Ice Spice facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ice Spice
Ice Spice in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Isis Naija Gaston
Born	(2000-01-01) January 1, 2000 (age 25) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop Bronx drill
Occupations	Rapper songwriter
Years active	2020–present
Labels	10K Projects Capitol Polydor
Signature

Isis Naija Gaston (born January 1, 2000), known by her stage name Ice Spice, is an American rapper and songwriter. She was born and raised in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. Ice Spice started her music career in 2020 while in college. Music experts have called her a "breakout star" because of her unique rapping style.

Ice Spice became very famous in late 2022 when her song "Munch (Feelin' U)" went viral on the social media app TikTok. She then signed with 10K Projects and Capitol Records. She released more songs, like "Bikini Bottom" and "In Ha Mood", which were part of her first big project, an extended play (EP) called Like..? (2023).

Her success grew even more with popular collaborations. These included "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" with PinkPantheress, "Karma" with Taylor Swift, and "Barbie World" with Nicki Minaj and Aqua. All of these songs reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This made Ice Spice the only rapper to have four top-ten songs in 2023. In 2024, she released her first full album, Y2K!.

Ice Spice has won many awards, including the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. She has also been nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist.

Early Life and School

Isis Naija Gaston was born on January 1, 2000, in the Bronx, New York City. She is the oldest of five children. Her father, Joseph Gaston, is African American and was an underground rapper. Her mother, Charina Almanzar, is from the Dominican Republic.

Gaston grew up with her grandparents and cousins. She went to school in the Bronx and later attended Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers. She developed a love for hip hop music at age seven, listening to artists like Lil' Kim and Nicki Minaj. She was inspired by her father's interest in rap and listened to artists like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and Wu-Tang Clan.

She started writing poetry and freestyle raps in high school. She would type lyrics on her phone and practice rapping to instrumental beats. She said, "When I saw Nicki [Minaj], I was so mesmerized... I was kinda set on what I wanted to be." She came up with her stage name, Ice Spice, when she was a freshman in high school.

After high school, Gaston attended the State University of New York at Purchase. She studied communications and played on the school's volleyball team as a defensive specialist. She later left college, feeling it wasn't the right place for her.

Music Career

2020–2022: How She Started

Ice Spice began rapping in 2020 after she met record producer RiotUSA. Her first song, "Bully Freestyle," was released in March 2021. This happened after a video of her doing the "Buss It" challenge became popular on Twitter. Another song, "Name of Love," gained attention on SoundCloud, which helped her grow her following on Instagram.

On August 10, 2022, Ice Spice released "Munch (Feelin' U)". The song became a huge hit after the famous musician Drake played it on his radio show. It went viral on TikTok and Twitter, and it appeared on several Billboard music charts. In September 2022, she signed a record deal with 10K Projects and Capitol Records.

2023–Present: Becoming a Star

Ice Spice performing at a PinkPantheress concert in Brooklyn in 2024

Ice Spice released her first EP, Like..?, on January 20, 2023. It included her hit singles "Munch (Feelin' U)", "Bikini Bottom", and "In Ha Mood".

In February 2023, she worked with Lil Tjay on the song "Gangsta Boo". It was her first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That same month, she was featured on the remix of PinkPantheress's song "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2". The song was a massive success, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In April 2023, she released a remix of her song "Princess Diana" with one of her idols, Nicki Minaj. This song also became a top-ten hit. A month later, she was featured on a remix of Taylor Swift's song "Karma". "Karma" reached number two on the Hot 100 chart.

In June 2023, she teamed up with Nicki Minaj again for the song "Barbie World" for the Barbie movie soundtrack. It also became a top-ten hit. On July 21, 2023, she released a deluxe version of Like..? with five new songs.

Her first full studio album, Y2K!, was released on July 26, 2024. The album received mixed reviews from critics and fans. The magazine Variety said the album found a good balance between street style and pop music.

Artistry and Influences

Ice Spice's music is a style of hip hop called Bronx drill. She has said that she writes all of her own lyrics. She likes to keep her lyrics "super simple" and easy for people to understand and enjoy.

She was inspired to start rapping by artists like Sheff G and Pop Smoke. She has also named New York rappers Lil' Kim, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Foxy Brown, and Remy Ma as major influences. Other artists she looks up to include Erykah Badu, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lauryn Hill.

Discography

• Y2K! (2024)

Filmography

Tours

Headlining

Ice Spice performing at Outernet London on the Y2K! World Tour, 2024

• Y2K! World Tour (2024)

Supporting

• Doja Cat – The Scarlet Tour (2023)

Awards and Nominations