If there ever was a year for new artists to show themselves, it's without a doubt been within the post-pandemic era. Thanks to the increasingly widespread rise of the social media platform, TikTok, artists have secured another means of promoting their work and figured out how to cash in on simply being viral sensations. New artists such as Coi Leray, Yung Baby Tate, Doechii, and Ice Spice are just a few examples of on-the-rise superstars who've thrived from TikTok streams, and inevitable Billboard charting success, but Ice Spice, alone, is figuring out her own lane: one that’s about being herself and enjoying young, rockstar lifestyle fame.
And if you’ve been anywhere near social media lately, then you’ve probably heard, seen, and been enamored by the star that the kids can’t get enough of – whether streaming videos, reading about her in headlines, or learning from them what a ‘munch’ is.
Standing at 5-foot-7, she dons an enviable, signature curly ‘fro, as she raps in a calm, Bronx-laced monotone flow. She rose to popularity in the fall of 2022 with "Munch (Feelin U)" which took social media by storm, and is now, sitting pretty on Billboard’s #3 Hot 100 Song as a feature on PinkPantheress’ "The Boy’s a Liar Part 2." Now, it’s her time to shine as she becomes the face of Gen-Z’s best attribute: rebelling against society’s made-up rules and trailblazing their own paths.
So, while we sit back and wait for her to shoot into superstardom, here are 7 things you should know about emerging hip-hop starlet, Ice Spice:
1.Her music is considered ‘Bronx-drill.’
Despite the cute pop sound you’ve heard from her lately, Ice’s roots are heavy into the Bronx’s drill music scene. Originating in Chicago in the 2010s from artists like Chief Keef, drill music is a type of hip-hop trap music that focuses on inner city daily occurrences and crime. Although it can get pretty dark, the drill sound means a lot to those who can relate to the lyrics and the city from which it originated from. When asked about her hit song, "Munch (Feelin U)," Ice Spice, 23, told Rolling Stone:
“‘Munch’ is bringing out the fun in drill. It was a little serious before, a little violent sometimes, which is cool. I be bumping that rah-rah shit all day. But ‘Munch’ definitely brought out the zesty side of it. I want everybody to feel like a baddie.”
2.Despite her genre, Ice Spice wants to collaborate most with Rihanna.
We're not sure how the two sounds would mix, but she sure doesn’t mind telling Ellethat she loves Coldplay and The 1975, but if she could collaborate with any artist—it would be Rihanna. "She's the GOAT. She's gorgeous. I love her. I'm obsessed with her.”
Spice also lists Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj as dream collabs.
3.Erykah Badu and her daughter, Puma Curry, interviewed her for 'Interview Magazine.'
Puma introduced her legendary mother to Ice Spice’s music, which prompted them to sit down for an interview. The trio discussed what life was like growing up for Ice in the Bronx, her relationship with her parents as she adjusts to fame, and her plans for 2023. They thanked her for her time and gave her words of encouragement, with Spice simply replying, “Thank you. Puma, you’re the GOAT.”
4.Ice Spice credits her dad for giving her the courage to rock her signature ‘fro.
When asked about her signature hairstyle, Spice gave credit to her dad, who she says taught her the importance of individuality:
“I think my father helped me get past [wearing my curls] because he would always say, 'It’s beautiful, you’re beautiful, wear your natural hair.' I loved to straighten my hair and I loved to pretend it wasn’t curly. I would literally pray to God before I went to sleep, like, 'Please let me wake up with straight hair,' because at the school I went to, there were so many white girls, and I was the only one with curly hair.”
She adds:
“Once I finally started doing it, it was like ripping off a Band-Aid. I’ll never forget the first time I went to school with my natural hair. I spent so much time in the bathroom just looking at myself before going back to class. I was so nervous for something that didn’t even fucking matter. But when you’re 15, the whole class’s opinion matters to you."
5.She’s all about girl power.
During her Interview Magazine interview, Spice was asked what type of imprint she wants to make during her career to which she responded, “I want to make girls feel confident. Like the Marilyn Monroe impact or the Rihanna impact, the Erykah impact. You have a way of hypnotizing people, you cast a spell on them. I want to do the same thing.”
Confidence is a constant theme for Spice as she also says ‘confident’ is one of the top three words she’d use to describe herself.
6.Ice Spice's influence has the numbers to back it up.
You know how the saying goes, “men lie, women lie, numbers don’t,” and when it comes to Spice, this rings true. Whether you understand her rise to stardom or not, the girl has pull and certainly has the figures to back it up. In addition to sitting pretty at #3 on Billboard’s Hot 100, the hashtag #munch now has over 2 billion views on TikTok, with videos reiterating the song’s lyrics “You thought I was feeling you?” as a trend. The hashtag #IceSpice has over 4 billion views.
But don’t think she isn’t planting her roots. Her EP Like..?, released on Jan. 20, included singles “Bikini Bottom,” which samples music from the cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants, and “In Ma Hood,” which has over 30 million collective Spotify streams.
7.Beyoncé personally chose her for IVY PARK x Adidas “DISCOVER YOUR PARK” collection.
On Feb. 9, IVY PARK dropped its new Park Trail performance-wear collection in collaboration with Adidas. The brand tapped Ice Spice as one of the celebrities to star in the campaign for the launch, alongside Offset (and his son Kody Cephus), Devon Aoki, and more sporting head-to-toe camouflage in the form of cargo pants, jackets, and even sock boots.
Ice Spice told PEOPLE:
"When I got the call I was in disbelief. It was all sinking in on the flight over [to the photo shoot]. I'm still so excited to be a part of this!"
In an Instagram post, Beyoncé herself said that IVY PARK Park Trail is “my favorite drop to date.”
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Spotify
RELATED
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
