Rapper-producer Ice Cube did not join the chorus of black celebrities critical of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for his patriotic stance in favor of the national anthem, instead urging the third year NFL veteran to stand firm on his position.
Coming to Prescott’s defense, the rapper and actor refused to criticize Prescott for turning his back on black victimology and group-think.
“You should do what you feel. That’s whats supposed to be great about being in America, you do what you feel,” Cube said according to Deadline Hollywood. “You don’t have to be in lockstep with anybody. Not the community, not with the coach, not the owner. You do what you feel. And when you do that, sometimes you gotta let the chips fall where they may and live with your decision.”
“What I think he’s doing is what everybody should probably do, is make a decision and live with that and roll with that,” the rapper added. “At a certain point, it becomes everybody else’s problem. Not his. It’s only his problem if he allows it to be; if he allows somebody to change his position. You gotta live with the decision.”
It appears that the NFL player is following that logic whether Ice Cube supports him or not.
In multiple interviews over the last year or so Prescott has repeatedly said that he is “not at all tempted” to protest against the country during the playing of the national anthem. In no uncertain terms, Prescott has said that protesting during the song is “not the right time” for such actions.
“[I]t’s bigger than I think some of us think,” Prescott recently explained. “It’s just important for me to go out there, hand over my heart, represent our country and just be thankful and not take anything I’ve been given and my freedom for granted.”
But Prescott’s patriotic feelings about the anthem have made him a target from many black celebrities. Actor D.L. Hughley, for one, used the racial epithet of “boy” to attack Prescott for refusing to kneel against the country during the anthem. And in another case, B-list rapper The Game called Prescott a “coon” and said he should put on a MAGA hat for his position against protesting.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.