Ice Spice Reveals Why She Wouldn't Call Herself A "Lyricist"

BYGabriel Bras Nevares3.3K Views
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2023 Rolling Loud Miami
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 21: American rapper Ice Spice performs onstage during day one of Rolling Loud Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on July 21, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
The Bronx MC definitely has bars, but she said that she wants the appeal behind her music to not go over people's heads.

Ice Spice has a lot to reflect and look back on when it comes to 2023, which was the year she really catapulted to undeniable fame. During a recent, thorough, and engaging interview with Complex, she dished on pretty much everything going on around her, including her next career moves and how her personal life has changed since the fame. However, despite all this success and acclaim, many still take aim at the rapper and believe she doesn't deserve it. Many point to her lyricism and skills as a rapper as "evidence" of this, but it turns out that it's a bit of a misguided critique. After all, not even the "Pretty Girl" MC would consider herself a hardcore hip-hop penwoman, and that's not because of a lack of skill or talent.

"I wouldn't consider myself a lyricist," Ice Spice told the publication during their conversation. "Obviously, lyrics go into music and I do think about them and I do be having bars in my music, but they're just super simple. I want them to be digestible, I don't want them to fly over people's heads and they never catch it."

Is Ice Spice A "Lyricist"? She Doesn't Think So

Furthermore, this is probably the kind of statement that will inspire a lot of debate about the weight behind lyrics. For many, the main factor to consider here is that Ice Spice isn't making music that is meant to serve analysis, messaging, metaphors, symbolism, and the like. As she said, they're simple bars- which can still be catchy, impactful, and impressive- because that's not what she's going for as a whole. If the 23-year-old was instead hopping on Daringer beats and boasting about her lyrical prowess, then it would be a different story.

Meanwhile, with her recent SNL performance fresh in our minds, it's clear that the hype around her isn't dying down anytime soon. Maybe the Bronx native will one day become the lyricist that so many pressure her to be, but that doesn't seem likely. She's much rather serve her own vision and focus on the unique things she can offer. For more news and the latest updates on Ice Spice, come back to HNHH.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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