The Roots’ and Ice Cube’s Performance of ‘Straight Outta Compton’

About three weeks ago, Ice Cube went on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” to promote TBS’s “Are We There Yet?,” a sad reminder that his closest counterpart in Hollywood is probably Tyler Perry. God, that’s depressing. Speaking as a white man who enjoys angry rap songs about inner-city violence, that chips away at my very soul.

HOWEVER. Before the show taped, Cube performed “Straight Outta Compton” with the Roots (video above, direct link caught on a digital video recorder. NBC has mixed the video with better audio and will show the performance when the episode re-airs next week. Check it:

“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” is upping the ante by bringing a rocking, never-before-seen-on-TV performance to a previously aired episode. On Wednesday, July 7th, Show #0257 will re-air with brand new footage of lead guest Ice Cube hitting the stage with “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” house band The Roots.

“This is the perfect example of how much fun our show is, even when the cameras aren’t rolling.” said Late Night host Jimmy Fallon. “Ice Cube and The Roots put on an awesome show for our studio audience that night and I’m so excited we now get the chance to show it to everyone else.”

Watch Ice Cube in that video. It’s awesome; there’s nothing remotely ironic about it. He’s even dressed like he used to dress in N.W.A. — and that makes it even sadder that he’s doing pratfalls and getting hit in the nuts in children’s comedies. Oh, Cube… I wish you still used your AK.