PORTLAND, Ore. — Rap legend Ice Cube has spoken out after a tour bus connected to his team went up in flames in downtown Portland last week. The incident occurred on the morning of September 23, sparking an investigation and drawing a sharp response from the artist.
Fire Erupts Near Hotel
According to Portland Fire and Rescue, crews responded to a fire on Southwest Broadway and Oak Street. The blaze began in the front passenger tire area of a large tour bus parked near a hotel. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before they spread further.
At the time of the response, authorities did not immediately know who the vehicle belonged to. Rick Graves, spokesperson for Portland Fire and Rescue, confirmed the investigation was underway but offered no details on ownership.
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Confirmed as Ice Cube’s Crew Bus
The bus was later confirmed by TreMedia CEO and founder, Tresa Sanders, to be part of Ice Cube’s touring fleet. Sanders clarified to Oregon Live that the damaged vehicle was used by Cube’s crew, not the rapper himself.
Ice Cube Calls Out “Coward”
In a statement following the fire, Ice Cube downplayed the personal impact but did not hold back his frustration.
“I’m not taking this incident as a personal attack,” Cube said. “A coward like that would burn anybody’s property that was out there at the time.”
On X (formerly Twitter), he expanded on the situation, explaining that no one was hurt. “Wasn’t my bus. It was a crew bus. Parked in front of the hotel. Everybody was upstairs sleeping. Nobody hurt. No equipment damaged. A coward set fire to the bus. My bus was actually in Oakland getting serviced.”
Truth to Power Tour Rolls On
The incident came just one day after Cube performed at Portland’s Moda Center on September 22 as part of his Truth to Power: 4 Decades of Attitude Tour. The trek marks his first headlining North American tour in more than a decade.
The tour includes stops in major cities such as Brooklyn, Atlanta, Houston, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Toronto. Despite the disruption, Cube has continued with the schedule.
New Album Release
Alongside the tour, Ice Cube recently released his latest album, Man Up, on September 12. The project serves as a sequel to Man Down, which dropped in 2024.
Reflecting on the record, Cube said his mission remains unchanged: “I’ve always stood on speaking truth to power and making music that reflects reality. Man Up is about accountability, resilience, and reminding people where the real problems come from. Hip-hop didn’t create the struggle – it gave us the language to call it out.”
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities have not released details on potential suspects in the bus fire, and the case remains under investigation. For now, Ice Cube has made it clear that while the damage was disruptive, it will not derail his tour or his message.
