Review by Val Tapia
Photos by Fred Kuhlman
Promoter: Live Nation (https://www.livenation.com/
Venue: Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ (https://www.desertdiamondarena.com/ )
Date: Tuesday September 30th, 2025
Tour: Truth To Power: Four Decades Of Attitude Tour
After seeing Ice Cube on Tuesday Sept. 30 at Desert Diamond (read: Glendale) Arena, I’m more convinced than ever that Gen X parents lead the pack (yes, over Boomers) when it comes to bringing their kids more consistently to concerts nowadays. Mind you, the jury is still out whether that’s good or bad I suppose.
To that point, it wasn’t all that surprising to see, given that some of those late teen/ early 20-somethings probably discovered Ice Cube through his movies prior to hearing his music.
The Truth To Power: Four Decades Of Attitude tour most certainly covered a lot of musical (and visual) ground. Taking the stage at 8:30 p.m. for a 2-hour, marathon 33-song set, Cube got things off to a fiery start with Fuck Tha Police from N.W.A.’s 1988 landmark (and highly controversial) album Straight Outta Compton.
In fact, four of the first five songs of the night were from that album. Dopeman, Gangsta Gangsta and Straight Outta Compton got fists pumping among the 7 or 8000 fans in attendance.
For the third song, the late Eazy-E’s 1987 single Boyz-N-The-Hood was performed as a duet with Cube and E’s son Lil’ Eazy, making his dad proud, I’m sure.
Even though some of the wounds seemingly didn’t heal between Cube and his former N.W.A. bandmates, it was a classy and moving memorial to his fallen colleague and friend.
Video played a crucial role in the show as well. It really was a history of not only Cube’s personal journey, but modern American history in general.
Regarding the latter, it was (and still is) chilling to see the grainy video of the March 1991 police beating of the late Rodney King that stunned the world. In short order, that horrific incident put police brutality (and the L.A.P.D.) in the national spotlight front-and-center that entire year.
News footage of the April 1992 Los Angeles riots was also displayed, which began after four police officers were acquitted in the Rodney King beating the year prior. Those disturbing images flooded the screens onstage and on the arena’s scoreboard above the audience as well.
Seeing the shocked expressions on fans’ faces was extraordinary in and of itself. Keep in mind, some of them weren’t even born when these incidents took place.
By the way, make no mistake: the message was presented and intended to be up-close and in your face. Truth to power indeed, and rightly so I might add.
Cube also made a point to talk about his other career: acting. He paid tribute to another crucial figure in his four-decade journey, acclaimed film director John Singleton. He credited Singleton for “wanting to put me in a movie”. Which, by the way, was 1991’s Boyz N The Hood.
There were also two additional rappers on stage with Cube, WC (of Westside Connection) and Young Maylay, respectively.
Songs like Bow Down and The Gangsta, The Killa And The Dope Dealer were welcomed with thunderous applause.
What was most impressive to me was the fact that Cube played a 30+ song set over 2 hours. Let me be clear: that does not happen with many other veteran artists of his generation. Kudos to him for getting it — and giving the fans their money’s worth on that front.
The final verdict? I’ll give it four out of five stars — for Cube’s work ethic alone.
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2025, All Rights Reserved
Ice Cube’s Setlist:
Fuck tha Police (N.W.A song)
Dopeman (N.W.A song)
Boyz-n-the-Hood (Eazy‐E cover)
Gangsta Gangsta (N.W.A song)
Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A song)
The Nigga Ya Love to Hate
Once Upon a Time in the Projects
Jackin’ for Beats
No Vaseline
How to Survive in South Central
Steady Mobbin’
My Summer Vacation
Ghetto Bird
Wicked
Check Yo’ Self
Really Doe
Pushin’ Weight
Friday
Bop Gun (One Nation)
We Be Clubbin’
You Know How We Do It
Bow Down (Westside Connection song)
The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer (Westside Connection song)
Gangsta Nation (Westside Connection song)
Natural Born Killaz (Dr. Dre & Ice Cube song)
Hello
Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Why We Thugs
Go to Church
Do Ya Thang
Ain’t Got No Haters
Encore:
It Was a Good Day
It’s My Ego
