Sound Off with Matt Pinfield
Episode Number: 107
Episode Title: Ice-T

Description: Matt sits down with Ice-T, who has written and recorded portraits of ghetto life and gangsters, as well as some of the best social commentary hip-hop has ever produced. All the while, as a solo performer or with his rap-rock outfit, Body Count, he has withstood a constant barrage of criticism and controversy to become a respected figure not only in the music press, but the mainstream media as well. Now a respected star of television (Law & Order) and film (New Jack City), Ice-T talks about his tumultuous career in the music business and present day role in the entertainment world.
 
Description: Matt sits down with Ice-T, who has written and recorded portraits of ghetto life and gangsters, as well as some of the best social commentary hip-hop has ever produced. All the while, as a solo performer or with his rap-rock outfit, Body Count, he has withstood a constant barrage of criticism and controversy to become a respected figure not only in the music press, but the mainstream media as well. Now a respected star of television (Law & Order) and film (New Jack City), Ice-T talks about his tumultuous career in the music business and present day role in the entertainment world.
 
HEY IT'S MATT PINFIELD AND TONIGHT ON SOUND OFF AS PROMISED I'M HERE WITH ICE T, ICE GRATE TO HAVE YOU MAN. WHAT'S UP BOSS? GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU MAN ABSOLUTELY YOU KNOW YOU HAVE HAD SUCH AN AMAZING CAREER AND YOU STILL HAVE AN AMAZING CAREER. THERE ARE SO MANY COOL THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE AND YOU KNOW I'D LIKE TO START, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU WERE BORN IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY SO DID YOU ACTUALLY GROW UP IN NEWARK TOO? FOR AWHILE AND THEN YOU MOVED WEST RIGHT?
I WAS BORN IN NEWARK BUT I WAS RAISED IN AN AREA OUTSIDE OF NEWARK CALLED SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY AND I WENT TO BRIGHTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SUMMIT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S WHERE I LIVED WITH MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER. AND MY MOTHER PASSED WHEN I WAS IN THE 3RD GRADE. SHE HAD A HEART ATTACK. AND MY FATHER PASSED WHEN I WAS IN 6TH GRADE. SO, AT THAT POINT THAT'S WHEN I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, I WAS SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA TO LIVE WITH MY FATHER'S SISTER. AND HOW WAS THAT, HOW WAS THE ADJUSTMENT. YOU KNOW IT WAS, IT WAS INTERESTING. YOU KNOW THE THING ABOUT LIFE IS LIKE YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW ANYTHING IS REALLY WRONG UNTIL PEOPLE TELL YOU IT'S WRONG, LIKE YOU KNOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PARENTS YOUR LIKE WELL I DON'T HAVE ANY PARENTS, THEY'RE LIKE WHAT? YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PARENTS, YOU KNOW THEY PUT IT ON YOU AND MAKE IT SEEM WORSE, I JUST KIND OF LIKE ADJUSTED TO EVERYTHING. LIKE WHEN MY MOTHER PASSED, I JUST DEALT WITH IT YOU KNOW AND MY FATHER WAS THERE FOR ME AND HE BASICALLY HAD A SISTER WHO TOOK CARE OF ME AND STUFF AND I WENT TO SCHOOL. I HAD A NORMAL CHILDHOOD I GUESS, YOU KNOW. I JUST DIDN'T MY MOTHER DIED SO EARLY I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO ADJUST TO NOT HAVING A MOTHER, I JUST KIND OF JUST DEALT WITHOUT IT. THEN WHEN HE PASSED I WAS KIND OF LIKE FELT BETRAYED BECAUSE THEY SENT ME TO L.A. FOR WHAT THEY SAID WAS A SUMMER VACATION. AND THEN WHEN I GOT TO L.A. ALL THE SUDDEN ALL MY CLOTHES SHOWED UP THERE AND I WAS KIND OF LIKE WITH HIS EVIL SISTER WHO HAD THIS WHOLE ATTITUDE ABOUT YOU KNOW YOU HAVEN'T HAD ANY CONTROL IN YOUR LIFE AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO CONTROL YOU BUT AT THAT POINT I KIND OF LIKE WAS ALREADY SET IN MY WAYS.

