Rapper reveals he turned down $9 million rather than get vaccinated

Iconic rapper Ice Cube last week revealed he forfeited a $9 million payday rather than get the COVID-19 injections last year. 

The music artist made the remarks on an episode of Million Dollaz Worth of Game, confirming reports from October 2021 that he had turned down a part on a film called Oh Hell No starring Jack Black because the producer was mandating vaccinations. 

“I turned down a movie cause I didn't want to get to motherf*cking jab — I turned down $9 million,” Ice Cube confirmed to the other members of the podcast. “F*ck that jab! And f*ck y’all for trying to make me get it! So, you know, I don't know how Hollywood feel about me right now, you know what I'm saying?” 

“You turned down 9 million?” rapper and podcast host Da King asked with astonishment. 

“I didn’t turn it down,” replied Ice Cube. “Those motherf*ckers wouldn’t give it to me because I wouldn’t get the shot! I didn’t turn it down. They just wouldn’t give it to me.” 

“Because you wouldn’t get the COVID shot?” 

“Yeah, the COVID shot.” 

“During the PLANdemic, man — the PLANdemic!” interjected music artist Wallo267. 

But Ice Cube’s forfeiture is not the largest financial sacrifice made in the name of freedom and bodily autonomy during the pandemic. 

Brooklyn Nets Point Guard Kyrie Irving told reporters in September that he turned down a $100 million multiyear contract extension rather than comply with the NBA’s vaccine mandate. 

"I gave up four years, 100-and-something million deciding to be unvaccinated and that was the decision," Irving said. "[Get this] contract, get vaccinated or be unvaccinated and there's a level of uncertainty of your future, whether you're going to be in this league, whether you're going to be on this team. So I had to deal with that real-life circumstance of losing my job for this decision." 

"I didn't appreciate how me being unvaccinated came to be a stigma within my career that I don't want to play, or that I'm willing to give up everything to be a voice for the voiceless," he added. 

Indeed, the basketball star was maligned and shunned for his decision not to get the shots, which he explained was grounded in the fact that “this is one body that I get here. And you are telling me what to do with my body.” 

Irving was banned from games, and even triggered a $50,000 fine for his team by stepping into the locker room while unvaccinated. New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ mandate prohibited Irving from playing in games even while he was allowed to sit among the fans and watch.