Ice Spice‘s rise to stardom was faster than most, sparking debates over what truly gave way to her success, with some claiming it was because she’s light-skinned.
The Bronx rapper broke into the mainstream less than a year ago and her speedy ascension is unique, even in an era full of overnight successes. She only started making music in 2021 and had her first hit the following year. Since then, she has become one of Hip Hop’s biggest stars.
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Despite her immense popularity, the 23-year-old rapper is often the subject of criticism centered on her not deserving the accolades she’s earned over the past year. As a result, the glow of her accomplishments has been dulled by those who believe she had it easier than her peers with a darker complexion.
During a recent conversation with Teen Vogue, Ice addressed the claims that she is a product of colorism. “I have seen those opinions,” she said. “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.”
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During her performance at Hot 97’s Summer Jam earlier this month, she brought out Flo Milli. This was seen by many as a response to those who have attempted to belittle Ice’s talents and, by default, Milli’s stardom.
“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,” she went on to explain. “[They end up putting] somebody else down.”
Ice Spice’s presence in the Hip Hop space is as conspicuous as can be. Despite the hate, she keeps a positive attitude about how lucky she is: “My job is being a rapper. “Like, what the fuck? That’s mad lit.”
Her first hit, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” was released on August 10 with a music video and immediately began making waves. The song went viral on social media and was even endorsed by Drake, who played the track on his Sirius XM radio station, Sound 42.
Since then, Ice Spice has signed a record deal with Capitol Records and worked with A-listers such as Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and Lil Tjay. Her music continues to work its way onto the commercial charts and she hasn’t even released a full-length studio record yet.
Besides the co-signs and the big time artists she’s worked with, she’s dominating on the listeners front, recently garnering more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any other artist in 2023.
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Chart Data reported earlier this month that the Bronx rapper has earned the most Top 5 hits this year, scoring big with three chart juggernauts: “Karma” featuring Taylor Swift, which was No. 2 on the chart last week; “Princess Diana” featuring Nicki Minaj, which peaked at No. 4; and “Boy’s A Liar” featuring PinkPantheress, which topped out at No. 3.
