Ice T biography

Occupation: Musician, Actor

Date of Birth: February 16, 1958

Place of Birth: Newark, N.J., USA

Sign: Sun in Aquarius, Moon in Aquarius

Relations: Wife - Darlene Marrow
kids: Letesha, Tracy Marrow, Jr. (a.k.a. Little Ice)

Quote

' Bottom line is, if I had both my legs cut off, no arms, no eyeballs, and no vocal cords, I could still be a critic.

Biography

Controversy and critical acclaim have followed actor/musician/author Ice-T throughout his career. Called rap music's "original gangster," he has been able to convey the fear and skepticism of growing up poor in an uncertain world though his music, his book, and his lecture tours of America's prisons, high schools and colleges.

Born in New Jersey, Ice was the only child of parents who died when he was very young. As a teen, he became involved in L.A. gang life, but joined the Army to escape the troubles and temptations of the street. Returning home, he found his focus in the rhymes of rap and hip-hop. His life changed when the producers of the film "Breakin'" (1984), heard his music and asked him to rap in the film. He was soon signed by Warner Bros. Records, and released his first album, "Rhyme Pays" in 1987. The disc was followed in quick succession by "Power" (1988). Ice-T launched Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1989, releasing a string of goundbreaking discs including "The Iceberg: Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say" (1989), "Original Gangster" (1991), "Home Invasion" (1993) and "Ice-T IV: Return of the Real" (1996). Ice-T has also performed on several film soundtracks including "Colors," "Trespass," "Judgement Night," "New Jack City," "Ricochet," "Tank Girl," "Breakin'," "Original Gangstas" and "Rhyme & Reason." In 1990,Ice won a Grammy for his performance on the multi-Grammy winning Quincy Jones album "Back on the Block." In 1992, Ice-T was voted "Best Male Rapper" in the Rolling Stone reader's poll.

In 1991, he and a high school friend, guitarist Ernie C., formed the thrash-metal band "Body Count." The group's self-titled debut contained the controversial single "Cop Killer," which was the subject of international debate. The band toured worldwide, receiving critical kudos during the highly successful Lollapalooza tour (1991). The band released "Born Dead" in 1994, and their current disc, "Violent Demise: The Last Days," was released in February.

Ice-T's success as a musician has led to a burgeoning film and television career. Besides the aforementioned "Breakin'," he has appeared in such films as "New Jack City" (with Wesley Snipes), "Ricochet" (with Denzel Washington and John Lithgow), Walter Hill's "Trespass," "Tank Girl" and "Johnny Mnemonic" (with Keanu Reeves). On television, he has appeared in Universal Television's "New York Undercover" (receiving an NAACP Image Award for his guest role), "Swift Justice" and has voiced both himself and the character "Taanzi" on the animated series "Duckman."

His worldwide celebrity has allowed him to also become a television star in England as the host of "Ice-T's Baadasss TV." This personal guide to "Blaxploitation" films and black culture has appeared on BBC 4 since 1994. Ice-T has also published a best-selling book, "The Ice Opinion" (St. Martin's Press, 1994), which has been translated into Japanese, German, French and Italian. The book, as well as his opinions have provided him with the opportunity to lecture students at such universities as Harvard, Stanford and the University of California, Berkeley.

Ice-T resides in the Los Angeles area.