Photo: Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb
Ice Cube‘s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., is stepping in to comment on the “nepo baby” conversation.
For the uninitiated, a nepo baby—aka nepotism baby—is a slightly derogatory label that describes people who followed in the footsteps of their celebrity parents. The name suggests that the stars’ more-famous parents had a major role in catapulting them to success, as opposed to others who weren’t born into fame and had to navigate the game on their own.
The conversation was sparked by a recent New York magazine article, which donned the headline, “She Has Her Mother’s Eyes. And Agent.”
This piece takes a deep-dive into various nepo babies who are taking over Hollywood, including stars like Zoë Kravitz, Lily-Rose Depp, Brooklyn Beckham, Maude Apatow, and many more. We should also note that some of these stars were featured on the cover with their mugs cropped onto newborn babies.
We also have to shoutout a passage that sums up the overall vibe of this spicy article.
“This is the nepo baby’s credo: Try, and if at first you don’t succeed, remember you’re still a celebrity’s child, so try, try again.”
With all the buzz, “nepo babies” began trending on Twitter. Ultimately, this prompted Ice Cube’s son to share his thoughts.
On Tuesday, O’Shea started a Twitter thread by speaking on how, while he played his father in Straight Outta Compton, he still had to audition “for two years before getting the role.”
He continued, saying that he still had to “get [his] a** up and work” in spite of his dad’s help.
“I had to get my ass up and make it work. From the roles I chose. The work ethic I put into them. My professionalism on sets and promo tours. Even leaving HIS agency and goin to find a team of my own. Once the door was opened it was up to me to walk through it and thrive.”
Regarding people who are part of “generational talent/wealth,” O’Shea told them to “embrace that s**t.” Additionally, he implored them to not let others water down their professional accomplishments.
He wrapped up his commentary by saying that he hopes everyone is “able to present opportunities for their kids to succeed.”
Do you agree with O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s statements, or do you think Ice Cube’s son should’ve sat this one out? Additionally, what do you think about the whole nepo baby conversation?
