Ice Cube receives an award at UCLA for its contributions to entertainment, sports

On Friday, hundreds of people filled a conference room at UCLA to see the Los Angeles Ice Cube icon receive an award for game-changing entertainment and sports.

UCLA awarded O’Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson – musician, actor, producer, director and CEO – the Game Changer Award at an annual conference hosted by the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

The most notable songs by Ice Cube as a musical artist include "You Know How We Do It", "No Vaseline" and "I Rep That West", among other songs.

The Pulse conference, organized by the Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports, or MEMES of the School of Management, rewards personalities in these fields with the Game Changer Award. It also attracts leaders from these industries to discuss their respective trades.

The event usually brings together around 500 people each year, according to the School of Management website.

This year, the award was presented by Jay Tucker, executive director of MEMES.

"(Ice) Cube changed the game because he saw possibilities that others hadn't seen," said Tucker. "He made a difference because he showed the world to him and his community."

Ice Cube sat down after receiving the award for a conversation with Jeff Moorad, MEMES board member and assistant professor at the school of management, to discuss his roots in the center -south of Los Angeles and its long career.

Ice Cube said that early in their career with hip-hop collective N.W.A, they thought they were going to be local artists for south Los Angeles. They thought that the major league rappers were only from New York, he said.

"I know they don't like me in New York, but … they will love me in the neighborhood," said Ice Cube.

Although the group is focused on its home port, its music has reached people outside the borders of California.

"We just started taking off," said Ice Cube. "We were true to ourselves, so the world recognized."

Ice Cube also discussed his debut in the film industry, acting in the Oscar-nominated film "Boyz n the Hood".

After filming "Boyz n the Hood", Ice Cube began writing, directing and producing films such as "Friday", "Ride Along" and "Straight Outta Compton".

He said that one of his favorite films to produce was the 2005 film "Are we still there?" The family film with a predominantly all black cast allowed her to give back to her community, said Ice Cube.

"Black children don't get movies like this," he said. "So I was happy to do it."

Ice Cube also said that he was happy to have a career in voiceover for entertainment and sports. He commented on sports documentaries, cartoons, video games and more. Some of his most famous voiceovers include his contributions to the video game "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and to the film "The Book of Life".

"It's cool to be there long enough to have a recognizable voice," said Ice Cube. "And, you know, I'm not at all crazy about this."

Ice Cube also discussed BIG3 and FIREBALL3. FIREBALL3 is the official title for a 3 on 3 basketball style. Ice Cube co-founded the sport and BIG3, its professional league.

Ice Cube closed the conference by saying that he wanted to be able to lead by example to people from all communities to overcome the status quo.

Several conference attendees said they thought the Game Changer Award was well deserved for Ice Cube.

Blake Miller, originally from Southern California and a graduate student at UCLA, said that Ice Cube has always been an icon. He added that he thought Ice Cube deserved this award because of the constant reinvention of his career throughout his life.

"Not only does he change the games he participates in, he changes the game for what it means to be an LA businessman," said Miller.

Participant Ronna Williams said that Ice Cube represents LA well and inspires the black community.

"(He) takes LA wherever he goes," said Williams. "I became very emotional because it gives hope to our culture – our young men who are growing up, it gives them hope because it comes from the" hood " . "