After being the subject of vitriol from people on the left for daring to work with the Trump team on the Platinum Plan, rapper and actor Ice Cube remains undeterred. In a series of tweets and an appearance on CNN, the entertainer, whose real name is O’Shea Jackson, explained and defended his decision to cross the aisle. 

On Thursday, the artist posted tweets clarifying his meeting with members of Trump’s team and explained that it was not an endorsement, but a conversation about his Contract With Black America, a document laying out a series of policies to address racial inequality. He said that he has not endorsed a presidential candidate. 

“Black progress is a bipartisan issue. When we created the Contract With Black America we (expected) to talk to both sides of the (aisle). Talking truth to power is part of the process,” he tweeted. “I will advise anybody on the planet who has the power to help Black Americans close the enormous wealth gap.”

Cube also explained that both parties reached out to him about his contract, but that the Democrats wanted to delay discussing the issue until after the election. On the other hand, Trump’s team was willing to work with him before the election and made some changes to the Platinum Plan based on his input. 

In a Friday appearance on CNN, Cube stated that he is willing to work with both teams. “I’m not playing no more of these political games, we’re not part of a team … so I’m going to whoever’s in power, and I’m going to speak to them about our problems, specifically,” he said, noting that “our” is referring to Black people. “I’m not going in there talking about minorities. I’m not going in there talking about people of color or diversity or none of that stuff. I’m going there for Black Americans, the ones who are descendants of slaves.”

The artist also argued that the black community must close the wealth gap to survive. “This is the problem in America, Black people don’t own on capital,” he insisted. “We cannot survive in America another 100 years living like this.”

The controversy over Ice Cube’s conversations with the Trump team erupted when the campaign’s senior advisor Katrina Pierson revealed that he had assisted in forming the plan. This news came as a shock to many on the left as the artist has been a vocal critic of the president. High-profile individuals on the left falsely accused him of becoming a Trump supporter. They called him names like “coon,” “sellout,” and the rest of their usual favorites. 

Despite the animosity being thrown his way, Cube has not backed down or apologized for his decision. He has even called out some of the more famous people on the left for spreading misinformation about his actions. Even though some are calling for his cancellation, he is not giving in and will likely not have to. The artist is one of the few celebrities who has become iconic enough to make him uncancelable. 

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