Ice Spice
A young woman with frizzy dyed-orange hair holds a mic and smiles at a performance.
Ice Spice in 2022
Background information
Birth nameIsis Naija Gaston[1]
Born (2000-01-01) January 1, 2000
New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active2021–present
Labels
Websiteicespicemusic.com

Isis Naija Gaston (born January 1, 2000), known professionally as Ice Spice, is an American rapper. Born and raised in the Bronx in New York City, she embarked on her musical career while studying at college in 2021 after meeting producer RiotUSA.

Ice Spice first gained major recognition in late 2022 with her song "Munch (Feelin' U)", which achieved viral popularity on TikTok. She followed it with "Bikini Bottom" and "In Ha Mood", leading up to her debut EP, Like..? (2023). She achieved her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with the Lil Tjay collaboration "Gangsta Boo". She rose to prominence with the collaborations "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with PinkPantheress), "Princess Diana" (with Nicki Minaj), "Karma" (with Taylor Swift), and "Barbie World" (with Minaj and Aqua), all of which reached the top 10 of the Hot 100, making Ice Spice the first artist to garner four Hot 100 top-10 singles in 2023. She continued releasing solo hits with "Deli".

Music journalists have noted Ice Spice's relaxed rapping style. In 2023, Time described her as a "breakout star".[3] Publications such as The New York Times and Billboard have dubbed her "rap's new princess".[4] She has been honored with the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, and the Impact Award from the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.[5]

Early life and education

Isis Naija Gaston was born on January 1, 2000, in the Bronx, New York City,[6][7][8] where she was raised in the Fordham Road neighborhood. She is the oldest of five siblings.[9] She is of mixed ethnicity: her father, Joseph Gaston, is African-American, and was once an underground rapper; her mother, Charina Almanzar, is Dominican, and worked at a car dealership and gave birth to Gaston at age 17.[10] The two first met at a McDonald's[11] and divorced when Gaston was two years old.[12][13][14][9]

Because her parents were frequently busy working, she spent much of her childhood with her grandparents and cousins.[9] She went to school in the Bronx until she was sent to Sacred Heart High School,[15] a Catholic high school in Yonkers.[14] At age seven, she took a liking to hip hop after listening to rappers like Lil' Kim, Nicki Minaj, and others and wrote poetry and freestyle raps from elementary school to high school. In an interview with Billboard, Ice explained that she grew up listening to the likes of Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and Wu-Tang Clan because of her father's rap background.[4] She would type out lyrics in the Notes app of her iPhone, listening to hip-hop instrumentals and rapping out loud to them.[16][17][13] Ice Spice explained: "When I saw Nicki [Minaj], I was so mesmerized. She's the first female rapper that I seen. And ever since then, I was kinda set on what I wanted to be." She chose Ice Spice as her stage name while she was a freshman in high school.[16]

Ice Spice graduated from Sacred Heart High in 2018 and attended State University of New York at Purchase, where she was a defensive specialist on the school's volleyball team and studied communications.[16][18][19][20][21] In seven matches, she had two kills and nine digs in the 2018 season.[20] Around her sophomore year, Ice Spice dropped out of SUNY Purchase, later explaining that she did not believe the school was the right fit for her and attributing her "strenuous commute" for leaving college.[16] As the eldest sister of her four siblings, Ice Spice was their de facto protector.[18] She supported herself as a cashier at Wendy's and The Gap.[16]

Career

2021–2022: Career beginnings

Ice Spice started rapping in 2021 after meeting with a record producer, RiotUSA, while she was attending State University of New York at Purchase.[22] He produced her debut song, "Bully Freestyle", released in March 2021 after a video of Ice Spice doing the "Buss It" challenge went viral on Twitter.[11] Her song "Name of Love" gained traction on SoundCloud, which led to her becoming popular on Instagram.[23]

2022–present: Breakthrough with Like…?