YEAH CAUSE YOU WERE STILL IN JUNIOR HIGH AT THIS POINT? YEAH I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH AND I WAS KIND OF LIKE DROPPED IN CALIFORNIA SO I KIND OF RESISTED IT, ANY CHILD IS GOING TO RESIST WHEN HE MOVES AND HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYBODY BUT ABOUT A YEAR INTO THAT I STARTED TO DIG CALI, I MADE SOME FRIENDS AND IT WAS YOU KNOW A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FOR ME BUT I JUST HAD TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES. YEAH DID YOU LOVE MUSIC FROM THE TIME YOU WERE A YOUNG KID? NOT REALLY I WASN'T TOO MUCH INTO MUSIC. WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN I MOVED TO LIVE WITH MY AUNT SHE HAD A SON NAMED EARL WHO WAS MY COUSIN, HE WAS LIKE JUST GETTING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL BUT HE WAS LIKE A TRIP LIKE HE STAYED HIGH, HE THOUGHT HE WAS JIMI HENDRIX AND HE WAS LIKE ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO WAS NEVER GONNA LEAVE HOME SO HE WAS LIKE AN ILL PERSON TO ME FOR ME TO BE LIVING SOME SHIT LIKE A, LIKE A AN ENERGIZED LIFE TO ME EARL AND HE JUST LAID IN THE BED AND JUST LIKE EVERY KIND OF DRUG YOU COULD SMOKED WEED AND JUST LIKE RIGHT BUT THE TRIP WAS HE KEPT HIS RADIO ON THE ROCK STATION. AND I WAS FORCED TO LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE HE WAS BIGGER THAN ME AND HE USED TO LISTEN TO KMET, FROM L.A. AND KLOS REMEMBER THOSE STATIONS AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT I WAS FORCE FED ROCK AND ROLL AND I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING. I KNEW ABOUT EDGAR WINTER, I KNEW ABOUT MOTT THE HOOPLE, JETHRO TULL AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT AFTER YOU START LISTENING AND YOU START PICKING STUFF YOU LIKE SO LIKE IF I GOTTA LISTEN TO IT, I'M GONNA FIGURE OUT WHAT I LIKE AND I STARTED TO LIKE DEEP PURPLE AND BLUE OYSTER CULT AND BLACK SABBATH THE MORE HARD STUFF NOW WHEN I WOULD LEAVE THE HOUSE I WAS WITH MY FRIENDS AND THEY LISTENED TO PARLIAMENT, GEORGE CLINTON, JAMES BROWN. I WANTED TO LISTEN TO IT BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A RADIO, I COULDN'T TUNE IT IN AT THE HOUSE. SO THAT'S WHY I GOT SUCH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MUSICAL BACKGROUND WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT ONE, IT COMES OUT I MEAN

OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO YOUR REGULAR ICE T RECORDS AND THE BODY COUNT STUFF AS WELL. WHEN DID YOU START KNOWING THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO THE RAP THING. I MEAN WHEN DID YOU FIRST GIVE IT A SHOT? HOW OLD WERE YOU. I HAD, I MEAN BEING A MUSICIAN WAS THE FURTHEST THING FROM MY MIND YOU KNOW I WAS IN THE STREETS AND I LEFT MY AUNT'S HOUSE WHEN I WAS 17 ON BAD TERMS AND YOU KNOW I WASN'T REALLY ENJOYING MYSELF THERE. SHE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY LOVE FOR ME. SHE WAS MORE LIKE I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU BECAUSE I GOT TO. AND I LEFT THERE AND I HIT THE STREETS AND I WAS DEALING WITH LOS ANGELES STREET GANGS AT THE TIME. I WAS DEALING WITH LOW LEVEL HUSTLING, BREAKING IN CARS, DOING THINGS OF THAT NATURE. MUSIC WASN'T EVEN IN NO WHERE IN THE SPECTRUM, LIKE WHAT? A MUSICIAN, I CAN'T EVEN PLAY AN INSTRUMENT SO HOW AM I GONNA BE A MUSICIAN? SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS I WENT TO THE MILITARY. I HAD A DAUGHTER WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL SO I WAS A TEEN PARENT AND I MOVED TO I WENT TO THE ARMY AND IN THE ARMY I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF STEREO EQUIPMENT. LIKE EVERYBODY WHO HAS EVER BEEN IN THE MILITARY THEY COME HOME WITH ALL THIS STEREO EQUIPMENT THIS WAS BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN RECEIVERS WERE THIS BIG AND YOU HAD TO HAVE A BIG KNOB ON IT, BIG KNOB AND A BIG SWITCH (LAUGHS) IT WAS BIG YOU KNOW SO

I HAD BIG STEREO EQUIPMENT AND MY WHOLE BRAINSTORM WAS WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY I WAS GONNA BE A DJ, A CLUB PROMOTER AND THROW PARTIES BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROMOTION CREW IN LOS ANGELES CALLED UNCLE JAMS ARMY AND ALSO ONE CALLED BAY 5 AND THEY WOULD RENT AREAS AND THROW PARTIES. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT WAY TO HUSTLE. IF I GOT ENOUGH EQUIPMENT AND BIG ENOUGH SPEAKERS, I COULD THROW JAMS. SO THAT WAS MY HUSTLE. THAT WAS MY IDEA. SO WHEN I DID GET OUT OF THE ARMY, I GOT DETOURED AND I GOT BACK INTO CRIME. WHEN I REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT AND MY BOYS WERE WAITING ON ME, THEY WERE LIKE YOU KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE DOING, SO WE STARTED DOING TAKE OVER BANK ROBBERIES AND JEWELRY STORE HEISTS. AFTER I WOULD DO THAT I WOULD TRY TO DO MY PARTIES OKAY BUT I HAD ALL THE FLOSSY STUFF AND THEN RAP HIT NOW WHEN RAP HIT BY ME BEING A DJ I WAS PLAYING THE RECORDS. BUT I WAS LIKE I COULD DO THAT, I COULD DO THAT AND I FOUND OUT THAT I GOT MORE ATTENTION TRYING TO RHYME, I'M GOING TO SAY AT THAT POINT I WAS TRYING TO RHYME THEN ALL THE DJING I COULD DO IN THE WORLD I WAS LIKE IF I COULD JUST GET ON THE MIC I GOT MORE ATTENTION. SO IN THAT PERIOD YOU WERE PLAYING THINGS LIKE YOU KNOW GRAND MASTER FLASH, SUGAR HILL GANG. ALL THAT STUFF AND YOU KNOW YOU JUST TRY TO SAY YOUR FORM OF RAP OVER IT AND YOU GET MORE ATTENTION, YOU KNOW

