ice-t ArchivesAmbrosia For Heads

200 MCs Celebrate DJ Kay Slay On The Ultimate Posse Cut

Last year, Hip-Hop lost DJ Kay Slay. The Harlem legend passed away on April 17, 2022. His 40+ year legacy began with graffiti and evolved into him becoming one of the biggest mixtape DJs in the world. The self-proclaimed "Drama King" ultimately used his tastemaking skills as a record executive... Read more

November 3, 2023 Video

The 25 Most Important Rap Albums Of Hip-Hop’s First 50 Years

Over the years, countless music lists have laid out the "Greatest" of a particular category–album, artist, song, etc. These lists often cite vague criteria and then lay out what they claim to be objective rankings. But, they are subjective. At Ambrosia For Heads, we have generally provided opportunities for the people... Read more

August 17, 2023 Exclusive, Food for Thought, Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Hip-Hop Legends From The Last 50 Years Gave The Most Iconic Tribute Ever

Last night (February 5), the Grammy Awards celebrated Hip Hop's upcoming 50th birthday. LL Cool J, one of the culture's first superstars, introduced the special concert, in which he also performed. During the presentation, LL pointed to August 11, 1973, and the Bronx back-to-school jam at a rec center, made... Read more

February 6, 2023 Video

Many Of Hip-Hop’s Greatest Rappers Name Their Top 5 MCs

Note: Jadakiss recently appeared on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby podcast and was asked who his top 5 Hip-Hop groups of all-time were. This article has been updated below with his response, as well as The Game’s top 5 LA Rap albums. A few days ago, during a podcast appearance, Ice... Read more

July 12, 2022 Video

Ice Cube Explains Why Storytelling Is The Top Level Of MC’ing (Video)

Ice Cube is no stranger to storytelling with his lyrics. The legendary South Central, Los Angeles MC is responsible for one of Rap's most beloved tales: "It Was A Good Day," as well as penning Eazy-E's breakout anthem, "Boyz-n-the-Hood." Cube's albums, both solo and group, often have songs that follow... Read more

February 3, 2020 Video

Hip-Hop Peers Are Helping Scarface Get What He Needs To Become A Politician

Today (December 4) is the final day allowed for fundraising in Brad Jordan's pursuit to become the District D Councilman in his hometown of Houston, Texas. Like all campaigning politicians, Jordan is letting his supporters know that he needs their help. However, donors from far beyond H-Town are helping the... Read more

December 4, 2019 Fresh, Lifestyle

Wesley Snipes Explains Why He Refused To Be In The New Jack City Sequel

In 1991's New Jack City, "Nino Brown" tells "G-Money," "It can never go back to the way it was." It's a profound scene in the movie where one character eventually asks the other, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The actor who played "Nino," Wesley Snipes, has a similar sentiment surrounding... Read more

October 8, 2019 TV/Film, Video

New Jacks Take Heed…Ice-T Is Still Hustling O.G. Bars (Video)

Before he began his unprecedented 21-year run on Law Order: Special Victims Unit, Ice-T cemented a spot as a Gangsta Rap pioneer more than 30 years ago. Without question, Ice-T is an O.G. in the game. However, with longstanding TV roles, reality shows, and car insurance commercials, it can be... Read more

July 12, 2019 Video

Rappers Might Start Going To Jail Because Of Their Lyrics

Rap music is often an art that imitates life. However, there appear to be new legal lines surrounding that freedom of expression. Today, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case of Jamal Knox v. Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania. That case surrounds Cox, who is a Pittsburgh rapper also... Read more

April 15, 2019 Food for Thought, News

Eminem Becomes LL Cool J’s Stan In A Conversation Between Two GOATs (Audio)

Eminem tends to offer impassioned anecdotes when crediting his multiple Rap music influences. For the first episode of LL Cool J's new show, The Influence Of Hip-Hop on Sirius XM's Rock The Bells Radio channel, Eminem tells LL that he is one of the main reasons that he began rapping as a child. "I... Read more

