The son of rapper and actor Ice Cube noted his success could not have happened without his father's hard labor.
Hollywood's "Nepo Babies" have been having a hard time thanks to this week's New York Magazine-inspired discourse. The magazine's deep dive into the invisible network of family ties that makes up the media industry and how Hollywood's tried-and-true practice of giving the children of famous celebrities a boost up the ladder, has caused waves of discussion that's rubbed some the wrong way.
But O’Shea Jackson Jr., son of rapper, actor and filmmaker Ice Cube, offered his own perspective on being a "nepo baby."
"My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in [Straight Outta Compton]," the 31-year-old wrote in a series of tweets. "I was already in college for screenwriting at USC. I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn't hold my hand through my career. I had to get my a** up and make it work. ... Once the door was opened it was up to me to walk through it and thrive."
Jackson made his debut playing his father in the 2015 biopic of the legendary hip-hop group NWA, and has since scored various roles that mark him as a talent all his own. He's appeared in Obi-Wan Kenobi, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ingrid Goes West, and more -- which he stressed in his tweets, could not have happened without his father providing that first step.
"But none of that. NONE. OF. THAT. Happens that way without the love of my father. The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that or not accept and use as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful. I am grateful and I use his teachings daily," he shared.
"To the people who are 2nd, 3rd or any number of generational talent/wealth. Embrace that s**t. Because it’s something that’s been happening for centuries," he added. "Do not let anyone get it in your head that you should feel bad or your accomplishments are less than what they are. Bust your a**! Do the work! And leave something for your kids to do the same thing! It is not a shadow for you to get out of! It is an empire to which you are growing! But it all starts with love of yourself. Love of those before you. A strong mind & WORK."
"I wish everyone in this world to be able to present opportunities for their children to succeed. No matter how big or small. It’s something all parents work for," he ended his tweets. "May everyone who reads this, blaze a trail for their family to be able to walk in the future. And teach them to love themselves. To love their family. And pave the way for the next. Thank you that was my TED talk."
Lily Allen, born to an actor father (Keith Allen) and a mother who produced movies (Alison Owen), also responded to the discourse in defense of the nepo babies.
"The nepo babies y'all should be worrying about are the ones working for legal firms, the ones working for banks,and the ones working in politics, If we're talking about real world consequences and robbing people of opportunity. BUT that's none of my business," she tweeted on Monday, later adding, "And before you come at me for being a nepo baby myself, I will be the first to tell you that I literally deserve nothing."
In a more nuanced thread posted on Tuesday, the singer clarified her stance, noting that she previously had difficulty acknowledging her family's attribution to her success because of her "fraught" relationships with them, but understood that the conversation isn't as simple as she initially made it seem.
"It is quite clear that there is a severe lack of representation in the industry where class and race are concerned. Everyone loses as a result," she wrote. "I do feel that nepo babies are being somewhat scapegoated here though, there is a wider, societal conversation to be had about wealth inequality, about lack of programs and funding, and I guess that was the point I was trying to make, maybe badly."
"I promise you I’m not rooting for an industry full of people that had childhoods that looked like mine," she added. "I just really think that we can’t get to a real solution without identifying the real problem, as fun as it is to laugh at the kids of famous people. Nepo babies have feelings."
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