EVERYBODY IS JUST REALLY TRYING TO GET ATTENTION YOU KNOW SO THAT'S REALLY HOW IT STARTED FOR ME TEACHING MYSELF HOW TO RAP, IT WAS JUST FOR ATTENTION. BECAUSE YO9U GOTTA REMEMBER AT THAT TIME NOBODY EVER BOUGHT A CAR RAPPING. IT WAS NOT SOMETHING, YOU BETTER GO STEAL DURING THE DAY AND THEN YOU WRAP AT NIGHT MAYBE TO GET SOME GIRLS. YEAH THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. WHEN DID YOU ACTUALLY, WHAT YEAR DID YOU SIGN WITH SIRE AND HOW DID THE WHOLE FIRST RECORD DEAL COME TOGETHER.

WHAT HAPPENED, HOW I STARTED MAKING RECORDS I WAS SAYING RHYMES TO THESE GIRLS AT A BEAUTY PARLOR, I WAS AT A BEAUTY PARLOR RIGHT GETTING MY HAIR DONE, GETTING MY FLY WHIPPED UP AND I'M SAYING THESE RHYMES AND THESE GUYS WALKED IN AND THEY SAID WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A RECORD? I'M LIKE WHO ARE YOU? THEY'RE LIKE WE HAVE A RECORDING STUDIO WE CAN MAKE A RECORD, SO IT WAS KIND OF LIKE RUN DMC YOU KNOW THE CHAUFFER DROVE OFF AND HE NEVER CAME BACK. THEY THREW ME IN A CAR, THEY TOOK ME TO A STUDIO, LITTLE DID I KNOW THEY HAD A TRACK THAT WAS MADE BY JIMMY JAM AND TERRY LEWIS WITH SOME GIRLS SINGING ON IT. THEY ERASED THE GIRLS AND THEY PUT ME ON THE TRACK. THAT WAS MY FIRST RECORD WAS CALLED COLD WIND MADNESS. THAT CAME OUT IN 1982. THAT RECORD UH GOT ME KNOWN TO A RAP CLUB IN L.A. THAT WAS CALLED THE RADIO.

THE RADIO WAS WHERE THEY SHOT THE MOVIE BREAK IN AND ALL THAT STUFF. THEY BROUGHT ME IN THERE BECAUSE I WAS THE ONLY RAPPER THAT THEY COULD FIND. I WALKED INTO THIS CLUB AND I WAS LIKE, ALL WHITE KIDS YOU KNOW LIKE A REAL TRENDY CROWD, I WAS LIKE WHAT DO THEY KNOW? AND WHEN I STARTED TO RAP EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE KNEW EVERY WORD TO MY RECORD BECAUSE THIS CLUB HAD BEEN PLAYING MY RECORD FOR THE PAST YEAR. IT WAS ONE OF THEIR NIGHTLY SPINS SO THE CROWD KNEW THE RECORD. I WAS LIKE I GOTTA AUDIENCE AND THAT WAS LIKE MY FIRST REAL PERFORMANCE IT WAS LIKE THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS. SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS I BECAME FRIENDS WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE CLUB AND I KIND OF LIKE BECAME THE STAGE RAPPER. I WOULD COME THERE EVERY WEEKEND AND RAP AND GET BETTER AND BETTER. I MET AFRICA ISLAM THERE. THEY USED TO FLY IN PEOPLE LIKE THE COLD CRUSH BROTHERS, AND GRAND MIXER DST, TO PERFORM AT THIS HIP HOP CLUB. IT WAS OWNED BY A RUSSIAN CAT, ALEX JORDANOFF. I MET ISLAM ISLAM BEFRIENDED ME BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF MONEY, SEE THESE GUYS WERE RAPPERS BUT I WAS A HUSTLER SO THEY WAS LIKE HOW THE HELL YOU AIN'T GOT NO RECORD BUT YOU GOT A PORSCHE AND YOU GOT ALL THIS JEWELRY, WHAT IS GOING ON? SO I WOULDN'T TELL EM, I WAS JUST LIKE YOU KNOW I WANT YOU TO HELP ME. IZ BROUGHT MY RECORD TO NEW YORK, CONNECTED ME WITH SEYMOUR STEIN WHO WANTED TO DO A COMPILATION WITH GRAND MASTER MELLE MEL, GRAND MASTER CAZ, DONALD D, A GUY NAMED BRONX STYLE BOB AND MYSELF. ALL OF THEM HAD RECORD DEALS SO SEYMOUR SAID, WHY NOT JUST TAKE ON ICE T? NOW SEYMOUR NOT KNOWING ABOUT HIP HOP WAS UNAWARE THAT YOU CAN'T RAP IF YOUR FROM THE WEST COAST. SEE HE WAS JUST IGNORANT TO THAT WHOLE COASTAL THING. AND I GOT A RECORD DEAL. I GOT MY FIRST RECORD DEAL THROUGH LIKE A COMEDY OF ERRORS, A LOT OF MISTAKES AND BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND I GOTTA A SOLO DEAL.