On August 10, 2022, Ice Spice released her song "Munch (Feelin' U)", accompanied with a video distributed by WorldStarHipHop,[24] as the lead single from her then-untitled debut EP, Like..?. The song gained popularity after getting support from Drake, who played the song on his Sirius XM radio station, Sound 42.[12] It subsequently went viral on Twitter and TikTok, and charted on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts.[25][26][13] In September 2022, Ice Spice appeared as a featured artist on the song "One Time" by B-Lovee.[27] Later that month, she signed a record deal with 10K Projects and Capitol Records.[28] On October 28, she released the single "Bikini Bottom".[29] Ice Spice's debut EP, Like..?, was released on January 20, 2023, and included the singles "Munch (Feelin' U)", "Bikini Bottom", and "In Ha Mood".[30]

Ice Spice performing
Ice Spice performing in 2022

In February 2023, Ice Spice collaborated with Lil Tjay on the tribute single "Gangsta Boo" to the late rapper of the same name, which became her first song on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 82.[31] On February 3, 2023, the remix of singer PinkPantheress's song, "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" featuring Ice Spice and the corresponding music video were released. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest charting position for either artist at the time.[32] In April 2023, she released the remix of "Princess Diana" with Nicki Minaj.[33] The song peaked at number four on the Hot 100, earning Ice Spice her second top-ten hit on the chart and the twenty second top-ten hit for Minaj.[34] On May 24, 2023, a remix of Taylor Swift's "Karma" featuring Ice Spice, was announced for release on May 26, 2023. The remix is a bonus track on the special editions of Swift's tenth studio album, Midnights (2022).[35] A music video for the remix, featuring Swift and Ice Spice, was released on May 27. Pitchfork described 2023 as the breakout year of Ice Spice.[36] "Karma" peaked at number two on the Hot 100, making Ice Spice the artist with the most Hot 100 top-five singles in 2023.[37] The deluxe version of Like..?, featuring five new tracks, was released on July 21, 2023.[38] On November 14, 2023, she teased an upcoming project titled "Y2K!" slated for 2024.[39]

Artistry

Musical and lyrical style

Ice Spice's music is primarily Bronx drill.[40][41] Her name came from a "finsta" (fake Instagram account) she made at age 14.[42] She has said she writes all her own lyrics,[9] though she does not consider herself as a lyricist.[43] She explained that she prefers her lyrics to be "super simple" and "digestible".[43]

Influences

In a 2022 feature for Rolling Stone titled "My Life in 10 Songs", Ice Spice included Coldplay's song "Yellow" and the 1975's song "Sex" on her list. She stated, "When I was 13 or 14, I was playing [The 1975] all the time. It was my shit, I think it's because they're from Europe and he [Matty Healy] has that [British] accent. It was a thing for me."[44]

Ice Spice was first inspired to start rapping by Sheff G and Pop Smoke, and has listed Lil' Kim, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Foxy Brown, and Remy Ma as musical influences due to their New York roots.[14][12][9] She has also called Erykah Badu, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lauryn Hill inspirations because of their "graceful angelic vibe of timeless beauty".[13]

Personal life

Ice Spice is bisexual.[45] She relocated to New Jersey following her career breakthrough, as she began to feel that she became too recognizable in her native Bronx and was losing privacy there.[46]

