Ice Spice, the Bronx’s very own 23-year-old drill sensation, recently sat down for a candid chat with Variety, where she didn’t hold back on topics ranging from female rap rivalries to her budding friendship with pop icon Taylor Swift.
One of the most common refrains coming from female rappers is the insistence put on them to compete with each other. Many rap girls have commented in the past on how much they don’t like that all female rappers are made to compete with each other. Typically, those complaints don’t lead to much as fans tend to turn right back around and keep doing it. But Ice Spice had a different perspective on things in her new cover story with Variety.
“It is a competition at the end of the day. People want to be all ‘I’m a girl’s girl,’ but then behind the scenes being b*tches,” Ice Spice told Variety in the new interview.
She also spoke on how at the end of the day, there’s a competition between female rappers whether they want it or not. “Basically, we here, the girls, are doing amazing. I’m excited to see it. I feel like the competition is what keeps us all excited because I think we all secretly enjoy competing and seeing who put that sh*t on better and who’s gon’ get the most views.”
Ice Spice’s rise in the rap game has been meteoric, and she’s not stopping anytime soon. Her bold, unapologetic attitude and fierce talent have won her praise from some of the industry’s biggest names, including none other than Taylor Swift herself.
Taylor Swift, in particular, has spoken highly of her in recent months. Swift told a publication via email, “I relate to Ice in many ways, but I think her dedication and focus is what blew me away from the very start. She’s extremely professional without being cold. Playful and fun without ever taking her eye off the prize.” She praises the rapper’s professionalism, personality, and hustle. Finally, she claims that Spice ‘impresses the hell’ out of her,” reports Variety.
Swift also recalled how meticulous the “Munch” rapper was while the pair was working on their “Karma” remix, which dropped in May as part of her Midnights (The Til Dawn Edition). “Working with someone new in the studio, you immediately get a window into their creative process,” she wrote. “[Ice] showed up with her verse not only written but had recorded and sent me a vocal pass beforehand just to make sure we were on the same page. Recording, she was quick and laser focused, but intuitive and decisive and knew when she had it nailed.”
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Ice Spice also broke her silence about Matty Healy’s previous comments mocking her ethnicity, saying she was “so confused” by the remarks. Healy, known as the lead singer of the pop rock band The 1975, faced significant backlash when he engaged in what some of his followers considered racially insensitive behavior. This included Healy laughing at and participating in jokes that mocked Ice Spice during his appearance on “The Adam Friedland Show” podcast back in February. The fallout from this incident was significant, leading to the removal of the podcast episode from both Apple and Spotify platforms due to the remarks being labeled as racist. Since then, Healy has apologized to the rapper, and now the two are “good.”
Ice Spice’s perspective on the competition between female rappers is refreshing and real. In an industry where egos often clash, she’s unafraid to admit that competition exists but also acknowledges the support and camaraderie among the female rap community.
Her recent accolades, including hit songs with Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj, a Best New Artist award at the MTV Video Music Awards, and a spot on Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour, speak volumes about her rapid rise in the industry. Ice Spice is taking the world by storm, one rhyme at a time.
In an industry that’s often seen as a boys’ club, Ice Spice is the torchbearer of the New York drill scene, proving that talent knows no gender. Her unique style and unapologetic approach have helped her stand out in a male-dominated subgenre. Her songs are a blend of meditations on relationships and displays of self-assurance, and she’s quickly become a leader of the new female rap renaissance.