HEY IT'S MATT PINFIELD AND I'M BACK RIGHT HERE WITH ICE TEA, ICE, TELL ME ABOUT THAT LOLLAPALOOZA TOUR CAUSE I MEAN THAT WAS I MEAN THE ALTERNATIVE KIDS FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU, THEY WE'RE ALREADY ICE T FANS, I MEAN A LOT OF THEM BUT I MEAN THAT'S WHEN YOU STARTED GETTING AIR PLAY, PEOPLE WERE FLIPPING OUT OVER THE BAND. HOW DID THAT LOLLAPALOOZA TOUR GO FOR YOU? DID YOU ENJOY DOING THAT? YEAH WHAT HAPPENED IS PERRY FARRELL SOMEHOW MET ERNIE. ERNIE MET PERRY FARRELL RIGHT ERNIE HANGS OUT IN THESE ILL CIRCUITS, HE GOES TO THE RAINBOW, HE MEETS ALL THESE PEOPLE SO PERRY FARRELL WAS A FAN OF ME. YOU DIG? I HAD A LOT OF ROCK FANS. I REMEMBER ONE YEAR THEY ASKED DAVE MUSTANG HIS FIVE TOP ALBUMS AND HE PUT ALL FIVE OG. SO I HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF ROCK FANS THAT WERE LIKE GETTING INTO WHAT I WAS SAYING. I ALSO HAD BONO SAY YOU KNOW HE HEARD SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER AND HE SAYS YOU KNOW ICE T IS ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC PEOPLE OUT THERE AND I'M LIKE DAMN BONO IS LISTENING TO ME? SO BUT I WAS LIKE HELL I'M LISTENING TO HIM SO WHY WOULDN'T HE? YOU KNOW.

BUT PERRY WANTED TO DO NIGGER WHITEY, HE WANTED TO REDO THIS SONG NIGGER WHITEY BY SLY STONE. IT WAS ORIGINALLY THERE IS A RIOT GOING ON? YEAH SO HE WANTED ME TO DO THIS SONG WITH HIM AND I WAS LIKE DOWN WITH IT, I KNEW ABOUT JANE'S ADDICTION, I HAD BEEN ASKED TO REVIEW A JANE'S ADDICTION ALBUM FOR SOME MAGAZINE. SO I KNEW WHAT WAS UP WITH THEM AND STUFF SO I WAS LIKE OKAY JANE'S ADDICTION IS KIND OF LIKE A VIBE GROUP, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S LIKE (SINGING) YOUR LIKE OKAY THIS IS DEEP. I LIKED HOW HE WOULD DO HIS VOICE AND STUFF AND I DUG IT SO I WAS LIKE OKAY I'LL MESS WITH PERRY FARRELL, I MET HIM, WE PERFORMED TOGETHER THE DAY WE MET ON THIS VIDEO HE HAD. HE HAS SOME ILL VIDEO HE WAS DOING SO HE HAD ME IN THIS BOOM AND WE DID IT AND WE GOT DOWN SO WELL TOGETHER HE SAID I WANT ICE T TO BE ON LOLLAPALOOZA. HE ASKED FOR ICE T, HE DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BODY COUNT, SO HE SAID YOU KNOW I'M TRYING TO DO THIS ECLECTIC THING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BUTTHOLE SURFERS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ROLLINS BAND, NINE INCH NAILS, SOUXIE AND THE BANSHEES YOU KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST THINGS EVER, SO I'M LIKE I'M DOWN I'M DOWN I COME OUT THERE ICE T I DEFINITELY COME OUT THERE LET'S REPRESENT BUT THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT I SAID WELL HOW MUCH TIME DO I GOT? THEY SAID WELL YOU GOT AN HOUR. AND I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT WITH THE HOUR? AND THEY SAID YEAH. I SAID WHAT IF I SPLIT MY SET, CAN I BRING OUT MY NEW BAND, THEY SAY YEAH. DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. IT WAS MY IDEA TO SPLIT THE SET AND BRING ICE T OUT AND BODY COUNT OUT SO I TOOK ALL MY FRIENDS OUT THERE AND STUFF WHICH BASICALLY I DIDN'T MAKE ANY MONEY ON THAT TOUR BECAUSE NOW I HAD TO BRING ALL YOUR FOOTING EVERYBODY TO GO AROUND YEAH BUT WE JUST HIT EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY IN THE HEAD WITH THIS OTHER THING CALLED BC AND IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SHOW, I STOPPED IT AND I SAID NOW I WILL PROVE TO YOU THAT ROCK AND ROLL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COLOR, IT'S A STATE OF MIND. SO WE WENT RIGHT FROM THE RAP INTO A ROCK SET AND JUST BLEW EVERYBODY'S BRAIN AND YOU KNOW FROM THAT POINT ON, BODY COUNT WAS KIND OF KNOWN. IT WAS AMAZING ALL THE SONGS, YOU KNOW KITTY, KITTY BITCH AND ALL THE STUFF OF THE DAY. WITH THIS WHOLE COP KILLERS THING.

