After decades in the game, Ice Cube is getting a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Cube will reportedly be part of the 2017 class of recipients in the recording category, alongside John Legend and New Edition. Cube's induction should come as no surprise given his illustrious recording career, which got a jump with the release of N.W.A's 1988 classic, Straight Outta Compton. Cube went on to become one of the most influential forces in hip-hop, releasing classic albums including his solo debut Amerikka's Most Wanted and what many say is his best album to date, Death Certificate.

The announcement comes on the heels of another prominent invitation for the multi-talented rapper/actor, as he's also been tapped to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The move is part of the Academy's attempt to diversify it's overwhelmingly, ridiculously white institution. This is, of course, following a call by Jada Pinkett-Smith to boycott the 2016 awards ceremony. Many critics felt that the F. Gary Gray-directed N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton, which was released to critical and commercial acclaim, should have been nominated in the best director or actor categories. However, it wasn't because... racism.

Cube joins Idris Elba, Brie Larson, John Boyega, America Ferrera, Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman as the largest and most diverse class of invitees ever. Time will only tell if that move will change the traditionally white-washed nominations in the future.

So far, 2016 has been a stellar year for the hip-hop legend. N.W.A. was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which led to a back-and-forth between Cube and Gene Simmons about whether or not the groundbreaking hip-hop group deserved the induction.

Controversy aside, Cube has long proven that he's not only one of the most important artists to touch hip-hop but music and pop culture. With his slew of recent accomplishments added onto an already stellar career, there's not much left to do but bow down.

 

 

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