The culture came full circle in a major way when the sons of Ice Cube and Chris Tucker stepped into their fathers’ legendary roles in “Friday.”
Look at this!
The Los Angeles Rams just tapped into something bigger than football, hey tapped into big L.A. and Hip-Hop legacy.
In a creative rollout for the 2026 NFL Draft, the team dropped a promotional video inspired by the 1995 cult classic Friday. This was special.
O’Shea Jackson Jr. stepped into the role made famous by his father, Ice Cube’s Craig, while Destin Tucker took on Smokey, the character played by pops Chris Tucker.
And they didn’t just dress the part, they felt like it. I mean the resemblance is uncanny.
Look at it:
The timing, the chemistry, even the energy of the scene mirrored the original in a way that hit both nostalgia and novelty at once. It is a reminder of how deeply Friday is embedded in the culture. For a new generation, it was an introduction. They are going to go watch it now. I am sure.
The Rams didn’t stop there. Terry Crews shows up as Deebo. Then, YG pops up. How’d he get that role?
Friday isn’t just a movie. It’s a moment! From quotables to characters, it helped define a generation of comedy rooted in everyday Black life, West Coast style and Hip-Hop too. The sons as the original stars…chef’s kiss.
And the NFL, a league that has often struggled to authentically connect with Hip-Hop culture, might have quietly found one of its most effective bridges yet.
The 2026 NFL Draft is already shaping up to be a major moment, but this kind of rollout shows the Rams understand attention today is earned… through culture. Period.
Craig and Smokey may be timeless—but now, the next generation is ready to carry it forward.
