Ice-T Reflects On Defining ‘OG’ And The Birth Of Gangsta Rap
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on June 10, 2025 at 5:45 PM EDT
Ice-T’s appearance at Raising Cane’s wasn’t just about sipping iced tea on National Iced Tea Day. It was about celebrating originality, a value he says both he and the chicken chain hold close.
The legendary rapper and actor made an appearance at the fast food chain in New York to celebrate the iced-out occasion, where The Blast was on the scene to catch every moment.
And while the event may have been about sweet tea, Ice-T served up something even stronger...raw wisdom on staying true to yourself in a world full of imitators.
Ice-T Looks Back On His Journey From Underground MC To Cultural Pioneer
Looking back on his storied career, Ice-T reflected on his rise from underground MC to full-blown cultural pioneer.
“I’m just trying to beat me,” he said at the event. “I wasn’t really aware that so many people were living similar lives. For me, the keyword has always been originality. Be original.”
Ice-T got his start in the early ‘80s Los Angeles hip-hop scene after a stint in the Army, where he was first exposed to the genre. Post-discharge, he immersed himself in DJing, throwing parties, and performing with the influential group Uncle Jamm’s Army.
In 1987, he landed a deal with Sire Records and dropped his debut album "Rhyme Pays," making history as one of the first artists to slap a parental advisory label on an album.
But what truly cemented his legacy was his unfiltered depiction of street life, drawn straight from personal experience.
His Street Hustle Helped Birth Gangsta Rap
Before music, Ice-T was knee-deep in the L.A. hustle, drug dealing, and surviving the realities of life on the streets. He channeled that raw truth into his music, helping birth the genre now known as gangsta rap.
“I come from an era of hip-hop where you couldn’t sound like anyone else,” Ice-T said. “You couldn’t dress like anyone else. That’s been the key to my life. I always say to look around, see what everyone else is doing, and don’t do that. If you want to be original, be yourself.”
Ice-T Teams Up With Raising Cane’s For A Celebration Of Originality
Standing beside a cup of sweet tea and a Raising Cane's box combo, Ice-T shared the core philosophy that’s guided him from the streets of L.A. to global fame.
“I always just try to be me,” Ice-T shared during the event. “I was unaware that so many people live similar lives, but the keyword in my life is originality. I come from a world in hip-hop where you have to be different, and you have to respect originality, just like Cane’s. I like original things.”
Ice-T Embraces Being One-Of-A-Kind
The partnership was a natural fit for the cultural icon, whose decades-long career is rooted in authenticity and standing out from the crowd.
“I’m an open book," he said before jumping into how much his life and career have changed over the years. "Right now, if you told kids I’m a rapper, they get confused,” he joked. “I met a young girl who said she’s been watching me [on 'SVU'] her whole life but was surprised to know I do music.”
Whether it’s through his music, acting, or personal philosophy, Ice-T has always embraced being one-of-a-kind, and now, he’s doing the same alongside a brand that prides itself on keeping things fresh and original.
Being Real Is The Only Flex
Ice-T also got real about the kind of people he respects most. “I only respect the rich now if they're original. If I catch you trying to be someone else, I lose respect," he said candidly. "I like people who are just honest about who they are.”
That authenticity even extends to his now-famous nickname, “OG.” Many fans assume it just means "original gangster," but Ice-T broke it down.
“OG stands for ‘original gangster,’ yeah, but in L.A. slang, it also means the originators, like the ones who invented a set, a style. Like the original Chuck Taylors, the original 501 jeans. When gangsta rap came out and Ice Cube said, ‘Straight outta Compton,’ the press called it gangsta rap, but I was out two years before N.W.A. So I said, ‘If that’s gangsta rap, then I’m the original gangster.’ That’s where OG comes from.”
In true Ice-T fashion, he closed the conversation with a gem. “I found out that telling the truth was a brand. That’s what I’ve been doing, staying honest with myself," he said. "And it’s a beautiful thing.”
From the streets of South Central to National Iced Tea Day at Raising Cane’s, Ice-T remains unapologetically himself, and that’s exactly why he’ll always be the OG.
