Jan. 5 2024, Published 8:23 p.m. ET
Ice Cube is addressing Katt Williams‘ ongoing feud with Rickey Smiley, particularly the latter saying he was supposed to play Money Mike in Friday After Next over Williams, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Williams made headlines this week when he shot back at Smiley’s accusations and accused him of teaming up with “potato head” Steve Harvey and “walrus” Cedric the Entertainer to sabotage his career.
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Speaking to Shannon Sharpe on his podcast, Club Shay Shay, Williams fought back against Smiley’s accusations that he was supposed to pimp Money Mike in the 2002 movies — an allegation that Cube confirmed isn’t true.
“It’s your homie, Ice Cube. [I] just wanted to address a few things,” the rapper-turned-actor said in an Instagram video on Friday.
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“Everybody been checking out the internet, my man Katt Williams. First of all, I just wanna say we shot [Friday After Next] over 20 years ago. So, you know, people have different perspectives and it’s been a long time,” Cube explained. “As far as specific things, Katt was 100 on a few things,” Cube continues. “Most of what he was saying. A couple things, you know. I just wanna clarify.”
He explained the audition process, saying that Smiley read for several roles, including Money Mike and the role he landed, which was Santa Claus.
“When we bring in a new comedian we do have them try out for different roles. So Ricky did give Money Mike a shot. But when we saw him and saw how he moved and how he was auditioning, we decided he would be a better Santa Claus, which to me was a perfect casting. When we saw Katt, when I saw him I just knew that he was perfect for Money Mike,” Cube said.
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Rickey
“Katt said he wrote his role, which the role was written, but he enhanced it,” Cube added. “This is why Kat was so dope in the movie. Money Mike had a small role…but when we start filming he was giving us such magic that we kept expanding his role and giving him more to do because he was on point.”
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However, Cube denied Williams’ accusation that there was initially a rape scene in the movie. The comedian claimed he forced them to take it out.
“We would never, ever show that,” Cube revealed. “That’s not my style.”
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As for why he spoke up for Williams, Cube said he was returning the favor.
“Much love for Kat,” Cube concluded. “He spoke up for me a lot and I just wanted to be clear and clarify some things.”
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Smiley spoke out after Williams’ interview. He claimed the comments, including the one about him wearing a dress, hurt his family and affected his kids.
“That has nothing to do with my manhood being lessened for trying to play a role and trying to put food on the table for my family,” Smiley fired back.
“It makes me sad the way that made my kids feel. I’m not trying to say any of this for sympathy, I’m just saying I’m dealing with stuff.”