CD Odyssey Disc 1247: Ice-T

I had a successful CD shop this weekend, finding five albums on my wishlist and a sixth that I took a chance on. Here's what I came home with:

• Julia Jacklin – Crushing (2019)
• Yola – Walk Through Fire (2019)
• Nilufer Yanya – Miss Universe (2019)
• The Be Good Tanyas – Blue Horse (2000)
• 10CC – Deceptive Bends (1977)
• Cub - Box of Hair (1996)

The Cub record was the chancy one, but I really liked their album "Betti-Cola" (reviewed back at Disc 1240) and it was only $4.95. I'll talk about each of those records when I roll them.

Disc 1247 is… O.G. Original Gangster

Artist: Ice-T

Year of Release: 1991

What’s up with the Cover? Two sides of Ice-T. We have suave debonair Ice-T dressed up for a black tie event in front of a big house, and we have gangster criminal Ice-T showing off his pythons as he shuffles off to the Big House.

Much like the decision to include two photos, this album seems uncertain on what to call itself. O.G. Original Gangster seems superfluous. Kind of like ATM Machine, or Stargate SG-1. But I digress…

How I Came to Know It: I am not 100% certain. I know I first gave Ice-T a proper listen at my friend Chris’ house many years ago through the “Freedom of Speech” album. It might have been my friend Patrick who put me onto this particular record, or maybe my friend Spence. I guess I’m lucky to have a lot of great friends introducing me to music. If it was someone else, and you’re reading this then I apologize for the oversight but thank you for the recommendation all the same.

How It Stacks Up:  I have four Ice-T albums and I like them all, but “Original Gangster” is the best. Since this is the final review of those in my collection, here’s a recap:

1. O.G. Original Gangster: 5 stars (reviewed right here)
2. Power: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 639)
3. The Iceberg: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 1031)
4. Rhyme Pays: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 969)

Ratings:  5 stars

 “Original Gangster” is rap at its finest, combining the raw danger of West Coast rap with all the laid back groove of the East Coast.

On his earlier records, Ice-T’s best quality is his furious flow, snapping his rhymes down on the end of the bar with exquisite timing, in a sparse environment of simple beats and rhythms, well employed. On “Original Gangster” he elevates his already impressive flow and throws in a lot more samples and rhythms. Despite this, the record never feels busy or disjointed. Everything Ice-T adds is to give the songs more groove.

This record breaks one of my main rules by being too long (72 minutes) with too many tracks (24). The vinyl edition apparently only has 16 tracks, which you would think I would prefer but I can’t imagine what 8 tracks I’d remove to make that happen. No matter what you deleted – even the little skits interspersed throughout – it would be wrong.

As you might expect from the title, the record has many gangster rap elements, and on the title track and “New Jack Hustler” he paints a picture of gang violence in LA that is compelling and visceral. However, the record covers traditional “I rap better than you” themes brilliantly as well, and on “Fly By” his furious style is at Rakim-level brilliance.

Rap has a long tradition of decrying hypocrisy and falsity, and few rappers do it better than Ice-T. On “Bitches” he calls out stool pigeons, freeloaders, and double-talkers, and making it clear you’ll find these kinds of cowards in every walk of life.

When he wants to, Ice also gets political. Free speech is a longstanding theme in Ice-T’s work and on “Straight Up N____” he takes it a new level. I can’t quote the song, but that’s partly Ice-T’s intent. He gets to call himself what he wants and define himself how he wants, delivering some cutting social commentary in the process.

The record even introduces us to Ice-T’s rock side, as he debuts “Body Count” one of the songs from his rap-metal crossover band of the same name. In 1991 the divisions between rock and rap were much more severe and zealously defended than they are today. Ice-T was one of the first people to recognize the foolishness of that approach, saying in a short interview at the beginning of the track:

“…as far as I’m concerned music is music. I don’t look at it as rock, RnB, and all that stuff. I look at it as music…I do what I like, and I happen to like rock and roll and I feel sorry for anyone who only listens to one form of music.”

Truer words were never spoken. The album “Body Count” (reviewed back at Disc 665) LINK would come out a year later and is yet another five star record, proving what an incredible run Ice-T was on in these two years.

Back to “Original Gangster,” which is a fierce, honest unrepentant record that gives you full appreciation for the many facets of Ice-T. His rap influences, his rock influences, his personality and his political views are all wrapped up into a record that is authentic, raw, and groovy as hell. It is simply one of the best rap records ever made.

Best tracks: All tracks. Less so, all those little skits and partial songs, but they also add to the album’s charm.