American rapper, actor, and filmmaker born O'Shea Jackson on June 15, 1969, in Los Angeles. Founding member of N.W.A (1986-1989) before launching a successful solo career. Among the most commercially successful hip-hop figures to transition to a parallel acting career.
Released ten solo studio albums between AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) and Man Down (2024). Commercial peak: Death Certificate (1991), The Predator (1992, the first album to debut at #1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts), and Lethal Injection (1993). Acting career includes Boyz n the Hood (1991), the Friday franchise (which he wrote), and the Barbershop franchise. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with N.W.A in 2016.