In his lifetime, Tracy Marrow has been all the things from a dancer and a DJ, to a thief and a weed seller. But, from the minute Marrow grew to become Ice-T, his renown developed and grew.
Initially, being Ice-T meant turning into hip-hop’s most incendiary voice, a sinister avatar of the reality-rap fashion tagged by the press as “gangster” (alongside along with his thrash steel band, Physique Depend). Equally well-known was Ice-T’s gig as an actor-with-attitude in movies akin to “New Jack Metropolis” and — since 2000 — for tv producer Dick Wolf’s police drama “Legislation & Order: Particular Victims Unit” as NYPD Detective Odafin Tutuola.
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Ice-T brings road cred to all the things he does — together with commercials. He beams with satisfaction discussing his hood previous and the way its raw-knuckle spirit stays. Even seeing Ice-T driving a spin cycle, selling Cheerios and coronary heart well being, is hardcore. And all of it begins with hip-hop. Regardless of its present state of musicality being — in his phrases, “goofy” — Ice-T is the soul of rap’s tough efficiency. To wit: his look on the Feb. 5 Grammy Awards in a star-studded tribute to hip-hop in honor of the style’s fiftieth anniversary.
Talking by telephone from New Jersey (with spouse Coco and their canine, Lexus, within the background), Ice-T reminisced concerning the hip-hop recreation, additional fame and getting his flowers by means of Feb. 17’s star ceremony on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame.
If somebody instructed you at your begin that you’d get a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame, what would you’ve gotten mentioned?
I might have instructed you that was unimaginable. Once I began making information, I didn’t come into the music enterprise pondering I might be a star. I used to be simply seeing if I might get a fan base. I didn’t need to be the most effective rapper. I simply wished to be talked about among the many greats: LL Cool J, Run-DMC. Getting any “star” was manner out of attain.
Your identify is synonymous with “West Coast rap,” however you’re from the East Coast and solely got here to California after your dad and mom handed. Did artwork change your life in California?
Yeah, I went to Crenshaw Excessive. That’s how I obtained launched to Los Angeles gang tradition. I additionally obtained launched to dancers as a result of I used to be in gymnastics. There was a dance, “locking,” made well-known by the Lockers. Shabba Doo was a Locker, as was Toni Basil. I had a dance group referred to as the West Coast Locksmiths, with whom I received a expertise present in highschool emulating the Lockers. That was my first time coping with fame, feeling the thrill of being a star.
When did making music turn into your recreation?
In highschool, I learn books by Iceberg Slim and Donald Goines, road novels primarily based on hustling, pimping and gangsterism, written within the lingo of the life. Rapping didn’t occur till after I obtained my girlfriend pregnant, tried to do one thing reputable and went into the Military. That’s when hip-hop got here out. All of the Military guys from New York introduced tapes, and I obtained fascinated. I used to be already making rhymes for the gangbangers in the course of the time I used to be dancing. I discovered that in the event you don’t need to should take care of gangbangers, entertain them. My intention was to come back house from the navy, DJ and throw events. I purchased tools, attached with promoters like Uncle Jam’s Military in L.A. That was a pleasant hustle. However I obtained extra consideration throughout events once I rapped. That was simpler than carrying audio system round.
Your first single, 1983’s “The Coldest Rap,” was not at all hardcore. A yr later, your writing grew to become politicized with “Killers,” then more durable with “6 within the Mornin’.” What was your purpose past reporting what you noticed round you, “gangster rap” or in any other case?
“Coldest Rap” was gamers’ stuff. Hip-hop braggadocio. “Islands off the coast of France?” I’m within the hood. What did I learn about France? However each rapper mentioned they’d a mansion and a yacht. Once I wrote “Killers,” it was the time of Run-DMC’s “It’s Like That.” I rapped on “Killers” as two individuals, back-and-forth. Gangster rap? I heard Schoolly D’s “PSK” at a membership in Santa Monica. What was so dope was that he wasn’t yelling. At the moment, all rappers have been yelling. Not Schoolly. Who was this fly motherfucker? Then I spotted Schoolly was repping Parkside Killers, and that validated the thought of speaking about THAT shit, somebody repping a GANG. That was the inspiration for “6 within the Mornin’.” I even used Schoolly’s cadence. I took you on a South-Central journey, writing what I referred to as “faction” — factual occurrences put into fictional tales. Every part in “6 within the Mornin’” occurred. It could simply not have occurred to me. That was “faction,” actuality rap, relying on whose actuality you have been speaking about. That didn’t get named “gangster” till [Ice] Dice did “Straight Outta Compton,” and referred to N.W.A as a gang. The press ran with that. Then I referred to as myself the “unique gangster.” As a lot because the press watches us, we watch y’all.
You recorded 4 hip-hop albums — “Rhyme Pays,” “Energy,” “The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech … Simply Watch What You Say,” and “O.G. Unique Gangster” — then went to thrash steel with Physique Depend.
