Keke Palmer Says Ice Cube Warned Her About Men in Hollywood: 'Don't Let Them Take Advantage of You'

Today at 12:22 AM

"I always remember that, and I was always so grateful to him for that," said Palmer about the advice the rapper gave her

Keke Palmer will forever remember one piece of advice she got from her former costar, Ice Cube.

On the Wednesday, Nov. 20 edition of Shannon Sharpe's Club Shay Shay podcast, Palmer, now 31, recalled the advice she got from the rapper, 55, when she starred alongside him in the 2008 sports comedy The Longshots.

"He didn't say too much — a man of few words. But very nice, and one day they were like, 'Ice Cube wants to speak to you,' and I'm like, 'Okay …' " recalled Palmer.

Related: Inside Keke Palmer and Jennifer Lopez's 'Dope' Friendship After Hustlers: 'We Just Had That Kind of Vibe'

The actress said she was called into a room where the performer was with a group of bodyguards as he offered her advice about men in Hollywood.

"He's like, 'I just want to tell you, Keke. You're a beautiful young lady, and I see how kind you are and how nice you are to everybody on the set. But I want you to know you're growing into a young woman, and a lot of times the way that people see you — the way that these men see you on set — it's not the way that you see yourself,' " Palmer recalled Ice Cube telling her.

The Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative author said that the musician told her to "protect yourself, be careful and don't let them take advantage of you. Know who you are and know what you have so people can't use it against you."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

While she admits she "didn't understand," his message being that she was "like 14" at the time, she said it was something that "stuck with me."

"And it was so important, I think, for him to say something like that to me," said Palmer. "He's a father. He's someone who has seen a lot in this industry, especially with young entertainers. I always remember that, and I was always so grateful to him for that. I haven't seen him since, but I would love to tell him that really stuck with me all these years and thank you for reminding me."

Related: Keke Palmer Shares Surprising Voicemail Will Smith Left Her When She Considered Emancipating Herself from Her Parents

In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, Palmer said she was open to dating again following her "unhealthy" relationship with her ex, Darius Jackson, with whom she shares a son, Leo, born in February 2023.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

"I don't know how to say it or think of it at this time in my life, but I do feel fabulous. I do feel hot. I do feel everything. I live for the compliments. I love to be sought after. I love to be pursued, but I don't know if I really care that much," said Palmer.