Album Reviews Ice T - 9th Studio Album GANGSTA RAP | Ice T - 9th Studio Album GANGSTA RAP |
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Written by Jay Belin The Orchard |
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| Wednesday, 01 November 2006 | |
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Almost twenty years since the release of his debut album, Ice T, one of the most controversial artists in music history, will drop his ninth studio effort “Gangsta Rap” on Halloween. The CD will be independently released through Melee Recordings, the LA based label distributed by Fontana/Universal. Gangsta Rap is Ice T’s first album since 1999. The record features 17 tracks and was almost entirely recorded in NY. Living up to his controversial nature, Ice T created album artwork that is already causing a stir in many circles and will be stickered as to avoid any problems with retailers. Ice T’s rapping career started as early as 1982, when he recorded his very first single The Coldest Rap. The song is considered by many the first example of what will later become “gangsta rap,” since, for the first time in hip hop history, very explicit lyrics were used on an actual recording. He landed his first major record deal in 1987 with Sire Records, a division of Warner Brothers, and released his first album Rhyme Pays. It was the official beginning of an outstanding music and acting career for this unique and multi talented artist: rapper, rock star (Body Count,) movie and TV actor (“Colors,” "New Jack City,” “New “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”) Ice T has recently finished filming a new VH1 series titled “Ice T’s Rap School.” During the six episodes, the rapper put a group of 8th graders from a NY Upper West side private school through strenuous tests transformed the poor Sucka MCs into “real rappers.” “Rap School” will premiere right after VH1’s Hip Hop Honors which will be hosted this year by Ice T on October 17th, 2006 :: ALL ABOUT ICE T :: Ice-T not only invented gangster rap, he has lived it. Ice-T is the original embodiment of LA Hip-Hop and a cultural icon. Through his music, his book (The Ice Opinion, St. Martin’s Press), and his lecture tours of America¹s prisons, high schools, libraries, and colleges (including Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford), Ice-T has become an influential spokesman for America¹s youth, regardless of color. Born in New Jersey, Ice-T learned the art of survival pretty fast. An only child whose parents died when he was very young, Ice-T became involved in Los Angeles gangs before spending four years in the army. His first break came when the producers of the film Breakin¹ asked him to rap in the movie. He went on to become rap music¹s original gangster, writing songs like “Six in the Mornin”² and “New Jack Hustler.” Ice-T formed Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1989 and released a string of groundbreaking West Coast rap records. He subsequently formed the thrash metal band Body Count with close high school friend and guitarist Ernie C. Body Count’s 1991 self-titled debut contained the controversial single “Cop Killer.”Body Count was the most critically-acclaimed act on the highly successful 1991 Lollapalooza tour, and continued to tour worldwide. As his politics were grabbing headlines, Ice-T’s film and television career was taking off. The controversial personality secured roles in New Jack City, Ricochet, Trespass and Johnny Mnemonic, all while building a flourishing television career. He has numerous independent and documentary film roles to his credit as well. Ice-T currently stars in NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective OdaFin Tutuloa for his seventh season. This is his fourth project with executive producer Dick Wolf after the 1997-98 series Players, NBC’s Exiled: A Law & Order Movie, and several memorable guest-starring appearances on Wolf’s gritty cop series New York Undercover. Ice-T has also just finished filming VH1’s Rap School where he taught prep school kids how to be rappers. Rap School is currently airing on VH1. Musically, the Grammy award winner Ice T has just released, a new rap album called Gangsta rap. :: THE TRACKS ::
:: THE STREAMS :: :: LINKS TO PURCHASE :: :: THE OLD SCHOOL VIDEOS :: :: ALL THINGS ICE T (& COCO) :: |
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