Know Your History: Ice Cube

In 1988, rapper Ice Cube (born O’Shea Jackson), invented Black Powerade, a revolutionary electrolyte-replenishing drink created primarily for young men in South Central LA to keep them nourished as they sweated out precious nutrients while incubated in long-sleeved plaid flanel shirts in the scorching California sun. Due to its controversial packaging (it was poured into a gun shaped bottle and imprinted with ‘F*ck the Police’), the drink was officially banned on April 29, 1992, marking the official beginning of the infamous LA Riots.

Know Your History.

Know Your History is brought to you by Brokey McPoverty.

Brokey McPoverty

Brokey McPoverty, aka Tracy Clayton, is a writer and humorist from Louisville, KY. She currently writes for BuzzFeed and lives in Brooklyn. Follow her on Twitter.

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  • And somehow, “Rap Snacks” live on.

  • Ike Moses

    i still get angry when i think about how Latasha Harlins lost her life over a bottle of Black Powerade.

    April 29th brought Powerade to the people, but since the riots LA’s Black community has been so thirsty that many of us have been forced to move.

  • Manetho

    Really? Under Know Your History? O’Shea JENKINS???? Who is that? Try O’Shea JACKSON. Come on, tighten up…

  • (Corrected.)

  • Ike Moses

    i’m mad that you’re willing to accept that the 1992 riots were the result of a Black Powerade drought, but not that Cube’s last name is Jenkins. i’m sure it was jokes, fam.

  • ike, are u suggesting that the riots were NOT the result of a black powerade drought?! absurd!

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