August 22, 2018 Audio

Warren G’s Documentary Trailer Shows How The G-Funk Era Is Forever (Video)

Nearly a year and a half ago, Warren G's G-Funk documentary made waves at the 2017 South By Southwest Film Festival. A partnership with filmmaker Karam Gill, the movie examines how a sub-genre of Hip-Hop largely credited to Warren, half-brother Dr. Dre, as well as an artists and producers such... Read more

July 9, 2018 TV/Film, Video

Freddie Gibbs & Mozzy Update “Colors” For 2018 & It’s Even More Gangsta (Audio)

Thirty years ago, Ice-T released "Colors" as a companion to Dennis Hopper's film of the same name. Both the song (which climbed up the Top 100) and the movie starring Sean Penn and featuring early appearances by Don Cheadle, Damon Wayans, and Leon were timepieces of 1980s gang culture. Ice-T... Read more

April 13, 2018 Audio

Wu-Tang Clan To Perform 36 Chambers At 2018 Soundset Festival

Rhymesayers Entertainment's 11th annual Soundset lineup is announced. For 2018, the Minneapolis, Minnesota Hip-Hop festival will feature some of RSE's founders and quite active artists. Event co-organizers Atmosphere will perform on the heels of reissuing their 1997 debut Overcast!. Slug, Ant, and company will be joined by Evidence, following last... Read more

February 28, 2018 Fresh

Murs Celebrates The MCs & Books That Taught Him He Is Powerful (Audio)

Murs is roughly six weeks away from his upcoming album, A Strange Journey Into The Unimaginable. Releasing on the veteran MC's March 16 birthday, the LP is a full collaboration with Missouri-based producer Michael "Seven" Summers, known for producing some of Tech N9ne's most celebrated work. The Strange Music album... Read more

January 29, 2018 Audio, Video

Ice-T Reveals New Jack City Sequel Plot & Why The Film Was Never Made (Audio)

In March of 2016, Ambrosia For Heads celebrated New Jack City's 25th anniversary by examining its creation and legacy with revealing interviews with two men responsible (Barry Michael Cooper and Thomas Lee-Wright) for the film's story, development, and unforgettable characters. One of those conversations, an interview with film screenwriter Barry... Read more

January 25, 2018 Audio, TV/Film

20 Years Later, Rhyme & Reason Remains Rap Music’s Ultimate Backstage Pass (Video)

During the late 1990s, Hip-Hop was a seismic force that garnered mainstream recognition as a billion-dollar industry. The culture had invalidated scores of critics who dismissed it as a fad during the previous two decades. Hip-Hop achieved this while rewriting the rules of the music business and redefining the American... Read more

December 7, 2017 Do Remember, TV/Film, Video

Kool G Rap Explains How Record Label Politics Made Him Lose Like The Ill Street Blues

Twenty-five years ago today, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo released their third album, Live & Let Die. Featuring singles "Ill Street Blues" and "On The Run," the Cold Chillin' Records release marked a shift for the Queens, New York MC and DJ team. The release would be the final... Read more

November 24, 2017 Throwback

A Near 500-Song Mix Showcases The Magnificent History Of West Coast Hip-Hop (Audio)

West Coast Hip-Hop is incredible. So many of its pioneers are still making albums, doing shows, and adding to their legacy. As a tribute to the Left Coast immense contributions to Hip-Hop, Take It Personal Radio has compiled a four-part episode dedicated to gangsta and underground Rap classics from the... Read more

November 4, 2017 Audio, Mixes

Rhyme Pays. Ice-T Offers Rare Access To His High Roller Lifestyle (Video)

Ice-T's album-making career began 30 years ago with Rhyme Pays. Even ahead of his Rap fame, Tracy Morrow had accumulated symbols of wealth from his days in the streets of Los Angeles, California. Those accounts of jewelry store heists and hustlin' gave Ice-T a spectrum of experiences to pull from... Read more

August 15, 2017 Video

More Than 20 MCs Join Eric B. & Rakim In Celebrating Their 30th Anniversary (Video)