I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED ABOUT THIS A MILLION TIMES BUT BASICALLY WE BRING IT UP AGAIN BECAUSE ISN'T IT AN AMAZING IRONY THAT NOW YOU PLAY A COP, ON LAW AND ORDER SVU. IT WAS STUPID TO ME BECAUSE I THOUGHT ROCK AND ROLL WAS FREE, FREE TERRAIN. YOU DIG WHAT IM SAYING. I FELT THAT OKAY, YOU'RE MESSING WITH WRAP BECAUSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WRAP AND YOU'RE ALL MAD AT WHAT WE'RE SAYING THIS THAT AND THE OTHER. BUT IF I COME OVER HERE TO ROCK, I CAN GET DOWN. I HAVE MORE FREEDOM. I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO CANNIBAL CORPSE. I KNEW ABOUT NAPALM. I KNOW ABOUT HARD ROCK. I KNOW BOUT BLACK METAL. I KNOW ABOUT WHAT THESE CATS ARE TALKING ABOUT. SO CANT I SING COP KILLER, I MEAN GOD DAMN THEY ARE SINGING ABOUT EATING ABORTIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? RIGHT, RIGHT I'M IN THE DECK. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SAY THERE IS A LIMIT TO WHAT I CAN SAY, SO WE DID COP KILLER, THE CROWDS LOVED IT AND WE WERE OUT FOR A YEAR. THE RECORD HAD ALREADY DONE ITS THING. WE HAD GONE PLATINUM AND EVERYTHING AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN AUSTIN TEXAS COPS GET A HOLD OF THE RECORD AND THEY USE IT AS A PULPIT TO STAND ON AND JUST, TO ME, HONESTLY, THEY USE COP KILLER TO TAKE THE ATTENTION OFF OF THE REAL INJUSTICES THAT THE POLICE WERE DOING AT THE TIME. LET'S ATTACK TIME WARNER. THE BEST DEFENSE IS AN OFFENSE SO INSTEAD OF BEING DEFENSIVE, THEY ATTACKED AND WHAT IT DID IT MADE AMERICA LOOK AT ME LIKE I HAD BEEN OUT KILLING SOME POLICE OR SOMETHING. THIS RECORD WAS OVER, THERE HAS BEEN A MOVIE CALLED COP KILLERS, THERE IS A BOOK CALLED COP KILLER.

LET'S BLAME IT ON ICE TEA AND THERE WAS ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT WERE STUPID ENOUGH TO KIND OF LIKE GETTING MAD AT ME LIKE I HAD DONE SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG LIKE I WAS CALLING THE COUNTRY TO KILL THE POLICE AND I WASN'T I WAS JUST SINGING A PROTEST RECORD. SIMPLE AS THAT. SO AT THE TIME IT WAS REALLY STUPID. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. MY PLAYING A COP TODAY I DON'T HATE THE POLICE, I HAD A LOT OF THE LAWS. I THINK THEY JUST PUPPETS FOR THE SYSTEM. THEY HAVE TO ENFORCE THE LAW YOU KNOW. IF COCAINE WAS LEGAL TOMORROW WOULDN'T NO COP BUST NOBODY FOR COCAINE. THEY DON'T PARTICULARLY DISLIKE, THEY JUST FOLLOW THE RULES THAT THEY HAVE TO YOU DIG, NOW WHEN I WAS BREAKING THE LAW, OF COURSE I HATED THE POLICE. THEY WERE THE OPPONENT. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK EVERYONE IS HYPOCRITICAL WITH THE POLICE. WHEN YOU ARE SPEEDING, YOU DON'T LIKE THE COPS, RIGHT, WHEN SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE, YOU CALL THE COPS. YOU FOLLOW ME. SO IT IS LIKE I AM NO MORE OF A HYPOCRITE THAN ANYBODY ELSE. YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING. YEAH YOU KNOW IF I AM BREAKING THE LAW, DEFINITELY THEY CAN KISS MY ASS, BUT WHEN I'M NOT, I NEED EM.

YOU GOT A SEYMOUR STEIN STORY, YOU KNOW SEYMOUR NOW LET'S REALLY QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT SEYMOUR STEIN WHEN HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME FOR BEING THE FOUNDER OF SIRE RECORDS, OF ALL THE ARTISTS HE'S WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS FROM MADONNA TO THE RAMONES, HE ASKED YOU TO INDUCT HIM HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOU. SEYMOUR'S THE MAN YOU KNOW THE COOLEST THING ABOUT SEYMOUR STEIN IS THAT HE KNOWS WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING THERE EVEN IF HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. YOU DIG? SO HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON THAT TAUGHT ME THAT THE MOST INTELLIGENT PEOPLE CAN SAY I DON'T KNOW. YOU DIG? YOU AIN'T GOTTA KNOW EVERYTHING TO SAY I DON'T KNOW AND IT WAS FUNNY, WHEN I FIRST MET SEYMOUR, THIS IS A STORY I TOLD, HE AND I WE WALKED INTO THE OFFICE. HIM AND MYSELF AND AFRICA ISLAM AND SEYMOUR STARTED PLAYING CALYPSO MUSIC TO US AND WE WERE LIKE WHAT IS THIS DUDE AND SEYMOUR STARTS JUMPING AROUND IN HIS SOCKS SO I'M LOOKING AT SEYMOUR LIKE WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON THEN HE LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS ICE YOU HAVE THE MOST BEAUTY EYES. I'M LIKE OH SHIT, YOU KNOW SO I'M LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON? SO I'M LOOKING AT ISLAM BUDGING AND ISLAM IS LIKE BE COOL, BE COOL, BE COOL, LIKE HE'S GOT THE MONEY. HE'S GOT THE MONEY.

