Hip-hop legend Ice Cube knows a thing about weathering the storm in the rap game and Hollywood, but this time, it was nature getting ready to rain down on him, not a human drama. Cube was in Australia, touring Down Under, when Cyclone Alfred hit, dumping torrents of rain and forcing Cube into a weather adventure in his hotel room.
With the signature swagger and calm demeanor he was known for, the West Coast icon traded sunny California for stormy skies as the formidable cyclone bore down on Australia's eastern shore. Just as he was getting ready to perform in Sydney and Melbourne, Mother Nature called an audible, forcing Cube to be confined to his hotel, which had a view of the ocean so close, and it was getting damn near too close for comfort.
Not one to let his bad day get the best of him, Ice Cube took the ordeal in stride, joking about his first cyclone experience. Speaking on Australia's popular TV program The Project, he expressed his views with mirth and puzzlement.
"It is pretty cool. I have never been through a cyclone before. I can check this off my bucket list for sure," he quipped, showing that not even a storm of this magnitude could rattle his unflappable bearings. And I'm right here on the beach, he added. It looks like the beach is about to be in the lobby."
While this sounds like a bit of fun to Cube, it's no joke for many Australians. The cyclone, Alfred, is a strong Category 2 storm, with wind gusts of around 75 mph that were expected to make landfall Friday night (March 7). "Alfred's path is extremely unusual, and it would be the southernmost cyclone that will affect the area for more than 50 years," meteorologists have observed. Some experts say climate change and warming oceans may contribute to this unusual weather pattern.
As the storm hurtles toward Australia's eastern shore, authorities are bracing for it, warning residents about possible flooding, power outages, and hazardous conditions. Millions across the region are prepared for it, with emergency services warning not to be complacent as Alfred gets stronger.
Ice Cube's cyclone experience comes from another significant music event impacted by the storm. Punk rock trio Green Day could not go ahead with their last show on Australian soil at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast with the cyclone looming. The decision disappointed thousands of fans, but safety concerns trumped the prospect of a light show as the unpredictable storm strengthened.
For now, Cube is just chilling in the metaphorical sense, and literally, until conditions get better. Whether and to what extent his future shows will be affected remains uncertain, but one thing is sure: this trip to Oz has been far from normal for hip-hop icons.
And although Ice Cube was "trapped" by the storm, his legendary cool is still intact. If anyone can take that heat or that wind and rain, Ice Cube can do it.
0 Comments