Ice Spice’s meteoric rise doesn’t show any sign of stopping soon, as she continues to live up to her title of New York’s princess of rap.
The 23 year old Bronx rapper’s rise in fame came after the release of last year’s “Munch (Feelin’ U)”, garnering her millions of streams and global attention after a co-sign by Drake.
After a few more singles that continued to garner reaction and fans online, “Bikini Bottom” and “In Ha Mood”, the rapper has recently released her latest project, the 6 song EP “Like..?” on January 20th, 2023. In addition to her previous viral singles, the EP also adds 3 new tracks, “Gangsta Boo” (ft Lil Tjay), “Princess Diana” and “Actin A Smoochie”.
The EP continues her streak of releasing music that is known for its catchy bars and fun vibes. From “Bikini Bottom’s” unique SpongeBob sample to the title and premise of “Princess Diana” being based off a viral tweet, Ice Spice, real name Isis Gaston, has been interjecting her Gen-Z cleverness into each track, despite some displeasing voices that state otherwise.
From earworm lyrics like “Actin’ a smoochie when I’m off the liquor”, “I’m thick ‘cause I be eatin oats” and “She a baddie with her baddie friend”, Ice Spice has honed her strength in creating the type of songs that can burrow in its listeners heads for days and weeks on end from just one listen.
Each song possesses a viral quality to it, and one look into platforms like Twitter and TikTok help show why. Ice Spice, much like other young artists such as Lil Nas X, have wonderfully implemented memes and social media into marketing their images and music, and have seen pleasant results from doing so (who can forget Old Town Road being the longest running song at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks straight). She even utilizes criticism to her favor, with one such example being her viral tweet responding to a snide comment made on her fashion sense, gaining over 300 thousand likes with a simple “u wouldn’t get it”.
Authenticity is the heart of what makes emerging artists special in the eyes of many young listeners, and Ice Spice’s authenticity is part of the reason why her and her music, this EP included, has been so well received. She doesn’t portray herself as some sort of spoiled industry plant or a mysterious underground figure, she comes across as a relatable 20-something that happens to make hits. As seen by the resurfacing of her old tweets, and the largely positive reaction towards them, her greatest asset comes from the fact that she isn’t manufactured, but instead stays grounded to who she is, both in and out of the booth.
The reaction for the debut project so far has been mostly positive as well.
From thousands of social media users blasting her lyrics in all caps with humorous videos and images, to well-regarded music publications like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork praising the artist and her project for her fun and infectious raps, Ice Spice has crafted herself a nice position among other emerging artists in a competitive landscape. Her mix of blunt Bronx rawness, crafty marketing and sarcastic yet genuine online presence has captured the attention and fandom of many.
Ice Spice isn’t showing any signs of slowing down post-release either. As of the time of this writing, her collaboration with British artist and fellow internet sensation PinkPantheress has released in the form of “Boy’s a liar Pt.2”.
The EP also marks the rapper’s debut on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 charts.
Her debut Hot 100 track comes with her collaboration with fellow Bronx rapper Lil Tjay, with “Gangsta Boo” debuting at #82. The entire project itself debuted at #37 with an estimated 14.5k sales, both marking new highs for the rapper.
The project itself isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it doesn’t set out to be. Ice Spice introduces audiences to a fun collection of songs that are easy to listen to and, most importantly, are certain to liven up any occasion. She has set herself apart in a very aggressive, competitive genre and scene by taking a more fun, lighthearted approach to Bronx drill. Whether a “munchkin”, “spice cabinet” or not, the project is sure to be an enjoyable experience, and so far, she truly is shaping up to become the princess of New York.
Original draft, copyedited version can be found on The Ticker: https://theticker.org/9930/arts/ice-spice-impresses-audiences-with-her-debut-ep-like/
