Ice T

Tracy Marrow (born February 16, 1958 in Newark, New Jersey), better known as Ice-T or Ice T, is an American rapper, singer, actor, and former pimp. Ice has had a very diverse career as a musician - from being widely believed to have created west-coast Gangster rap to pioneering Hybrid metal rap.

Biography

Ice-T was born in Newark, New Jersey. His parents died when he was young and he was orphaned to Los Angeles. There he found a passion in music but became immersed in South LA gang life and whores. He enlisted in the U.S. Army to break free.

Related Topics:
Newark - New Jersey - Los Angeles - South LA - Whores - U.S. Army

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Music

Ice-T?s first music occurred in 1984 when the producers of ?Breakin?? asked him to rap in the film. He went on to become a Grammy Award-winning performer, whose outspoken hip-hop music has earned him international acclaim.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ice-T started out with other West Coast rap pioneers such as Kid Frost and Egyptian Lover with Electro recordings. As his style changed so did the rap movement. He went on to work with Afrika Islam, with 1987's Rhyme Pays, and 1988's Power. He formed Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1989, and released a string of groundbreaking records. Long before the rap-rock synergy was major-label Ice-T played the first Lollapalooza with acts like Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails, then opened shows for Metallica and Guns N' Roses.

Related Topics:
Kid Frost - Egyptian Lover - Electro - Afrika Islam - Lollapalooza - Jane's Addiction - Nine Inch Nails - Metallica - Guns N' Roses

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1991, Ice-T's fourth album, "Original Gangster", was released including the theme song from the movie New Jack City. Also in 1991, Ice?s metal band Body Count released the debut self-titled album "Cop Killer" which led to contervesy and the introduction of the Parental Advisory Sticker, for music.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Virgin Records released his next album "Home Invasion" (1993) that featured a new female rapper named Grip and Ice T's longtime DJ Evil E as a rapper himself.

Related Topics:
Virgin Records - Grip - Evil E

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His seventh solo album, Ice-T "VI - Return of the Real", was released with a glossy, west coast beat, including the singles 'Pimp Anthem' and the slow grooving 'I Must Stand'.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ice-T joined the 1999 summer Warped Tour and joined the ranks of ska and punk bands like Royal Crown Revue and Blink 182. But since the ?Return of the Real? much more cutthroat and homicidal players had risen to stake their claim in the music business and the once fearsome Ice-T had assumed a quite role.

Related Topics:
Warped Tour - Ska - Punk - Homicidal

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The first single from his new album "7th Deadly Sin" (1999), was released exclusivly on MP3.com, "Don't Hate the Playa." The album was one one of the first to be released through the Internet before going retail through his own Coroner Records, and Atomic Pop distribution.

Related Topics:
MP3.com - Internet - Atomic Pop

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Actor

Ice-T has continued with his feature-film career as well, having appeared in ?New Jack City? (opposite Wesley Snipes), ?Ricochet? (with Denzel Washington), ?Johnny Mnemonic? (with Keanu Reeves), and Walter Hill?s ?Trespass.?

Related Topics:
Wesley Snipes - Denzel Washington - Keanu Reeves - Walter Hill

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Outwardly retired from the streets, ?? marks the third project on which Ice-T has worked with executive producer Dick Wolf. He previously starred in Wolf?s 1997-98 series ?Players? (which he helped develop), the NBC movie ?Exiled: A Law & Order Movie? and guest-starred several times on series ?New York Undercover.?He also made a single for the movie Colors (film) that hit the charts.

Related Topics:
Dick Wolf - Players - NBC - New York Undercover - Colors (film)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~