Written and Photographed by

Zack Hartman

Ball Arena turned into hip-hop history class when Ice Cube kicked off his first U.S. headlining tour in more than a decade. Billed as the “Truth to Power: 4 Decades of Attitude” tour, the night was a celebration of forty years of chart topping music that still hits after all this time.

The lights dropped and a rapid fire reel of images flashed across the big screen – Compton streets, movie stills, old photos – while Cube’s own voice narrated the story. He walked the crowd through each chapter of his career, from the raw days with N.W.A. to his solo breakout and Hollywood stardom, each era separated by new voiceovers recorded just for this tour.

Then came the first surprise, Lil Eazy-E, son of Cube’s late N.W.A. partner, strode out on a second stage at the other end of the arena to cheers that rattled the rafters. Later, fellow Westside Connection member WC (Dub-C) joined in, and when Scarface stepped up, the arena tipped into a full scale party. The crowd bounced like it was ’95 again, phones instead of lighters in the air, but feet moving just the same.

Cube ran the catalog deep, touching everything from the early anthems and throwbacks such as “No Vaseline” to tracks off his brand new album Man Up, released only days before. His gravel-rich delivery stayed sharp, every lyric still heavy with street knowledge and that unmistakable West Coast swing.

Between songs he grinned and talked about what forty years in music really means, “Straight celebration,” he told Denver in the 9NEWS preview, and the packed house made good on that promise. Ball Arena was shoulder to shoulder, fans from every era shouting along, proof that the legend still commands a room like few can.

A night that started as a history lesson ended as a living, breathing party. Ice Cube didn’t just spend his time reminiscing, he proved he’s still writing the story.

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