to be on her his team, then she's in the league.

Over the week.

It was this past weekend. How long does this league last? This particular summer? When's the end day? When's the championship game?

Championship? August twenty fourth, ten week season.

We got one buy you know, so you know, count us down, check us out every weekend. You know, we got games either Saturday or Sunday CBS and Vice TV.

And hey, you know what I mean.

Come if we're in your town, come check it out because you got to see seven foot is play three on three is incredible.

Well, I'm coming, I'm coming. I'm gonna sit with you. You're gonna have a seat for me right next to you. That's what I'm talking about. I mean, damn, it's a courtsut seats are hard to come by every damn place.

But it better not be with Q.

If I'm in the house, I better have a seat waiting for me right next to you.

Bro.

I mean last, I'll sit with you at l a couple of years ago.

Yeah, no problem, man. You always got to see if my wife don't come you you right there. If she did, you got to see.

Now I'm go, I can't come before the wife. I can't come before the white man. What you been doing with yourself?

Man?

How much of your time is being taken up by this? Because I mean, you're an actor, you obviously a musician.

You know you be doing your thing. And I gotta admit to you, I haven't even seen you to say this to you. It hurt my dam feelings when you set up there and saying to.

The Yankees when you know, when you told them about it, that hurt my feelings. Killed now hurt my feelings because you know, I'm a Yankee fan and I knew they were in trouble, and then they came with with with with.

With Fat Joe.

I'm like, yo, I love him for the Knicks, but the Yankees nine stepped out of pocket there.

I was like, nah, I ain't cute and it ain't gonna work.

I was depressed by you know, at the end of the day, you know, I had fun.

I'm a big Dodger fan, you know, so I had to do it, you know.

You know the Yankees do hurt our hearts so many times.

Gang, you know, I got to try to get ahead some way, somehow, So it was great to be a part of that. And uh, you know, it's just just a you know, I'm a busy man, but I love it. You know, spend eighteen hours a day on the Big Three. You know, when I commit to something, I committed one hundred and tempercent. So that's what it's all about right now for me. It's all Big Three.

You know. Then we'll jump back on the music.

I got a tour coming, the Truth to Power Tour in the fall, So you can't get rid of me, Stephen.

Ah.

I'm just I'm trying to figure that say it out.

I'm like that brother music car Risk being forty years and he was about to come out with a new album.

And by the way, you don't look you don't look forty.

So I'm looking at you like, damn, it's forty years of the music industry.

I mean, that's a lot of time. But you don't look it, bro, you don't look it.

Hey man, people don't realize. You know, I started as a real young man. You know, I was fourteen, fifteen years old when I started, you know, wrote my first hit song at sixteen, you know, a song called Boys in the Hood for easy Eating rest in Peace. So been here, you know, doing it, and it's time to celebrate that, you know, four decades of attitude. You know you got to catch me when I come to town.

Well, listen, man, let me not forget this from my orders. You were recently honored with your handprint ceremony of the Chinese did the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrating your icotic career.

Fans, family friends on hand. What did that day mean to you?

Man?

That's a movie star status, you know what I mean. At the end of the day, a lot of people got stars, not a lot got their hands and feeding some men in front of the Man's Chinese theater. So great honor, something you don't expect. When you get the call. You just feel, you know, gratitudes of attitude for real, you know, you just feel blessed to be in this position and to have a career that people are recognizing.

Uh, decades later.

Man, is it true that you gotta you know, I'm hearing these reports that the last Friday films and developments is that true? Fans that finally, uh, you know we've been okay then.

Fighting the play wait a long time.

You know they's not just new leadership at New Line and Warner Brothers with Mike de Luca. You know, now it's time to start putting the pieces together.

I can never talk to you without giving your son some love.

I saw then the Thieves two a few months ago, the Brothers doing this thing. Oh, Shay Jackson. I mean, proud, Papa. I'm imagining that brother's got talent. My man, He's got a real, real bright future in Hollywood. As far as I'm concerned, he can act. I love what I see from your son. How are you feeling about what he's doing with himself these days?

And he's a better actor than me, you know what I mean, like amazing range, you know, fully dedicated, and you know, proud that he's running with him. You know he's not walking with him. And so you know, all we can do is parents, I know, happy Father's Day to order. Father's out there that's really involved in their kids life, no doubt, and so look to you to really to really you know, being your kids life and watch them do something, put them in a place to win,

So you know he out there doing what he needs to do to win the game. So you know, I'm proud of it.

Ie, Before I let you get on out of here, man, forgive me for fear left and.

Ask you this question. You're you're an LA native.

You see what's going on in the streets of Los Angeles right now with all these protests because of the Trump administration and ice and what they're doing with migrants.

And stuff like that.

And you see a lot of people protesting across the country, but obviously a lot of it is emanating with the no Kings protests emanating out of Los Angeles.

What has been your.

Thoughts about it, because you you you've never been shy about expressing what you believe is right and what have you And obviously you know you're politically conscientious as well. Your thoughts about what you've been seeing.

It's heartbreaking, you know, see.

The city go up like this, you know, just to see the city kind of I mean, the government handle it in the way they're handling it. You know, they're they're using a lot of humiliation, you know, and they're being you know, being very you know, heavy handed. You know, I understand the laws of the law and all that, but why you gotta be so heavy handed with what you're doing so disrespectfully.

Purchase weddings?

You know, you hit these places, man, and you know it's just I think it could be turning.

In a more respectful way. Man, It's just it's not right.

I got you.

I appreciate you, my man. I always appreciate your voice, appreciate what you're doing. You know, I'm always here for you, my man. You take care of yourself and I look forward to talking to you and seeing you soon.

All right, you be good.

Take it easy, Take it easy, man, always, any time.

Always, no doubt. One and only ice Cube right here on the Stephen Nate Smith Show. My thanks to the one and only Q himself. You can catch The Big Three on CBS and Vice TV. Also The Truth The Power Tool coming to a city near you, very very soon.