Ernie C was a guitar virtuoso who went to Crenshaw, used to do events the place he performed Peter Frampton and set off home made flash pots. Beatmaster V performed drums, and, like Ernie, wished to be within the studio with me. They have been my closest buddies, however I didn’t know methods to match them into hip-hop. Throughout my tour with Public Enemy, I noticed white youngsters moshing off of quick rap. If that was the case, what if I gave these motherfuckers some rock? But when we have been going to do it, it needed to be a cross between Suicidal Tendencies and Slayer.
The primary time that folks noticed Physique Depend was in the course of the first Lollapalooza in 1991, sure?
Ernie was buddies with Perry Farrell who wished me to be in Jane’s Dependancy video for “The Reward.” Perry was doing this live performance and wished to ebook Ice-T. I had an hour slot, so I cut up the set, launched Physique Depend and kicked ass. I instructed the viewers we have been about to indicate them that rock and roll had nothing to do with coloration — it’s a frame of mind. Physique Depend is Ice-T over steel. Similar angle. The vocal supply was supposed not a rap-ish, however reasonably straight steel. Hearken to Slayer. Tommy [Araya]’s not singing.
You continued with Physique Depend, even getting Grammy-nominated for 2020’s track “Bum-Rush” for steel efficiency. However you stopped making Ice-T solo albums in 2006. Why?
Hip-hop modified. The music obtained goofy to me. The children began wanting bizarre. All of it changed into one thing I wasn’t snug with. There was a degree the place I used to be promoting tons of information, then it cooled off. I felt a sure manner. Then I spotted Public Enemy, Rakim, Huge Daddy Kane and Wu-Tang Clan weren’t promoting information, both. There was a paradigm shift. These youngsters obtained softer, and tender will not be one thing I’m capable of give audiences. The primary phrase in hip-hop is “hip” so how one thing stays hip for over 10 years is troublesome. … Moreover, I nonetheless do my “Ice-T: Artwork of Rap” exhibits, which is my legacy hip-hop. Consider it like seeing Frank Sinatra. You need to hear the classics.
In 1991, Physique Depend courted controversy with “Cop Killer,” which you acknowledged was written in character about vengeance in opposition to the police. How do you see the duality of “Cop Killer” and “SVU,” particularly within the period of Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and Tyre Nichols?
I’m appearing in each. I by no means killed a cop. In “Cop Killer,” I play a person who was mad on the police, snapped and went after them primarily based on coverage brutality. That’s appearing. The place the media glossed it, is after they mentioned that it was actually Ice-T saying to go kill the police. I didn’t do this. The identical is true of “SVU.” I’m not a cop. I’m the furthest factor from a cop. So far as the dilemma with police now — yeah, it’s troublesome.
Folks have mentioned that our tv exhibits are police propaganda, making the police look good. I perceive that argument. The cop I’m on our present is an SVU detective. If I needed to be a policeman in actual life, it will be that sort of cop as a result of there’s no grey space. You’re chasing rapists and pedophiles. It’s laborious to be a nasty cop in that unit. On the B-side, in the event you solely play unhealthy guys on a regular basis, what are you placing on the market? You’re a star, however you’re pushing the road of being a drug seller or killer. In appearing, somebody has to play the slave proprietor, play these bizarre individuals on the earth. Once I obtained the job at “SVU,” Dick Wolf mentioned to me, “Ice, you don’t like cops, proper?” I instructed him that in my legal previous, I didn’t hate cops — they have been my opponents. [He asked,] “However you admit we’d like them, proper?” I mentioned, “Yeah.” So, Wolf instructed me to play the cop that we’d like. And if I play the cop that we’d like, I received’t have any issues with it — my cop is a far stretch from the cop that the cop killer desires to kill.
Contemplating your impact on the tradition, you have been on the peak of your reign as a rapper while you started appearing. What have been you hoping to realize?
I used to be benefiting from a chance that was introduced to me. I by no means wished to behave. I used to be prepared to show it down as a result of they wished me to play a cop, on the similar time I’m placing out an album referred to as “OG.” Are you kidding me? Play a cop? However my buddies have been like “Motherfucker, in the event you flip this down, you’re a real-life sucker.” So, I did it. I didn’t know I used to be going to achieve success at it. Appearing wasn’t one thing that I desired to do, however now I spotted that it was one thing that I used to be purported to do. Like I obtained a Tide industrial. I didn’t need some motherfucking Tide industrial. Oh, it’s Coldwater Tide and I’ll be with “Stone Chilly” Steve Austin? Phrase. The Honey Nut Cheerios industrial I’ve out now? They obtained at me. I didn’t ask to be on a Cheerios field. However they instructed me that Ice-T is wholesome, vibrant, nonetheless on the market and funky — that folks love me. In order that’s who I’m.
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