Discography

Extended plays

Tours

Supporting

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
All-Rap Caviar 2023 Rookie of The Year Herself Nominated [48]
Second Team Honoured
BET Awards 2023 Best Female Hip Hop Artist Herself Nominated [49]
Best New Artist Nominated
Best Collaboration "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with PinkPantheress) Nominated
BET Her Nominated
BET Hip-Hop Awards 2023 Best Collaboration "Princess Diana" (with Nicki Minaj) Nominated [50]
Best Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist Herself Won
Billboard Music Awards 2023 Top New Artist Herself Nominated [51]
Top Rap Female Artist Nominated
Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players 2023 Rookie of The Year Herself Won [52]
BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards 2023 Impact Award Herself Won [53]
Forbes 30 Under 30 2024 Music Herself Honoured [54]
Gold Derby Music Awards 2024 Best New Artist Herself Pending [55]
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist Pending
Best Collaboration "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with PinkPantheress) Pending
"Barbie World" (with Nicki Minaj and Aqua) Pending
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song Pending
Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album Like..? Pending
Grammy Awards 2024 Best New Artist Herself Pending [56]
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance "Karma" (with Taylor Swift) Pending
Best Rap Song "Barbie World" (with Nicki Minaj and Aqua) Pending
Best Song Written for Visual Media Pending
MOBO Awards 2023 Best International Act Herself Pending [57]
Song of the Year "Boy's a Liar Pt.2" (with PinkPantheress) Pending
MTV Europe Music Awards 2023 Best Collaboration Nominated [58]
Best New Herself Nominated
Best Push Herself Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards 2023 Best New Artist Herself Won [59]
Best Push Performance "Princess Diana" Nominated
Song of Summer "Barbie World" (with Nicki Minaj and Aqua) Nominated [60]
"Karma" (with Taylor Swift) Nominated
Soul Train Music Awards 2023 Best Collaboration "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with PinkPantheress) Nominated [61]
Video of the Year Nominated
Streamy Awards 2023 Sound of the Year "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with PinkPantheress) Nominated [62]
"In Ha Mood" Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Be A Lady". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Polydor Records Artists". Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Why Rapper Ice Spice Is Suddenly Everywhere". Time. February 23, 2023. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Mamo, Heran (May 11, 2023). "The New 'Princess' of Rap: How Ice Spice Exploded Into Stardom". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ Grein, Paul (September 7, 2023). "Ice Spice Receives BMI Impact Award at 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  6. ↑ Ihaza, Jeff (October 14, 2022). "How Ice Spice Added a Touch of Zest to New York's Drill Scene slatt". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  7. ↑ Trammell, Matthew (March 13, 2023). "Ice Spice: the people's princess". Daze Media. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  8. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (January 20, 2023). "Ice Spice Broke Out With 'Munch.' Rap's New Princess Is Just Warming Up". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Lent, Caitlin (December 1, 2022). "Ice Spice Is Rethinking Rap Stardom". Interview. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  10. ↑ Ramos, Danteé (November 16, 2022). "Ice Spice Reveals She's Nigerian And Dominican After Fan Says She 'Looks So Igbo'". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  11. 1 2 Verma, Millan (July 7, 2022). "'I Must Be Doing Something Right': An Interview With Ice Spice". Audiomack. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 Gardner, Alex; Fife, Carter; Aguilar, Andrea (August 30, 2022). "Best New Artists of the Month". Pigeons & Planes. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Rouhani, Neena (October 26, 2022). "Ice Spice: October R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 Black Dave (host) (May 15, 2022). Ice Spice on Becoming The Female Face of Bronx Drill (YouTube video). No Jumper. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ Darden, Ebro (January 27, 2023). "BONUS: Ice Spice On Upbringing, Drake, Cardi B, Acting, + New EP!". Apple Podcasts. Hot 97. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 High, Kemet (January 16, 2023). "Ice Spice Feels Like a Star But She's Got a Long Way to Go Before She's Satisfied". XXL Mag. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  17. ↑ Brown, D'Shonda (September 16, 2022). "GU Jams: We Know We're Not The Only Ones Feeling Ice Spice". Girls United. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  18. 1 2 Issawi, Danya (February 1, 2023). "The Cool Tang of Ice Spice". The Cut. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  19. ↑ "2018 Women's Volleyball Roster". SUNY Purchase. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Isis Gaston". SUNY Purchase. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
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  26. ↑ Richards, Chris (September 27, 2022). "Ice Spice raps like she's in her own head. Is she in yours yet?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
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  32. ↑ Aniftos, Rania; Lipshutz, Jason; Mamo, Heran; Unterberger, Andrew; Werthman, Christine (February 14, 2023). "Five Burning Questions: PinkPantheress & Ice Spice's 'Boy's a Liar' Debuts at No. 14 on the Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
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  34. ↑ Trust, Gary (April 24, 2023). "SZA Scores Her First Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 With 'Kill Bill'". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  35. ↑ Willman, Chris (May 24, 2023). "Taylor Swift Announces 'Midnights' Deluxe Album With Ice Spice and More Lana Del Rey". Variety. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  36. ↑ Corcoran, Nina (May 27, 2023). "Watch Taylor Swift and Ice Spice in New "Karma" Video". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
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  53. ↑ Grein, Paul (September 7, 2023). "Ice Spice Receives BMI Impact Award at 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  54. ↑ "Forbes 30 Under 30 2024: Music". Forbes. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  55. ↑ Ford, Daniel Montgomery,Chris Beachum,Denton Davidson,Joyce Eng,Ray Richmond,Latasha; Montgomery, Daniel; Beachum, Chris; Davidson, Denton; Eng, Joyce; Richmond, Ray; Ford, Latasha (December 18, 2023). "2024 Gold Derby Music Awards nominations list: 'Barbie,' Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and more". GoldDerby. Retrieved December 19, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  56. ↑ "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  57. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (December 14, 2023). "Little Simz and Stormzy top 2024 Mobo award nominations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
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