Ice-T

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Tracy Lauren Marrow (born February 16, 1958)[1], better known by stage name Ice-T, and nickname O.G. (Original Gangsta) is an American emcee, rock musician, author, former United States Army soldier, and actor. He was instrumental in creating gangsta rap. Much of his music is politically oriented, although this has declined with time. Since 2000, he has played the role of Det. Fin Tutuola on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. As of 2007, Marrow resides in North Bergen, New Jersey with a second home in Chandler, Arizona.[2]

After leaving the Army, Ice-T began his extremely long career of recording raps for various studios on 12". These tracks were later compiled on "The Classic Collection" and also featured on disc 2 of "Legends of Hip-Hop". His first rap was "The Coldest Rap" in 1982. His first official "gangsta rap" record was "6 in the Mornin'" one of the first gangsta rap records ever recorded. He said he was influenced by the Schoolly D record "P.S.K.", considered by many to be the first gangsta rap record (as it lionized the Philadelphia gang, Park Side Killers).

He finally landed a deal with a major label Sire Records. Shortly after, he released his debut album Rhyme Pays in 1987. On Rhyme Pays, he is supported by DJ Evil E, DJ Aladdin and producer Afrika Islam, who helped create the rolling, spare beats and samples that provided a backdrop for the rapper's charismatic rhymes, which were mainly party-oriented; the record wound up going gold. That same year, he recorded the theme song for Dennis Hopper's Colors, a film about inner-city life in Los Angeles. The song -- also called "Colors" -- was stronger, both lyrically and musically, with more incisive lyrics, than anything he had previously released.Power was released in 1988, and it was a more assured and impressive record, earning him strong reviews and his second gold record. Released in 1989, The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say established him as a true hip-hop superstar by matching excellent abrasive music with fierce, intelligent narratives, and political commentaries, especially about hip-hop censorship.

In 1989, Ice-T formed his own record label, Rhyme $yndicate Records, which was distributed through Epic/SME Records. However, in the early 1990s, most of the acts signed to that label were re-signed to various Warner Bros. labels because of Ice’s excellent relationship with that label. When Ice split amicably with Sire/Warner Bros. Records after a dispute over the artwork of the album Home Invasion, he reactivated Rhyme $yndicate and formed a deal with Priority/EMI for distribution.

Ice-T is believed to be the first emcee to have ever performed the notorious Crip Walk (or C-Walk) up on stage, in front of cameras sometime in the 1980s. This added to his already controversial fame and gave rise to the C-Walk's mainstream presentation in other videos via WC, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and other Crip-affiliated rap artists.

In 1991 he released his classic album OG: Original Gangster, which is regarded as one of Gangsta Rap's defining albums. It was also on this album in which he introduced his heavy metal band Body Count. He has released 4 other rap albums since then. His first rap album since 1999, Gangsta Rap, was released on October 31, 2006. The album's cover, which "shows [Ice T] lying on his back in bed with his ravishing wife's ample posterior in full view and one of her legs coyly draped over his private parts," was considered to be too suggestive for most retailers, many of which were reluctant to stock the album.[8] Some reviews of the album were unenthusiastic, as many had hoped for a return to the political raps of Ice-T's most successful albums.

One of the last scenes in Gift (film) includes Ice-T and Body Count playing with Jane's Addiction in a version of a Sly and the Family Stone song, "Don't call me *^&&#%, whitey."

Besides fronting his own band, Ice-T has also collaborated with other hard rock and metal bands, such as Icepick, Slayer, Motörhead, Pro-Pain, Black Sabbath, Six Feet Under. He has also covered songs by hardcore punk bands such as The Exploited, Jello Biafra, and Black Flag.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice-T