Ice Cube Loves This Fast Food Chain So Much He Referenced It In A Song

In his iconic 1992 hit, "It Was a Good Day," Ice Cube drops a verse saying, "No helicopter lookin' for a murder / Two in the mornin', got the Fatburger." That mention of a late-night Fatburger run has become one of the most memorable fast food shout-outs in hip-hop — and there have been many over the years.

It may seem like a big deal to mention a restaurant by name in a song, so it's easy to assume Ice Cube may have been a regular. While the lyric implies he grabbed a Fatburger around 2 a.m., there's no publicly verified account that confirms how often he visits the chain in real life. Still, the song lyrics and his repeated references to FatBurger over the years suggest that his love for the fast food chain is genuine. Ice Cube referred to Fatburger as the best burger in California when he discussed it on Seth Rogen's "First We Feast" show, where he explained his typical order: the Kingburger, a half-pound burger covered in mayo, a dash of mustard, an egg, and chili.

Fatburger seems to reciprocate the love. At the chain's Westchester location, there is a mural on the exterior of the building that features Ice Cube and reads, "Today was a good day." Food can serve as a rhetorical device in rap, but Ice Cube's Fatburger bars may be more than a metaphor.

Fatburger was founded in 1947, when Lovie Yancey opened a small stand in South Central Los Angeles called "Mr. Fatburger." Following her divorce in 1952, she dropped the "Mr." honorific from the name as she became the full business owner of the restaurant. Her focus was on creating a huge burger that included a diversity of toppings for a complete meal. Decades later, the chain is still known for making burgers that use fresh, never-frozen beef patties, and they include timeless and savory toppings such as bacon, onion rings, and eggs.

Throughout the decades, Fatburger turned into something greater than a burger shop — it became a cult-favorite of the West Coast. Aside from Ice Cube being a fan, Notorious B.I.G. referenced the burger chain in the lyrics of "Going Back to Cali." Even Tupac mentioned that he liked to grab a meal from Fatburger in his "Late Night" song.

Today, Fatburger has expanded globally with over 200 locations across more than 20 countries. Aside from the super-stacked Fatburgers that come with anywhere from one to three burger patties, the chain has added menu items to meet the modern-day crowd. It's possible to find options like a meat-free Impossible burger and a vegan milkshake, or a low-carb, lettuce-wrapped burger. So if you have 24 hours to eat in Los Angeles, you can add Fatburger to your list.