As the Big3 basketball leagues enters into its sixth season, co-founder and hip-hop superstar Ice Cube is venting about some of the roadblocks to its ongoing success.
The legendary NWA MC begins his lengthy Instagram video by airing some grievances and challenges, while confessing he’s not part of part of the elite Hollywood ‘club’.
Talking directly into the camera, the Los Angeles native rants about being on the outs with the elites and ‘gatekeepers’ in show business and sports, and how it ‘pisses them off’ when you don’t want to part of their club.
‘What club am I talking about? I’m talking about the club of gatekeepers that we all got to deal with. You know who they are and they definitely know who they are,’ he declares.
Ice Cube (born O’Shea Jackson Sr.), 54, maintains certain groups have making life difficult for him since he put out the Contract With Black America, which ‘strikes at the heart of racism and presents a blueprint to achieve racial economic justice,’ according to PR Newswire.
Airing grievances: Ice Cube, 54, shared a lengthy statement on Instagram on Sunday, where he talked about being an outsider, and not part of the ‘gatekeepers club’, and how the NBA has been working against’ the Big3 basketball league he co-founded in 2017
It’s at this point that the F**k The Police rapper mentions his Big3 league and that the NBA (National Basketball Association) has been’ f***ing with me.’
He then proceeds to explain his gripe with the NBA, which from the sounds of things, has been putting up roadblocks to impede their growth.
‘Now, a lot of people might say, “but Cube you may want to work with the NBA.” Really, I did give a f**k about working with the NBA. What I want them to do, when I say work with us, is to stop working against us. Stop doing that bulls**t behind the scenes – we know you’re doing,’ he says in a soft and direct tone.
The Boyz N the Hood star then more than insinuates how the leagues hasn’t gotten any help from the mainstream media’
‘That’s cool, we can do it ourselves, you know what I’m saying. We’re still on the rise without these mother f***ers so we don’t need them and you don’t need them,’ he declares, before revealing his plans to do a podcast while out on the road.
‘So what am I going to do to deal with those motherf***ing gatekeepers? Well, what I’m going to do is go on a f**k the gatekeepers podcast tour,’ he explains. ‘And I’m going to talk to everybody. And get a chance to get my message out to the people. Be able to let people hear from me, you know.’
The star intends to ‘go on these platforms say what I feel about what I think.’
Taking on NBA: While referencing his Big3 basketball league, the rapper and actor claimed the NBA (National Basketball Association) has been’ f***ing with me’
Small ball: Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz that has just kicked-off its sixth season
‘And some people might get pissed off because I’m going to talk to everybody. I’m not playing. And it’s going to be a crazy summer. It’s going to be fun.’
After urging his fans and followers to keep supporting the Big3, Cube shares how he appreciates people for their support.
‘Much love and much respect from your homeboy Ice Cube. Remember that,’ he says to end the video.
Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz.
Champs: The team Trilogy come into season six as back-to-back champions
The make up: The 12 team league is made up of former NBA players and international players
Big3: With rules that contain deviations from the official 3-on-3 basketball playbook as administered by FIBA, all Big3 teams are ‘barnstorming’ teams and do not represent any cities or geographical regions
The league began play in 2017 with eight teams,: 3’s Company, 3 Headed Monsters, Ball Hogs,Ghpst Ballers, Killer 3’s, Power, Trilogy and Tr-State.
Then, just two years later, the league expanded to 12 teams by adding Bivouac, Enemies, Aliens and Triplets.
With rules that contain deviations from the official 3-on-3 basketball playbook as administered by FIBA, all Big3 teams are ‘barnstorming’ teams and do not represent any cities or geographical regions.
With Trilogy the reigning back-to-back champion, the sixth season of the Big3 league got underway on Sunday, June 25.
