The thing is, when you talk to someone famous you expect certain things. You expect the witty commentary that comes from years of media training and being in the public eye. You expect a tone of loftiness and superiority. You expect that they will complain about things that have no value to you. You expect they will be selfish and why not, they've earned it! You expect that talking with you is just another item to add to their charity list. You expect them to be spoiled and detached and everything else that stereotypically comes with fame. But you don't expect Ice Cube. He is down-to-earth in ways I only hope to be and as trite as it sounds, he has a good head on his shoulders.

Ice Cube is surprisingly philosophical and believes in the power of words, something that in our age has become lost. I feel smarter from having talked with him, but the best part was how it wasn't about getting all my questions out of the way. He seemed like he genuinely wanted to talk to me and cared about my views. We talked about his family, his past life and anything else we could drudge up and, as unintelligent as this may sound, he is completely normal. In no way did I ever feel like he put himself above me as a musician or as a person, and that meant more than any answer he could have given.

After having had this tremendous experience, my whole perception of mainstream Hollywood has changed. We'd all like to believe that because they are blessed with so much fame and money, stars are snobbish and rude and unconcerned with “peasant” life, but they're just people, like you and me, trying to make a living.