Ice Cube is setting up shop at Fox.
The rapper, actor, director and producer has signed a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV and Fox 21 TV Studios, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Under the pact, Cube has tapped his longtime manager, Jeff Kwatinetz, to run television production at his Cube Vision banner. The two will serve as exec producers on projects they develop and the studio will have the exclusive first right to produce these projects, which will include comedy, drama, and animation as well as unscripted and specials for broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.
Additionally, the deal allows Fox to tap into Cube Vision’s vast music publishing library for use in TV properties. 20th TV has found success with several music-centric series in recent years with Empire, Glee as well as the upcoming first-year girl group series Star.
“It’s hard to think of a more multidimensional artist than Ice Cube, whose influence on the culture and enormous talent is virtually unrivaled,” said Fox Television Group Chairmen and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “He’s a performer, a songwriter, a recording artist, an actor and a filmmaker, and his work speaks to a broad, multigenerational audience. We’ve been dying to be in business with him for years, and we think the combination of Cube and his incredibly talented producing partner Jeff Kwatinetz is going to result in some very compelling television.”
Added Cube: “I’m very happy and excited to work with the talented and creative people at Fox. Their ability to bring groundbreaking television of every type through both cable and broadcast makes them the perfect partner for Cube Vision. We are happy to be part of the family.”
The deal comes as Cube prepares to launch his remake of Hollywood Squares, aptly titled Hip-Hop Squares, in 2017 on VH1. He’s found success as a producer in recent years with films including Straight Outta Compton — based on the early days of his group NWA — the Ride Along franchise in which he also stars with Kevin Hart, and the 2010 TV remake of his film Are We There Yet? He next stars in and exec produces the film Fist Fight, out next year. He is repped by Matt Johnson at Ziffren Brittenham.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.