Ice Cube and Common have become two of the most revered elder-statesmen in hip-hop. They went from critical darlings to crossover stars who landed major roles in film and television. They also hated each other during the 1990s. Cube and Com went at each other's throats during the most dangerous period in the genre's history, and it took the urging of Minister Louis Farrakhan for them to settle their differences. They weren't the only two people involved in the beef, however. Pete Rock told his side of the story during a recent episode of Drink Champs.
Pete Rock recounted his legendary career during the podcast. He spoke on his falling out with former partner, CL Smooth, and his upcoming album with Common (the other guest). What listeners didn't see coming, though, was Rock's recollection of how much Ice Cube hated him. The producer laced the track for Common's diss, "The B*tch In Yoo," so Cube evidently felt as though Soul Brother No. 1 had chosen sides. To be fair, he kind of did. "Of course Ice Cube was a little upset with me," Pete Rock told the hosts. "That man had me feeling bad, man. He’s like, 'Yo, he was angry, he was upset.'"
Pete Rock Eventually Smoothed Things Over With Ice Cube
The producer felt bad about the situation. Fortunately, things blew over when Cube and Common agreed to end the beef in 1997. Pete Rock said that he was thrilled to discover that Cube had let his anger go the next time he encountered him. "'Aww Pete, come on,'" the producer recalled him saying. "'You good, bro, you good.'" Rock and Cube have remained on good terms, but it's worth noting that the producer was all for Common firing shots off back in 1996.
During a 2011 interview with Complex, Pete Rock claimed that he encouraged the Chicago rapper to respond to Ice Cube. "I remember getting a call from Common saying how upset he was about getting disrespected by Ice Cube," Rock told the outlet. "I told him, 'If you need my help, I’m here.'" He went on to commend both rappers for the way they handled the beef. "That’s how real men are supposed to get down," he posited. "But this was a wax thing. I think Common stood up as a man and told him how he really felt. It was memorable, man. Very classic moment."
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