Ice Cube shows off love for Los Angeles architecture and Eames - See video

Did you know that before Ice Cube started off in the gangsta rap group N.W.A. he was a student of architectural drafting?

The 42-year-old rapper recently revealed he is a huge fan of Los Angeles architecture and Charles and Ray Eames in a promotional video for "Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980," a collection of exhibitions on the Southern California art scene post World War II organized by the Getty Institute.

In the video, which can be seen below, the rapper and actor shows off his knowledge and affection for Los Angeles, its freeway and particularly the Eames House in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.

"A lot of people think L.A. is just eyesore after eyesore. Full of mini malls, palm trees and billboards," Ice Cube said in the clip. "So what? They don't know the L.A. I know. The good, the bad and the ugly about L.A."

The rapper then lists off architectural landmarks in the city. As for the bad, Ice Cube said, "The traffic. Each freeway has its own personality. The 405, bougie traffic. The 110, that's gangsta traffic right there." He adds, "You gotta know the difference."

At the Eames house, Ice Cube marvels at the fact that the house's frame was built in two days and included green elements. "In a world full of McMansions where the structure takes up all the land, the Eames made structure and nature one," he said. "This is going green 1949-style, bitch. Believe dat."

In an interview with the New York Times the rapper said he was happy to show off his home city.

"What was appealing was showing off Los Angeles to people who think they know what Los Angeles is all about," Ice Cube told the newspaper. "Everybody who comes here thinks they got the place figured out, but you can never get this place figured out," he said. "This place is like 'The Wizard of Oz.'"

Ice Cube studied architectural drafting at a trade school in Arizona for a year in 1988 and earned a certificate. Though the rapper admits "I don't think I picked up a T-square since," he still has a love for the skills he learned from the experience.

"What I learned from architectural drafting is that everything has to have a plan to work. You just can't wing it. I can't get all the materials I need for a house and just start building," he said. "Whether it's a career, family, life -- you have to plan it out."

Ice Cube started his rap career in the late 80s with Dr. Dre, Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, MC Ren and Eazy-E in the group N.W.A. He kicked off his solo career in 1989. Ice Cube released his ninth studio album "I Am the West" in 2010. In November, he Tweeted that he had completed 7 songs on a new album he was recording.

The rapper began acting in 1992 with a role in "Boyz N The Hood." He also went on to star in "Friday," "XXX: State of the Union," "Barbershop," and "Are We There Yet?"

Check out Ice Cube's video below.