Ice Cube defends working with Trump campaign

The rapper O'Shea Jackson, better known as Ice Cube has been very vocal about his feelings about President Donald Trump in the past, even releasing a song titled "Arrest the President" in 2018.

But in the last 24 hours, Ice Cube let the world know that he is working with the Trump campaign on the President's "Platinum Plan" for Black Americans and defended himself against social media attacks.

“Facts: I put out the [Contract with Black America],” the rapper tweeted. “Both parties contacted me. Dems said we’ll address the CWBA after the election. Trump campaign made some adjustments to their plan after talking to us about the CWBA.”

The backlash started after Trump 2020 adviser Katrina Pierson tweeted, “Shoutout to @icecube for his willingness to step up and work with @realDonaldTrump Administration to help develop the #PlatinumPlan…Leaders gonna lead, haters gonna hate. Thank you for leading!”

In another tweet, Cube made clear that he has not endorsed anyone but would advise anyone who would help Black Americans close the wealth gap.

For some critics, Ice Cube working with the Trump campaign seemed like a far cry from his N.W.A. days, when he was recording songs like "F--- tha Police," which appeared on the group's "Straight Outta Compton" album in 1988.

Trump's proposed “Platinum Plan” would include creating 3 million new jobs in the Black community over the next four years, increasing access to capital by nearly $500 billion and strengthening Trump’s immigration policies to protect American jobs, according to his website.

"He said anyone who wants to have a conversation about ways to create racial equity, I'm here for it. I think where the critique is coming from is that for a lot of people, paticularly those in the black community, have viewed the rhetoric coming out of the White House and from the President as inflaming racism," said Dr. Rashawn Ray.

After a fan accused Ice Cube of working with the “Darkside,” he responded, “Every side is the Darkside for us here in America. They’re all the same until something changes for us. They all lie and they all cheat but we can’t afford not to negotiate with whoever is in power or our condition in this country will never change. Our justice is bipartisan.”