"This is a comment about privilege": Ice Cube turns down $9 million to get COVID vaccine, sparks online debate

In a recent podcast interview, legendary rapper O’Shea Jackson Sr. aka Ice Cube revealed that he lost a $9 million movie deal as he refused to take the Covid vaccine. The vaccine was a prerequisite for the movie Oh Hell No, a Sony Pictures project.

In an episode of the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast on Monday, November 21, Ice Cube opened up about what went down. He initially said that he was the one who turned down the project, claiming that he didn’t want to get the vaccine. He said:

“I turned down a movie because I didn’t want to get the mo*******ng jab (Covid vaccine). I turned down $9 million. F**k that jab, and f**k y’all for trying to make me get it.”

@Phil_Lewis_ I love Cube's music but don't be fooled, this is a comment about privilege. He can say this because if he does get sick, he gets the best doctors, treatment, and access to the best facilities on the planet. Can you all say the same? "Liberty" in a capitalist system = $$$$.

However, the singer later stated that he did not turn down the movie but was dropped from it because he would not get the vaccine shot.

“Those mo*********rs didn’t give it to me because I wouldn’t get the shot. I didn’t turn it down. They just didn’t give it to me.”

By the end of the interview, he re-asserted his stance on the vaccine and said that he would not get the jab.

“I didn’t need that s**t (Covid vaccine). I didn’t catch that s**t (Covid-19) at all… I didn’t need that s**t… Ain’t gonna take no s**t I don’t need.”

Netizens debate over Ice Cube’s anti-vaccine stance

Ice cube telling how he turned down a $9m movie part because they wanted him to take the jab, goes on to call it the plandemic 👏🏻 https://t.co/h0z5uFwuEs

Some netizens have expressed anger over Ice Cube’s anti-vaccine stance, noting that he comes from a place of privilege and that he can afford to get the required medical treatment if he falls sick.

@AlexJ46411750 @Phil_Lewis_ Yep, agreed. And when it comes to any service, especially health/healthcare in the US, for most when you're sick, **IF** you get sick time, you have roughly a week. Chronic COVID isn't over in a week. When you turn down a $9M job, feeding the fam isn't a concern.

@shmurdalato Ice Cube: I turned down a movie because… ALSO @icecube: Nah; I ain’t turn it down… 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/4G3lZf4bV4

@shmurdalato all these people commenting that he was smart would get the shot if they had a shot at 9 mil and movie career. LMAO

I’m not shocked at all that a celebrity like Ice Cube is a selfish minded anti-vaxxer and refuses to acknowledge how COVID vaccines have saved countless lives worldwide. I’m shocked by his claim that Hollywood still wants to pay him $9 million for roles… https://t.co/WQBVueBCBs

@nypost I've been waiting for Ice Cube to jump on the Kanye/Kyrie anti-semitic express train, but he surprises us by covering an old classic, " No Vaccines"

@Phil_Lewis_ But Ice Cube will be fine😏 Imagine the ordinary people still looking for work and having to turn down good salary paid positions because HR says jab or no job.

@Phil_Lewis_ this interview looks so sad lmao… the awkward silences, the way they’re seated like a bad sports conference 😭 “I got things up my sleeve” doesn’t say what it is I’m 💀

Meanwhile, some Ice Cube fans stood up in his support and said that he did the right thing by standing his ground.

@Phil_Lewis_ Good for him😏. All money at good money😐. Props to the man for not selling his soul. Stand up for what is right, even if you stand alone. In this case, he is far from alone.👎

@Phil_Lewis_ @natfluential I am 100% pro choice. Good for him! Stand for what you believe. I needed to keep my job to live my life so I took it. Truly glad he was in a position to have a choice. As the dust settles, many are finding it wasn’t a good nor a necessary thing.

@Phil_Lewis_ I stand with Ice Cube.

@Phil_Lewis_ Glad ice cube has the ability to say no, I wish what ever the role was……was offered to an actor who could’ve said yes and probabaly needed the money more than Ice Cube.

@shmurdalato My respect for Ice Cube 📈

Previously, rapper M.I.A spoke about her anti-vaxx stance

Ice Cube is not the only artist to have spoken about his stance against the Covid vaccine. Earlier in October, British rapper and singer M.I.A also voiced her opinion on Covid vaccines while referring to a tweet from right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Taking to Twitter, M.I.A wrote:

If Alex jones pays for lying shouldn’t every celebrity pushing vaccines pay too ?

Jones had called the 2012 Sandy Hook School shooting a hoax. He had earlier claimed that the school shooting massacre was staged as part of a conspiracy to take away Americans’ guns. In October, a Connecticut court charged the conspiracy theorist with $965 million for the victims’ families.

In a separate tweet, the British rapper wrote:

“Alex jones lying and Pfizer lying both trending. One with penalty other without. If you have no critical thinking faculty, this is about as crazy as we should get before a nuclear war wipe out the human race.”

M.I.A also dissed celebrities pushing vaccines.

Edited by Shreya Das

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