Ice Spice “Raps New Princess”

Isis Gaston, known professionally as Ice Spice

Career

Ice Spice started rapping in 2021 after meeting with a record producer, RiotUSA, while they were attending State University of New York at Purchase, from which she eventually dropped out. 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.

Her song “Name of Love” gained traction on SoundCloud, which led to her becoming popular on Instagram. Her song “Munch (Feelin’ U)”, released on August 10, 2022, with a video, and also produced by RiotUSA and distributed by WorldStarHipHop, gained popularity after getting support from Drake, who played the song on his Sirius XM radio station, Sound 42. 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.

In September 2022, Ice Spice appeared as a featured artist on the song “One Time” by B-Lovee. Later that month, she signed a record deal with 10K Projects and Capitol Records. On October 28, she released the single “Bikini Bottom”. 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”.

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. 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.

Musical Style

Ice Spice’s music is primarily Bronx drill. Her name came from a “finsta” (secret Instagram account) she made at age 14. She has said she writes all her own lyrics. She 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. She has also called Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill inspirations because of their “graceful angelic vibe of timeless beauty”.