Yesterday (July 7), marked the 30th anniversary of the release of Eric B. & Rakim's classic album, Paid In Full, and they celebrated it in grand fashion. The two were joined on stage at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater by by more than 20 artists from eras both before and after... Read more

July 8, 2017 Video

Hip-Hop Notables Support Havoc As He Does His 1st Show Without Prodigy (Video)

Last November, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi took the Saturday Night Live stage, A Tribe Called Quest's first major appearance since the death of Phife Dawg in March of 2016. For many, watching a beloved group perform new material for the first time in decades without one of its... Read more

July 3, 2017 Video

Ice-T Spits Punchy Bars On A Completely Different 6 ‘N The Mornin’ (Audio)

Although there are certainly other contenders, perhaps the verse of Ice-T's career is "6 'N The Mornin'." Thirty-one years ago the O.G. waxed an incredible tale about how his day begins for Techno Hop Records. The Unknown DJ (later of Compton's Most Wanted) laid down a beat that knocked as... Read more

June 5, 2017 Audio, The Bridge

Ice-T Provides Some Rare Facts About The Song That Nearly Killed His Rap Career (Video)

This week, Ice-T's Heavy Metal band Body Count will release their sixth album, Bloodlust. In doing so, the 35-year Rap pioneer is releasing his first full-length project in nearly three years. Just as Tracy Morrow does on TV, in film, and has always done in music, he strikes with a... Read more

March 29, 2017 Throwback, Video

DJ Premier Recalls The First Show Gang Starr Ever Did (Video)

Nearly 30 years into his recording career, DJ Premier actively tours across the globe. The iconic Gang Starr producer performs regular DJ sets, shows with PRhyme, jams with his band, and playing with other artists. Currently overseas with his artist Torii Wolf, Premier recalled the first time he took the... Read more

March 28, 2017 Video

Ice-T & T.I. Do A Live Mashup Of “O.G.” And “Bring Em Out” (Video)

By 1991, West Coast icon Ice-T was already on his fourth solo album. O.G. Original Gangster cracked the top ten on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was home to unapologetically outspoken records like "Body Count" and "Escape From The Killing Fields." Its title track would become a single and... Read more

March 21, 2017 Video

Ice-T Says No Lives Matter But Those Of The Wealthy To Those In Power (Video)

In 1992, Ice-T took off his MC hat to become the lead of Punk Rap band, Body Count. The group featured an aggressive, in your face style, that combined the full force of Hip-Hop and Punk Rock. What started off as a side project for the Original Gangsta, ultimately became... Read more

February 18, 2017 Video

Cypress Hill Explain Passing On “Jump Around” & Why It Remains A Good Decision

In 1992, an emerging Hip-Hop group named House Of Pain became overnight mainstream sensations, thanks to single "Jump Around." The Tommy Boy Records song, belonging to the group's subsequent self-titled debut, would reach #3 on the charts. The Irish American-themed trio of Everlast, Danny Boy, and DJ Lethal would score... Read more

September 4, 2016 Throwback

Ice-T Explains Why Battling Unknown MCs Is A Bad Idea & More

Ice-T has been releasing records for nearly 35 years. Whether early independent 12" singles of platinum albums with Sire/Warner Bros. Records, the New Jersey-born, California-raised artist has enjoyed a massive entertainment career. Now known for his seminal role in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the pioneering gangsta rapper appeared... Read more

June 7, 2016 Audio, Food for Thought, Fresh

King Harris II Colors His Own West Coast Reality Into An Ice-T Classic (Audio Premiere)

Oxnard, California (by way of Long Beach) MC King Harris II is gearing up for the release of his Nightmare On Wolff Street album tomorrow, on "Friday the 13th" no less. After making impactful appearances on albums by Tech N9ne and E-40, the diligent MC (who also happens to be... Read more

May 12, 2016 Audio, Food for Thought, The Bridge

EPMD, Public Enemy, Mobb Deep, Naughty By Nature & More Announce Tour

In 2015, Ice-T launched the Art Of Rap Tour. Taking its name from Ice's acclaimed Hip-Hop documentary, the summer tour featured Rakim, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, and a number of other acts. For 2016, the O.G. is keeping The Art Of Rap Tour strong. Several '15... Read more

