Ice Cube Just Shared Russian Propaganda on Twitter
Rapper and actor Ice Cube has shared some Russian Propaganda on his Twitter account. Ice Cube, [...]
Rapper and actor Ice Cube has shared some Russian Propaganda on his Twitter account. Ice Cube, whose real name is O'Shea Jackson, tweeted out an image on Wednesday that alleges statues in Egypt had their noses shot off by Europeans.
The tweet, one of many images Cube has flooded his timeline with over the course of the day, much of which seems to be in support of the ongoing protests in the U.S. and around the world in the wake of George Floyd's death. However, The Daily Beast notes that the image, itself, comes from Black Matters, a website and Facebook group that bills itself as a non-profit source for African-American news. However, it was outed as a Russian propaganda tool designed to spread misinformation back in 2018. The watermark for the site, reading 'BM,' can be seen in the image itself.
— Ice Cube (@icecube) June 10, 2020
The outlet also noted that historically speaking, pharaohs would often break the noses off of the statues of their predecessors. Along with the numerous posts, which include photos from recent protests, Dr. Seuss's artwork and assorted memes, he also tweeted out an image of the Black Cube of Saturn within the Star of David. The Black Cube of Saturn refers to a cult of Satan worshippers and is widely considered to be anti-Semitic.
Propaganda aside, Ice Cube has been one of many celebrities to speak out repeatedly on the death of Floyd, who was killed while being arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25. The day after Floyd's death, he canceled his May 26 appearance on Good Morning America, citing that he was in "no mood" for a conversation. He apologized via Twitter that morning to "everyone expecting" to see him, and added how he was simply not in the mood "to tell America good morning."
Ongoing protests and marches have been held for nearly two weeks as a reaction to Floyd's death, as well as a call to end police brutality. Some local governments have begun to restructure their police departments and reallocate certain funds to more community investment. Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed, has been one of the more prominent cities to take such action. City officials are currently working with activists and organizers to determine what their new approach will look like, which could help serve as the blueprint for a new standard across the U.S.