INVADES THE L.A. MONSTER ENERGY DUB SHOW TOUR
WORDS: KRISTIE BERTUCCI PHOTOS: GREG B.
T
he L.A. kickoff for the Monster Energy 2009 DUB Show Tour was an automotive enthusiasts’ dream: the tribute to lowriding provided the perfect trip down memory lane and was a wonderful display of automotive history strategically placed among many of today’s most popular rides in top-notch, customization form—the future of car culture. The various booths that housed luxury and exotics provided eye candy and dreams of one day having such a vehicle sitting in the driveway. To top it all off, a plethora of beautiful women were spread across every inch of the Convention Center, proving that women and fine cars will always be the perfect combination. However, the icing on the cake was the headlining act for the concert part of the show: Mr. West Coast himself, Ice Cube (Yay-Yay). The buzz surrounding the iconic West Coast legend was all about what hits he’d perform on stage, given he’s had so many in his 20-plus year career. Would he bust out his classic hits like “It Was A Good Day,” or would he just do songs off his latest album, Raw Footage, that dropped last summer? After other show performers like Colby O’Donis and Jim Jones got the fans all warmed up, it was time for Cube to take the stage. Once his name was announced by L.A.-host, DJ Felli Fel, the crowd went wild, as fans rushed to the concert stage to be closer to see one of the forefathers of West Coast rap perform. The minute Cube stepped on stage, cheers and screams echoed within the Convention Center, louder than the underlying beats of Cube’s DJ Crazy Toones. “W” finger signs were immediately thrown in the air, as the crowd waved them back and forth to Cube’s greetings. What happened next was an amazing 45-minute set that no one who was there would soon forget, as Cube killed it with his hits and even brought along former West Side Connection member, WC. “It was a packed house,” Cube says about his experience at his first DUB show. “It was dope. The crowd seemed happy and satisfied with everything, especially the concert. The people really responded to the songs I did.” And
24 DUB MAG MAY / JUNE 2009
HAVING RECENTLY DEBUTED AT THE 2009 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW THIS PAST FEBRUARY, FORD CHOSE DUB TO BE FIRST TO UNVEIL A MILDLY MODIFIED VERSION OF THE ALREADY STUNNING 2010 FORD TAURUS SHO. TO COMPLEMENT THE THE ALREADY SLEEK LOOK OF THE CAR, WHICH FEATURES A SCULPTED HOOD, PRONOUNCED FRONT FENDERS AND A CHARACTER LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE SIDE VENT TO THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE REAR FENDERS, A MORE AGGRESSIVE LOWERED STANCE AND FENDER FILLING 24” DROPSTARS WHEEL AND TIRE PACKAGE WAS ALL THAT WAS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE LOOK VISUALLY.
why wouldn’t they? After all, many of Cube’s songs contain lyrics dedicated to West Coast car culture, given he’s an avid fan himself. “It goes hand-in-hand,” he says about the relation between the two. “Everybody knows Cali is the place to ride top down. It brings that atmosphere with the music. Cars and cruising are a big part of the hood; it’s like the hood’s pageantry—our parade, so to say. It also brings people together. It’s always great to see Blacks and Mexicans come together in terms of cars. They seem to put down any differences when it comes to car culture and music. It’s like the Lakers, it holds the city together.” On any given day in L.A., you can hear an Ice Cube song blasting from someone’s car, which just goes to show how much of an influence he and his music
has on the West Coast’s car scene. Cube’s love of automotives spawned at a young age growing up in South L.A. He recalls always seeing his uncles cruising the streets in muscle cars from the ’70s. “It’s always been a part of neighborhood,” he says. “It was everybody’s dream to have a Rolls-Royce and a lowrider, and that’s just been part of my life since day one. I remember the headlights of lowriders lighting up the night, as they cruised down the streets…that always sticks out in my mind.” Given he speaks so passionately about lowriding, you would think he’s had one, or even a couple…but you’d actually be mistaken. Despite his love of fine rides, Ice Cube doesn’t own a lowrider. Even though he prefers them to modern cars and is often seen driving one in music videos and photo