He bounds onto the empty stage beneath with sideman Dub-C, in matching Raiders caps and black shirts, and the adoring crowd immediately take to their feet as the two MCs shout out tales of hard times in the 'hoods of South Central LA.

These days, the aggression and fire of Cube's socio-political commentary is tempered with breaks for storytelling, demonstrations of the "Crip walk" – and some pantomime, too, yo.

Following an incendiary No Vaseline, the infamous 1991 diss track about his erstwhile N.W.A bandmates, Cube storms off stage in a huff, to be replaced by a special guest – his son O'Shea Jackson.

Cube jnr played his dad in the hit 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton and the pair indulge in a little father-son bonding to the family-friendly tune that is Dope Man, with its brain-rattling bass and sage advice: "To be a dope man, boy, you must qualify, don't get high off your own supply."

Words of wisdom indeed, but as Cube points out, he's been in the rap game for 30 years, which makes him an elder statesman and given to lecturing the audience on the dangers of the digital world and the ills of pills.

Cube is justifiably proud of his place in the rap pantheon and being invited to perform at the Opera House is an acknowledgement of how far hip-hop has come.

"Rap should have been in this building a long time ago," he shouts, "but we'll take it whenever we can get it."

Ice Cube plays two more shows at the Concert Hall for Vivid Live on May 27 and 28.