Ice Spice – born Isis Naija Gaston – has come a long way since she was an underground rapper in the Bronx. The hitmaker rose to prominence in late 2022 with the chart-topping track “Munch” and has already joined forces with trailblazers Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift.
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The 23-year-old recently sat down for an in-depth interview with Teen Vogue, where she discussed her rapid rise to fame and what it’s like to combat colorism in the entertainment space.
“My job is being a rapper,” said Ice Spice, trying to wrap her head around her new profound livelihood. “That’s made lit.”
Ice Spice became a household name after participating in the “Buss It” challenge on TikTok. In 2022, she appeared on the YouTube show On The Radar and delivered a spit-fire freestyle. The video went viral and propelled the artist to stardom. After Ice Spice released her debut single, she inked a deal with 10K Projects and Capitol Records. She kicked off 2023 with her critically acclaimed EP, Like…? and at the Met Gala.
“I’m most proud of staying grounded so far because I’ve already been through so many things that I know a lot of people would’ve lost their fucking minds,” she explained to the publication. “The whole lifestyle change is super drastic, especially coming from where I come from. Not coming from shit and not having a lot growing up, so now – it’s the complete opposite. Even though it’s a positive change, it’s still a change.”
She credits her diverse fanbase for her success. Although Ice Spice’s lyrics lean more feminine, she believes everyone can relate to each track because of the musical composition.
“I wouldn’t say girls, specifically, because the gays love me, and I love the gays,” she said. Ice Spice is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, as she identifies as bisexual. “I’m just making [music] that I like, honestly…Everybody could really vibe to the beats. The beats are the most important thing. The beats be hard. N****s be wanting to hear that too. So, I feel like everything else components it.”
She continued, “They are the biggest part of my career. Without my fans, I wouldn’t be here. They are the first priority when it comes to anything, honestly.”
She also acknowledged colorism within the hip-hop scene. Many naysayers believe Ice Spice received fast fame for having lighter skin than her industry counterparts. Teen Vogue pointed out that many fans tag female rappers with “darker complexions” in her comments section.
“I have seen those opinions. I feel like that’s not something personal to me. I feel like that’s been the conversation for generations and forever, since the beginning of time,” uttered the promising artist. “I try not to feed into negativity because I also see that when people are trying to make that point, it’s not out of a good place. They end up putting somebody else down.”
Photo: Tina Benitez-Eves