SO HE BREAKS IT DOWN HE SAYS DO YOU UNDERSTAND CALYPSO MUSIC I SAID NOT REALLY, HE SAID THEY'RE SINGING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS IN TRINIDAD AND ISSUES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. HE SAYS THE SAME WAY YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SINGING ABOUT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S LESS VALID, IT JUST MEANS YOU DON'T KNOW. AND THE SAME WAY I MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR SINGING ABOUT, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S INVALID, IT JUST MEANS I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW HE SAYS TO ME YOU SOUND LIKE BOB DYLAN. AND I WAS LIKE OKAY, I KNOW WHO BOB DYLAN IS, RIGHT I TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT SO HE'S LIKE IF I GIVE YOU THIS MONEY COULD YOU GUYS BRING ME BACK A RECORD, NOT CAN I HOLD YOUR HAND THROUGH THIS RECORD, IF I GIVE YOU THIS WILL YOU BRING ME BACK A RECORD. I'M LIKE YEAH I MEAN HE LITERALLY WROTE US A CHECK FOR THE WHOLE BUDGET AND WE WALKED OUT THE DOOR RIGHT THERE. 40 GRAND RIGHT THERE RIGHT? YEAH WALKED OUT THE DOOR. NO, PO BOX, IO, PO'S PURCHASE ORDERS, NONE OF THAT. NO A&R MAN, NOBODY JUST BRING ME BACK A RECORD. RIGHT. I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A CHAIN. I WAS LIKE DAMN MAN WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. WE MOVED TO NEW YORK BUT ME AND ISLAM BOUGHT A DRUM MACHINE AND WE MADE THIS RECORD SO WE TURNED THE RECORD IN, SO SEYMOUR CALLS ME UP OH MY GOD ICE SO AGGRESSIVE YOU KNOW YOU LISTENING, HE'S LISTENING TO ME SCREAM AND THEN THERE WAS ONE LYRIC ON ONE RECORD WHERE I SAY GUYS GRAB A GIRL, GIRLS GRAB A GUY, IF A GUY WANTS A GUY, PLEASE TAKE IT OUTSIDE. AND THAT WAS THE SOFT SPOT FOR SEYMOUR, HE'S LIKE WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? YOUR AGAINST GAYS AND THIS I SAID NO SEYMOUR, I'M NOT SAYING THAT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT EVERYBODY GETS TO SAY THEY'RE GAY AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAND ON THAT, CAN I SAY I'M STRAIGHT? IF YOUR GAY THAT'S COOL. I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT.

I'M NOT SAYING I'M GONNA SHOOT YA, I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE IT. CAN I SAY THAT? HE'S LIKE OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M LIKE WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE RECORD. HE SAYS MY DAUGHTER LOVES IT. I'M LIKE, HE SAYS I DON'T KNOW ICE I FEEL TENSION, I SAID SEYMOUR MAYBE THAT TENSION IS MONEY AND HE HUNG THE PHONE UP. (LAUGHS) THE ENERGY IS MONEY. HE'S LIKE OKAY ICE. AND NEVER HAD, I MEAN THE WHOLE TIME I WAS AT SIRE WAS THE BEST TIME WITH HIM AND HOWIE KLEIN AND LIKE YOU KNOW SHIRLEY DIVERS AND NEVER I MEAN THEY WERE JUST AWARE THAT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING, THEY NEVER MESS WITH THE RECORD, THEY NEVER MESS WITH THE VIDEO, THEY NEVER MESS WITH THE ALBUM COVERS AND WE HAD CRAZY ALBUM COVERS, THEY JUST LOVED IT, THEY WERE LIKE WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NEXT ICE. IT WAS LIKE JUST TURN YOUR RECORD IN AND THEY WOULD PUT IT OUT AND SEND ME MONEY. IT WAS THE SELLING THEY WAS JUST SO COOL AND

WARNER BROTHERS HAD NEVER PUT OUT A RAP RECORD, NOBODY KNEW WHAT TO DO AND EVERYBODY STEPPED BACK AND LET US DO OUR THING AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT EXPERIENCE YOU KNOW. AND WHEN WE HIT COP KILLER WALL. IT WAS REAL DAY BECAUSE WE HAD TO LEAVE AND

