Ice Cube was in Portland for his “Truth to Power” tour when one of his tour buses caught fire near the Moda Center, prompting an arson investigation and a strong reaction from the Hip-Hop icon.
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to the scene on Thursday after receiving reports of a blaze involving the front passenger-side tire of a tour bus. Firefighters quickly entered the vehicle, cleared the smoke and confirmed no one was injured.
The incident occurred while the 55-year-old rapper and actor was preparing to perform at the Moda Center on September 22.
Authorities initially weren’t sure if the vehicle was tied to Ice Cube’s tour, but the artist later confirmed the connection and addressed the incident directly.
“I’m not taking this incident as a personal attack,” Ice Cube told KGW. “A coward like that would burn anybody’s property that was out there at the time.”
His statement suggests he believes the fire may have been deliberately set, though officials have not confirmed a cause. Portland investigators are now canvassing the area for surveillance footage and have assigned a dedicated investigator to the case.
Born O’Shea Jackson in South Central Los Angeles, Ice Cube became a defining voice in Hip-Hop as a founding member of N.W.A. in the late 1980s.
After parting ways with the group in 1989, he launched a solo career that cemented his place in music history and later transitioned into film with box office hits like “Friday” and “Barbershop.”
The investigation into the bus fire remains active as of Thursday. No suspects have been named.