One of hip hop's angriest and most controversial voices, Ice-T helped pioneer
gangsta rap with his visceral tales of street and ghetto life in 1980s Los
Angeles. Inspired by the poetry of Iceberg Slim, the rapper (real name Tracy
Morrow) spent time in South Central LA's Crips gangs and served in the military
before winning an open mic rap contest judged by Kurtis Blow, after which he
turned to music full time. His debut album Rhyme Pays (1987) was the first hip
hop record ever to carry a Parental Advisory warning and went on to become a
huge underground hit. His style became more...