Ice-T says hip-hop got “goofy” in the mid-2000s

Ice-T has said he observed a “paradigm shift” in the hip-hop scene during the mid-2000s, which was when he last released an album.

The artist’s last solo hip-hop album ‘Gangsta Rap’ came out in 2006, with his focus then shifting to his heavy metal band Body Count.

In a recent interview with Variety, Ice-T said that the changing nature of the hip-hop scene left him feeling “uncomfortable”, and as such he has no plans to make any more solo records at present.

“Hip-hop changed. The music got goofy to me. The kids started looking weird. It all turned into something I wasn’t comfortable with,” he explained. “There was a point where I was selling tons of records, then it cooled off. I felt a certain way.

“Then I realised Public Enemy, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and Wu-Tang Clan weren’t selling records, either. There was a paradigm shift. These kids got softer, and soft is not something I’m able to give audiences. The first word in hip-hop is “hip” so how something stays hip for over 10 years is difficult. … Besides, I still do my ‘Ice-T: Art of Rap’ shows, which is my legacy hip-hop. Think of it like seeing Frank Sinatra. You want to hear the classics.”

Ice-T also discussed recently getting a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Asked how he’d have reacted if someone had told him he would get one, he responded: “I would have told you that was impossible.”

“When I started making records, I didn’t come into the music business thinking I would be a star,” he continued. “I was just seeing if I could get a fan base. I didn’t want to be the best rapper. I just wanted to be mentioned among the greats: LL Cool J, Run-DMC. Getting any ‘star’ was way out of reach.”

Ice-T confirmed earlier this week that Body Count had started working on a new album titled ‘Merciless’.