May 9, 2016 Fresh

Chris Rock & Ice-T Discuss Making “New Jack City” On Its 25th Anniversary (Audio)

Twenty five years ago tomorrow (March 8, 1991) New Jack City was released to theaters. Largely conceived and written by Barry Michael Cooper, and directed by Mario Van Peebles, the film starring Wesley Snipes would live well beyond its impressive theatrical run. A quarter century later, the Warner Bros. movie... Read more

March 7, 2016 Audio, TV/Film

New Jack City Is Turning 25. New Revelations From Its Writer Will Blow Your Mind.

Twenty five years ago this month, New Jack City opened to the public. The film, starring Wesley Snipes, Allen Payne, Ice-T, and Chris Rock, was Hollywood's first and arguably its most enduring cinematic glimpse at the crack cocaine epidemic. At a time when Operation Desert Storm dominated the news cycle,... Read more

March 2, 2016 Food for Thought

Ja Rule Tells Ice-T That “Coup De Grace” Will Be His Last Album (Audio)

Ja Rule is the latest guest on Ice-T's Final Level Podcast. The Hollis, Queens MC veteran spoke to the O.G. about his ascent from independent MC to a multi-platinum superstar. In the hour-plus formatted interview, the flagship Rap act of Murder Inc. describes meeting Irv Gotti (through Mic Geronimo), hustling... Read more

February 23, 2016 Audio, News

DJ Hollywood Tells Ice-T What He Says Is The True Story Of Hip-Hop’s Origins (Audio)

On the latest episode of his Final Level podcast, Ice T chats with DJ Hollywood, the legendary Harlem DJ whose work in the '70s and '80s helped elevate Hip-Hop culture from obscurity to relevance, a story far too unfamiliar in music lore. Along with co-host Mick Benzo, Ice took the... Read more

December 11, 2015 Audio

Learn How Ice Cube Reportedly Got His Rap Name & His Previous Prince-Inspired Moniker (Audio)

Whether you read the books on Hip-Hop history or caught Straight Outta Compton in theaters, it's documented that Ice Cube's Rap career began with a group known as C.I.A. In the days prior to N.W.A., O'Shea Jackson was working with Dr. Dre's cousin Sir Jinx, in a group that pressed... Read more

November 28, 2015 Throwback

KRS-One & Ice-T Have 30 Years of Shared History. It Shows in This Talk Between OGs (Audio)

KRS-One and Crazy Legs are the latest guests on Ice-T's Final Level Podcast. The special Veterans Day edition of Ice and Mick Benzo's show takes a deep look at how Hip-Hop and the United States Military are in step in 2015, with many veterans (including Ice) and enlisted Heads. Additionally,... Read more

November 11, 2015 Audio

Marley Marl Says KRS-One Asked To Be In The Juice Crew & “The Bridge” Leaked (Audio)

Iconic Hip-Hop producer and DJ Marley Marl is the most recent guest on Ice-T's Final Level Podcast. The man largely responsible for introducing the music community to Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Biz Markie, and countless others sat in with Ice and Mick Benzo for nearly 90 minutes. As... Read more

October 29, 2015 Audio

A New Book Lists The Most Important Rap Songs Of Every Year Since 1979. Did They Get It Right?