YOU KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES BEEN WRITTEN OH THEY DROPPED ME AND THIS AND THAT AND THE THIRD THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEY HELD ME AND IT WAS KIND OF PUT IN THE HOME INVASION ALBUM. THEY WERE JUST SCARED BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY LOST LIKE 50 MILLION DOLLARS. I WENT INTO AN OFFICE WITH MO AUSTIN AND LEN WARNEKER AND THEY BASICALLY BROKE IT DOWN TO ME. THEY SAID ICE MAN THEY SHOWED ME A TABLE AND THEY ARE LIKE LOOK, THIS WHOLE TABLE IS TIME WARNER AND LIKE YOU'RE A SPECK ON THIS TABLE AND TIME WARNER IS NERVOUS AND THEY SAID THIS IS A BAD DAY FOR US BECAUSE WHEN WE ALLOW THEM TO CENSOR YOU, WERE DONE. AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, WARNER BROTHERS HAD LISTEN TO THE ROSTER THEY HAD. THEY HAD MADONNA, PRINCE, SLAYER, SAM KINNISON, ANDREW DICE CLAY, THE GHETTO BOYZ, I MEAN WARNER BROTHERS WAS WHERE YOU WENT, VAN HALEN, WHERE YOU WENT TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. WARNER BROTHERS IS NOW OUT OF BUSINESS. THERE IS NO WARNER BROTHERS CONNECTED TO TIME WARNER. WARNER BROTHERS MUSIC IS SEPARATE FROM TIME WARNER TODAY 2005.

YEAH. THE REASON I AM HERE FOR YOUR CONSPIRACY THEORY. THE REASON WARNER BROTHERS GOT PUT OUT OF BUSINESS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONLY AMERICAN OWNED COMPANY. THEY ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT AMERICANS CAN ATTACK. THEY CANT ATTACK IOMATA, THEY CANT ATTACK EMERSION. THEY CANT DO THAT SO THEY GOT BEAT DOWN SO THEY HAVE BEEN STERILIZED YEAH BY THIS GOVERNMENT. THEY CUT THEIR NADS OFF. I MEAN THAT IS WHAT THEY DID. I MEAN AT THAT MOMENT IT WAS NO LONGER, YOU KNOW YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHING. AND THEN ENTERSCOPE ENDED UP DETECTING IT AND EVERYBODY CAUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS AMERICAN OWNED. SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WITH ME. I ASKED THEM TO LEAVE I WROTE THEM A LETTER. I SAID AT THIS MOMENT I NEVER FORGOT WHAT I WROTE. I SAID AT THIS MOMENT I UNDERSTAND THAT I AM, WHAT IT IS?, A LIABILITY TO WARNER BROTHERS RECORDS, BUT I SAID BUT THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS MY INTEGRITY AND ONCE MY INTEGRITY IS JEOPARDIZED, I'LL BE THROUGH. YOU CANT COMPROMISE. YOU COULDN'T DO IT THEN CAN I PLEASE HAVE A RELEASE AND I WILL FIND MYSELF MY OWN WAY AND EVERYBODY AT WARNER BROTHERS, NOBODY WANTED TO RELEASE ME. EVERYBODY SAID DIS THE WARNER BROTHERS AND NAW THEY GOT BEAT UP TOO. MO AND ALL THEM WAS REALLY COOL WITH ME. THEY NEVER DISSED ME. I WAS KICKIN IT WITH GERALD LEBIN. I WAS HANGING OUT WITH GERALD LEBIN. IT WAS ALL COOL. IT WAS KIND OF LIKE WE WERE ALL FRIENDS AND I GOT US ALL IN TROUBLE AND ME BEING A MAN SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT LET ME GO. I'LL TAKE THE HEAT AND THEY COULD STAY IN BUSINESS. YOU KNOW. AND I WENT OVER TO PRIORITY AND PUT OUT THE RECORDS AND STUFF BUT YOU KNOW MY CAREER HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN THE SAME MUSICALLY BECAUSE IN THE MIDST OF THAT, THE HIP HOP PRESS AND OTHER PEOPLE MADE IT LOOK LIKE, OH I CAVED IN AND THAT KIND OF DID HURT MY INTEGRITY BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY OH HE GAVE IN, YOU KNOW BUT THEY WEREN'T REALLY AWARE OF HOW HEAVY THAT WAS. THAT WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AFTER YOU AND IT AIN'T HARD ENDED UP IN A DITCH MESSING WITH THOSE CATS. YOU KNOW

