Ice Cube’s 4 Kids: Everything to Know

Ice Cube’s four children – O’Shea Jr., Darrell, Kareema and Shareef – changed his life completely.

The Los Angeles-born rapper and actor – born O’Shea Jackson – became a dad for the first time in the early ’90s, when his then-girlfriend Kimberly Woodruff gave birth to their son, O’Shea Jr. Ice Cube told Access to Hollywood that taking on parental duties turned him “from a boy into a man” and helped him “understand what is important” in life.

Over the next decade, Ice Cube and Woodruff married and had three more children. Although the rapper joked that he became less “cool” after becoming a dad, he couldn’t be more proud of his family and the “good people” his children have become.

“They give you a reason to work harder. They make you focus on what you are trying to build in life. If you’re trying to build a family, kids are the glue,” Ice Cube said in 2007.

Although his children are now grown, he hopes the foundation he built will help them lead successful lives — and take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.

“Always recognize opportunities. What you get in life is opportunity and you either take it or you don’t,” he said of the advice he offered his children. “If you don’t accept it, you can’t expect the same opportunity to come back to you. You have to take the initiative and seize the moment.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Ice Cube’s children: O’Shea Jr., Darrell, Kareema and Shareef.

O’Shea Jackson Jr., 32

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Ice Cube and Woodruff’s first child, O’Shea Jackson Jr., was born in LA on February 24, 1991. The couple named O’Shea after his father, even though he didn’t really like his name growing up. It wasn’t until he was a teenager that he began to appreciate his name.

“You know, I didn’t really like my name until I was about 17. O’Shea isn’t actually on mugs or license plates. You know, the key chains that kids want,” he continued The Late Late Show 2018 “I didn’t really like it until I realized how unique I was.”

After graduating from William Howard Taft High School in 2009, O’Shea enrolled at the University of Southern California. During his time at school, O’Shea studied screenwriting, but later dropped out to pursue his acting career – although he says he wouldn’t rule out going back to college.

“USC really developed my love for cinema. … I know that my first love is these films. I want to continue my film career. I want to make a name for myself,” he said Entertainment Weekly 2015, jokingly adding, “I want to go and get my degree because it’s always better to go to college as a celebrity.”

While acting, O’Shea also launched a music career under the name OMG, although he has since dropped that moniker. He was featured on several songs with his father, including “Y’all Know How I Am” from Ice Cube’s 2010 album. I Am the West, and joined him on stage in the performance. In 2012, O’Shea released his own mixtape, Jacking for Beats.

O’Shea Jackson Jr. says he wears his Nepo baby status as a ‘badge of honour’: Ice Cube ‘is my hero’

O’Shea’s big break came shortly after the release of his mixtape when he was cast Straight from Compton, a film based on his father’s career. Despite the fact that he will be playing his father in the film, he says that he still had to audition and rightly deserve the role.

“They put me on the wringer. For two years, I took acting classes, learned techniques, went to auditions, callbacks and things like that,” he told PEOPLE. “When you haven’t acted before, it’s a big dish. But I couldn’t sit in the theater and think that someone was misrepresenting my father. If I thought, ‘Oh, he wouldn’t do that,’ I’d be sick.”

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From Straight from ComptonO’Shea was given several other roles, including in Ingrid goes west, Lair of Thieves, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and, recently, Cocaine bear. He also made a name for himself on television in shows like Now, Swagger and Star Wars miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi. He is currently working on his next films, Den of Thieves 2: Panther and american sole.

As for those who believe O’Shea has had an “unfair” advantage in the industry, he said he wears his “nepo baby” status “as a badge of honor.” “I’m forever grateful for everything my dad had to do to give me the opportunities I have,” he said The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2023

“If I were to run away from it or be ashamed of it in any way, in my eyes that’s disrespectful to everything he had to go through. He didn’t try as hard as he did so that I don’t accept and appreciate it,” he added.

He continued: “A lot of people when they see me, of course [they say], ‘Hey, you’re Ice Cube’s son.’ You’re damn right, 100%, that’s my hero. That’s my coach. At the same time, the door may be open, but you have to go through.”

O’Shea has also achieved major milestones in his personal life. In August 2017, he welcomed his daughter, Jordan Reign – and says she forced him to operate on a “different level”.

“It gives you a new purpose in life,” he said Essence. “It’s time to play. It’s the fourth trimester and it’s putting you to work. It makes you more calculated in how you deal with yourself and the things that will represent your child’s progress in life.”

Darrell Jackson, 31

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Ice Cube and Woodruff welcomed their second son, Darrell Jackson, on December 3, 1992. Darrell also attended William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California, graduating in 2010.

Like his father, Darrell pursued a music career, performing under the name Doughboy — which was taken from Ice Cube’s character in Boyz n the Hood (1991). He collaborated with his father and brother O’Shea on several songs, including “Y’all Know How I Am” and “Here He Come” from the 2008 album. Raw recording.

According to his Instagram, Darrell works for Ice Cube’s Lench Mob Records. He also works with Cube Vision, his father’s film and television production company, and was an associate producer on Straight from Compton. Darrell is also involved in the Big 3, a 3-on-3 professional basketball league founded by Ice Cube.

Darrell married his wife Janet in November 2022.

Kareema Jackson, 29

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On February 17, 1994, Ice Cube and Woodruff welcomed their daughter Kareema. Although Kareema has stayed away from the limelight, she has joined her father on several red carpets at movie premieres and award shows.

According to Kareema’s Instagram, she graduated high school in 2012 — and her parents helped celebrate the milestone by gifting her with a brand new car. Although Kareema hasn’t updated her account in several years, it’s filled with photos of LA Kings hockey games and visits to various theme parks.

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Kareema was recently seen supporting her brother O’Shea on Obi-Wan Kenobi screening held during the annual Star Wars celebration in May 2022.

Shareef Jackson, 23

Ice Cube Twitter

Ice Cube and Woodruff’s youngest son, Shareef, was born on June 1, 2000. He spent most of his life out of the limelight and appeared in public only on rare occasions.

Shareef seems to be a big sports fan and he is joined his father in football, basketball and baseball games through the years. He also stepped out with his family to celebrate Ice Cube getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017.

He recently followed his father meet race car driver Joey Logan in February 2022.

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Source: HIS Education