Monday, March 18, 2024

Ice Cube, DeRay Davis Talk ‘Hip Hop Squares’, Tupac’s Legacy & Another ‘Friday’ Movie

hip hop squares*Last week Ice Cube unveiled a new version of “Hip Hop Squares” on VH1, on which he also serves as the show’s executive producer, and comedian DeRay Davis plays host.

Cube’s remix of the game show, which was on-air for one season in 2012 on MTV2, follows the blueprint of the popular TV show “Hollywood Squares.”

“Hip Hop Squares” will invite stars from the worlds of music, sports and entertainment. For the show’s inaugural season, Cube enlisted T.I., Fat Joe, French Montana, Remy Ma, Wale and Machine Gun Kelly.

Billboard recently spoke with Ice Cube and DeRay about the creation of “Hip Hop Squares,” Tupac’s legacy, and the possibility of another “Friday” movie.

Peep the excerpts below.

READ RELATED STORY: Taraji P. Henson, Nia Long ‘Empire’ Beef Sparked by CPT Joke (Report)

hip hop squares

Cube, what made you decide to make a hip-hop version of the Hollywood Squares?

Ice Cube: Well, you know, there was a version that MTV2 did awhile back and we had did something cool with VH1 when we was doing Barbershop 3. We did a town hall meeting in Chicago with VH1. It went so well that when they brought up this Hip Hop Squares idea, they asked if we can come on and just help give it the flavor that it needed so that it can work this time a little differently.

How will this version be different from the MTV2 version that Peter Rosenberg hosted in 2012?

IC: I think VH1 gotta be the top cable station right now. So, I just think the timing is right. Plus, we got DeRay and we got different stars who have a higher profile. We’re dealing with some reality stars, too. I just think the energy is perfect this time, so hopefully, it’ll work.

So DeRay, when the show approached to you, what were your initial thoughts?

DeRay Davis: I was excited about it because I knew what potentially it could have been before. I knew that once Ice Cube got a hold of it, it put a different brand on it. Before, it was just called MTV’s Hip Hop Squares. When you hear Ice Cube produced [the VH1] version, that solidifies the hip-hop in it. It’s like if a homeless person is trying to sell you a house, you’re not paying attention to it as much. [Laughs.] But if you have somebody that’s a realtor like Cube in the hip-hop world, you’re willing to buy a house [from them]. So I think that definitely got me excited about it.

Sticking to the theme of movies, DeRay, you’ll be in the new Tupac biopic set to be released in June. Talk about your experience shooting All Eyez on Me.

DD: It was probably the most nervous I’ve been. Lately, I’ve been getting the serious roles, from Empire to other stuff, but I was more nervous about [All Eyez on Me], because I was a character that was involved in Tupac’s life. People are gonna be real skeptical. I’ve never met the man, so when people watch, they’re gonna say, this is what happened, or this isn’t what happened. I was a little nervous, but my comfort came in. I know people like the character I played, so I just hope it reads well for everybody, as far as his legacy goes.

In December, Tupac was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Cube, can you talk about how big of a win that is for Tupac, and for hip hop?

IC: I mean, it’s enormous, and it shows that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is really getting it right. Ever since Public Enemy, it seems like they’ve been getting it right. So it’s cool to see an artist like that make it, because I think he transcended hip-hop. People really, really identify with his passion. To me, he’s a Hall of Famer, and the definition of one, fo’ sho.

In a past interview, Chris Tucker said he wouldn’t be able to do another Friday because it was a “moment in time.” At this point in 2017, do you feel the same way and consider leaving the franchise alone for good?

IC: Nah, I don’t think that. I think that our community always has humor to offer. It’s all about finding a story that could be dope. It ain’t about us trying to be kids like we were in 1995, it’s really about us coming up with a story that works in 2017 or 2018. That’s the key, and it can be done. It’s just all about effort and attitude and not being denied. Right now, I think we got the movie company on-board. They know it’s not gonna be as inexpensive as the other ones, because these guys are household names now. So, I don’t agree with Chris. I think there’s a movie that can always be made about what’s going on in the hood. That was a place in time, but every movie is a place in time.

DD: I’m not knocking Chris for whatever he’s talking about, but remember, they’ve made four different Spidermans in the last 10 years. They casted them four different times. It worked well, because that audience wanted to see him — because he’s a superhero. What Cube and Chris did, they were superheroes to the hood. People always want to see them, and the characters they created. They always want to see them again, no matter if they changed the cape or the suit, the kryptonite is the same.

Head over to Billboard.com to read the full interview.

 

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