YEAH. (LAUGHS) IT WAS BIG. IT WAS BIG. MUCH BIG. SO I JUST TRIED TO READ MY ART OF WAR AND RETREAT AND RETURN WITH SUPERIOR FIREPOWER AND YOU STILL MAKE GREAT RECORDS. AND YOUR ACTING CAREER TOO IT'S JUST TAKEN OFF IT'S AMAZING EVEN WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT FILMS YOU'VE DONE WHETHER IT WAS NEW JACK CITY, RICOCHET, SURVIVING THE GAME WHICH I LOVE THAT ONE AND NOW LAW AND ORDER SVU. HOW MANY MORE SEASONS DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING TO BE DOING THAT FOR. I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO LAW AND ORDER BECAUSE I HAD DONE A TELEVISION SHOW BEFORE WITH DICK WOLF. I HAD A SHOW CALLED PLAYERS. I STARTED OUT DOING NEW YORK UNDERCOVER THEN I DID, IT'S TOO MANY HOURS. I WAS LIKE GOD I CAN'T DO THIS 14 HOURS A DAY, EVERYDAY YOU HAVE NO LIVE AND THEY CONVINCED ME THEY'RE LIKE DO THIS SHOW, IT'S AN ENSEMBLE CAST YOU GET DAYS OFF, I'M HERE, IT'S FRIDAY THEY'RE WORKING SO I WAS LIKE SO THEY TALKED ME INTO IT. THEY SAID COME DO 4 SHOWS AND I DID THE 4 SHOWS IT WAS AN EASY GIG A LOT OF RESPECT, THEY TREATED ME GOOD. I'M GOING ON MY 7TH YEAR. (LAUGHS) IT'S AMAZING, IT'S GREAT. HOW MANY HOW LONG WILL I BE? HARD TO SAY FROM SOMEBODY WHO STARTED SAYING I WONT I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS SHOW NOW I'LL PROBABLY STAY ON THAT SHOW TILL THEY THROW MY BLACK ASS OFF THE SHOW. BECAUSE TELEVISION BECOMES LUCRATIVE AND IF YOU STAY ON IT FOR A LONG TIME AND THINGS START TO RESIDUALIZE AND TURN INTO SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH SOMETHING. CAUSE IT IS SYNDICATED EVERYWHERE NOW. YEAH WE, I'VE PUT SO MANY SHOWS IN IT'S NOT FUNNY. I WAS LIKE SYNDICATION, WHAT IS THAT AND THEN I SAW ONE OF THE CHECKS, I'M LIKE OH THAT SYNDICATION. I LIKE SYNDICATION. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE FOR ME BECAUSE BEING IN MUSIC AND RUNNING ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMPANIES I'M THE BOSS. TO JUST WALK IN AND JUST HAVE THEM GIVE ME SOME LINES AND READ MY LINES AND GET TO WALK OUT AND A CHECK CLEARS, IT'S A KIND OF RELAXED ENVIRONMENT FOR ME . AND I STILL GET THE GIG AND MAKE MY MUSIC SO I'M HAVING FUN WITH IT. I MEAN IT REALLY IS A SYNERGY WITH MUSIC, AND FILM AND TV AND IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. IT'S ALL ENTERTAINMENT. I MEAN CHRIS MALONEY, I MEAN YOU WORK WITH ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOOL FANS IN THE WORLD, HE GOES TO EVERY TOOL SHOW, PERFECT CIRCLE, LOVES ALL THE YOU KNOW WHY BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY CAUSE ENTERTAINERS ARE PEOPLE THAT RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE THAT WORK YOU KNOW AND PEOPLE THAT MAKE MUSIC IT'S A HARD JOB AND IF YOUR ON THE OUTSIDE OF IT, WHICH IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. PEOPLE THAT ACT IT'S A LOT OF HEARTACHES AND HARDSHIPS TO COME ALONG A LOT OF HOURS A LOT OF TIME.

OH MAN, THAT'S WHY PEOPLE SAY BUT YOUR FAMOUS. YOU KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE FAMOUS PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WORK ALL THE TIME, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE THEM EVERYDAY CAUSE THEY'RE IN YOU KNOW BUM F# # K EGYPT SHOOTING A MOVIE WITH HORSES AND S# IT. YOU SEE THEM SHOPPING, YOU FREAK OUT AND THEY LEAVE AGAIN YOU KNOW. SO IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND THERE IS AN ADMIRATION YOU KNOW BUT I THINK BASICALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY ALL ENTERTAINERS ARE JUST THE SAME THEY'RE SHOW OFFS, THEY WANT TO BE SEEN SO IF THEY CAN'T GET YOU SINGING, THEY'LL TRY TO TELL A JOKE IF THEY CAN'T DO THAT, THEY'LL DO A STUNT SO WHETHER YOU FUMBLE YOUR WAY INTO MUSIC OR FUMBLE YOUR WAY INTO FILM OR WHATEVER, YOUR STILL THAT TYPE OF A PERSON YOU KNOW. ABSOLUTELY THAT LIKES THE CAMERA ON YOU, YOU KNOW THE SPOTLIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. WELL ICE I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THE SHOW TONIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING YOU GO WAY BACK WITH ME SO THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO DO. I TRY TO REFERENCE ALL THE PEOPLE. YOU KNOW I GOTTA S# IT LIST. I GOTTA A S# IT LIST WE KEEP A S# IT LIST AND MY MANAGEMENT OFFICE, EVERYBODY WHO EVER SAID SOMETHING FLY OUT THE WAY LIKE THAT AND WE LAY FOR THEM TO CALL US BACK AND WE LET THEM KNOW, WE TRY TO GET YOU FIRED. YO THIS IS NEWSWEEK, DOES THIS GUY STILL WORK FOR NEWSWEEK? DOES HE STILL WORK THERE? OH HE'S FIRED, OKAY WE'LL DO THE INTERVIEW CAUSE IF HE WAS STILL WORKING THERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT. WE LEVERAGE OUR WEIGHT TOO GOD DAMN IT. YEAH IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU SO THANKS. BUT YOU'RE A GOOD GUY, SO YOU KNOW WITH LOVE. YEAH MUCH LOVE ABSOLUTELY. GREAT TO HAVE YOU ICE T EVERYBODY ON SOUND OFF.