Ice Cube left N.W.A in late 1989 primarily due to disputes over royalties and feeling that he was not being fairly compensated for his contributions. Despite writing a significant portion of the group's lyrics, he felt disrespected and believed he was getting a smaller share of the financial pie compared to others. After raising his concerns with the group and their manager Jerry Heller, nothing changed to his satisfaction. Additionally, Ice Cube caught Jerry Heller in a lie regarding contract paperwork and was advised by N.W.A's publicist turned manager, Pat Charbonnet, to carefully review his contract before signing. When pressured to sign a contract without proper legal review, Ice Cube refused and chose to leave the group to pursue a solo career, prioritizing integrity and respect over staying with N.W.A.
This decision was risky but allowed Ice Cube to establish himself as a solo artist and stand up against what he saw as unfair business practices within the group. The split also led to tension and diss tracks between him and the remaining members of N.W.A.
