Ice-T made a name for himself bringing his life as a hustler on the streets onto his debut album, 1987’s Rhyme Pays. He was a pioneer in hip hop as it went from regionally popular music to nationally recognized art form. Since then he has become one of only a handful of hip hop MCs to create a highly visible and successful entertainment career, creating music, acting in television and film, and writing a memoir. As he gets ready to headline The Art of Rap Festival this summer, he sits down with The Library’s Tim Einenkel to discuss the many lanes he's taken throughout his career. He talks about his single-minded drive to find freedom from the poverty and violence of the streets, why you should never battle an unsigned rapper, and what the real lesson of Marlon Brando’s Godfather was.