In "The Rap Year Book," writer Shea Serrano attempts to do what many may say is impossible - pick only one Rap song from every year as the definitive best. Along with illustrations from Arturo Torres and a foreword from Ice-T, the project takes the form of a high-school yearbook,... Read more

October 22, 2015 Lifestyle

The D.O.C.’s No One Can Do It Better vs. Ice-T’s Rhyme Pays. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

October 15, 2015 Finding the GOAT

Ice-T’s Rhyme Pays vs. Too Short’s Born To Mack. What’s Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

September 17, 2015 Finding the GOAT

Did You Know Ice-T Was Once Arrested for Possessing a Bomb…Which Was Fake? (Video)

Anyone with an internet connection over the last 48 hours was made well aware of the story of Ahmed Mohamed, a high-school student in Texas whose incredible skills in science and engineering got him arrested. The 14-year-old constructed a working clock out of his pencil case and, in a moment... Read more

September 17, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Kurtis Blow Recalls Opening For Bob Marley In Reggae Star’s Last Concerts (Audio)

Although the Sugarhill Gang had one of Hip-Hop's first massive hits in 1979's "Rapper's Delight," Kurtis Blow was among the genre's first stars. The Harlem, New York MC had Rap's first gold album, and was a critical messenger of the music from the 1970s into the mid-1980s. Afforded early star... Read more

September 16, 2015 Throwback

Scarface & Ice-T Trade The Very Bars That Define Their Success Stories (Audio)

In the last 24 hours, Scarface released his John Legend-assisted "God." Right on time, Ice-T's Final Level Podcast returns after a multi-month hiatus, and Brad Jordan in the guest chair. The segmented podcast features the Original Gangsta, Mick Benzo, and guests talking about politics, video games, television, movies, and music.... Read more

August 19, 2015 Audio

Straight Outta Compton Got Ya Craving An Electro-Rap Vibe? One Of Dre’s Partners Delivers (Mix)

Whether you watch Breakin' or you listen to The Chronic, you've heard the work of Chris "The Glove" Taylor. As moviegoers catch Straight Outta Compton to catch glimpses of Dr. Dre and DJ Yella in Los Angeles, California's early 1980s Electro-Rap scene, The Glove was at the forefront. Ice-T's first... Read more

August 14, 2015 Mixes, Throwback

Ras Kass Salutes The O.G.’s Of Hip-Hop (Video)

Southern California veteran Ras Kass celebrates his 20-plus-year run in "So OG." As the West Coast Rap mainstay reminisces over a laid-back lavish beat, several critical figures of the 1990s Hip-Hop scene appear in the form of VHS footage. This gives the viewer the impression they are watching a Rap... Read more

May 8, 2015 Video

Raekwon Discusses His New Album & Wu-Tang Clan’s Complicated History With Ice-T (Audio)

In his recent Final Level Podcast episode (#34) Ice-T (joined by co-host Mick Benzo) welcomes Raekwon to the show. The Wu-Tang Clan co-founder previously made an appearance in Ice's touted Hip-Hop documentary Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap. The podcast begins with small-talk, as the three discuss their favorite sports teams,... Read more

May 4, 2015 Audio

Ice-T Interviews Chief Rocka Busy Bee, Talks Wild Style, Pioneering Swag & More (Audio)

Many Heads know the importance and impact of Chief Rocka Busy Bee Starski. The Bronx, New Yorker was among the Rap voices who was relevant and top-notch, dating back to the 1970s. Ice-T, who would break through beginning with Breakin', calls the MC born David Parker a "Cornerstone of Hip-Hop,"... Read more

January 7, 2015 Audio, Fresh, Throwback

Ice-T Interviews Kool Keith, & The Ultramagnetic MC Explains Creating His Groundbreaking Style (Audio)

Heads may not know this, but back in 2000, Ice-T and Kool Keith made an album together in Pimp To Eat. The Analog Brothers, consisting of Keith, Ice, Marc Live, Black Silver, and Rex, was believed to be a response (largely on Keith's part) to RZA's "Bobby Digital" persona. The... Read more

December 26, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Ice-T Gives Mobb Deep An Amazing Interview, From Police To Hip-Hop (Audio)

Did you know that Ice-T is one of the biggest Mobb Deep Heads out? The O.G. is a big fan of the M-O-B-B. If you didn't know, it becomes abundantly clear in this recent Final Level Podcast episode (#24). Ice welcomes Prodigy and Havoc into his sponsored podcast. Joined by... Read more

December 11, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Finding The GOAT: Ice-T vs. Grand Master Melle Mel…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

October 1, 2014 Fresh, Throwback