Selena Gomez Says Ice Cube Was Her Childhood Crush, Talks Eminem & DJ Dad

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 04: Selena Gomez attends The Hollywood Reporter’s Annual Women In Entertainment Gala presented by Lifetime at The Beverly Hills Hotel on December 04, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Selena Gomez just revealed a surprising childhood crush — and no, it wasn’t a Disney prince.

“Ice Cube,” she said with a grin, “Can I tell you my first one I had a crush on, Ice Cube?” Gomez shared during Complex’s latest episode of GOAT Talk with Karol G, which dropped Wednesday (June 25). “I had the biggest crush on him when I was, like, 5. It’s so weird, but I just thought he would protect me. I’m only saying it simply based on my childhood.”

The actress and pop star didn’t go into detail about what made the rapper and Friday star stand out — whether it was his tough-guy roles in movies or his music from the '90s — but five-year-old Selena clearly felt safe with Cube on the screen.

Later in the episode, Gomez showed love to another rap legend: Eminem. She explained her connection to Slim Shady started early, thanks to her dad’s career behind the turntables.

“One of mine was Eminem only because I grew up listening to him,” Gomez said. “My dad was a DJ and he would remix all kinds of songs, and every time it was an Eminem song, I would just get so excited.”

Karol G chimed in with her own picks: Eminem for the old-school GOAT and Nicki Minaj as her new-school favorite.

As for her current love life, Gomez is far past her Ice Cube phase. She’s now engaged to producer Benny Blanco. The couple recently released their first joint album, I Said I Love You First… And You Said It Back, in May — a 26-track collab packed with features from artists like Gracie Abrams, GloRilla, J Balvin and The Marias.

Benny Blanco Karol G Selena Gomez

Kayla MorganWriter

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.