Ice Cube defends working for Trump’s team in run-up to election: ‘Every side is the Darkside’

President’s campaign adviser thanked rapper for ‘willingness to step up’

Ice Cube has defended himself from blowback after it emerged he was working with Donald Trump’s team.

The rapper and actor's fans were left confused after the president's campaign adviser Katrina Pierson gave him “a shoutout for his willingness to step up and work with [the Trump] administration” on Twitter.

“Leaders gonna lead, haters gonna hate – thank you for leading,” Pierson added.

Ice Cube, 51, is helping to develop the president’s Platinum Plan, a four-year programme aiming to help create three million new jobs for African-Americans. 

It will result in $500bn being given to black communities across America.

After receiving many messages of concern from his followers – including actor Don Cheadle – Ice Cube clarified his position on social media, stating that he was “contacted” by “both parties” due to his initiative, Contract With Black America.

Ice Cube – real name O’Shea Jackson – formed the programme in August with the intention of “striking at the heart of racism and [presenting] a blueprint to achieve racial economic justice.”

“Dems said we’ll address the CWBA after the election,” he wrote, adding: “Trump campaign made some adjustments to their plan after talking to us about the CWBA.”

According to Ice Cube's rep, Trump's campaign responded more enthusiastically to the initiative than Biden's.

Ice Cube responded directly to a fan who said he was “working with the Darkside”. 

He wrote: “Every side is the Darkside for us here in America. They’re all the same until something changes for us. 

“They all lie and they all cheat but we can’t afford not to negotiate with whoever is in power or our condition in this country will never change. Our justice is bipartisan.”