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Ice Spice tackles fiery wings while talking about her journey through music and identity

She candidly discussed the challenges of finding her voice and identity in the music industry


Senior Writer
MARCH 28, 2024 4:41 PM EDT

In the latest sizzling episode of Hot Ones, fans were treated to an exhilarating experience as Grammy-nominated rapper Ice Spice took on the infamous hot wing challenge. As anticipation builds for her debut album “Y2K,” Ice Spice sat down with host Sean Evans to delve into her music, her journey as an artist, and, of course, to tackle the fiery wings.

Ice Spice, known for her electrifying stage presence and razor-sharp lyrics, brought her trademark energy to the Hot Ones set. Between bites of increasingly spicy wings, she shared insights into her creative process, her collaborations, and the evolution of her artistry.

© First We Feast

One of the standout moments of the episode was Ice Spice’s discussion about her approach to selecting songs for her upcoming album. “Everything makes the cut,” she declared, emphasizing her dedication to crafting each track to its fullest potential. She revealed her tendency to prioritize quality, ensuring every song is worthy of release. “Everything makes the cut…Each song that I work on, I really try to make it like good enough to put out basically…That hasn’t always been the case but for this album process that was the case,” she said.

The conversation also turned to Ice Spice’s creative process, particularly her approach to songwriting. While she typically starts by crafting catchy hooks, she teased an unconventional track on her album in which she dives straight into verses without a traditional chorus.

Ice Spice also opened up about the special bond she shares with her longtime producer, Riot. Their friendship-turned-collaboration has been a driving force behind her music, with Riot’s support and encouragement fueling her creative fire.

© First We Feast

One of the episode’s most memorable moments came when Ice Spice reminisced about shooting the music video for “Princess Diana Remix” featuring Nicki Minaj. The Dominican descent rapper recounted the thrill of sharing the screen with a rap icon and the joy of bringing their vision to life. “‘Princess Diana Remix with Nicki was my favorite to shoot ’cause I was just so excited. Oh my God. I’ve never been so excited to be on set. The bedroom scene that was so much fun like being on the bed with Nicki like who does that? So yeah, that was fun,” she revealed while eating hot wings.

Ice Spice reflected on her journey of self-discovery and growth as an artist as the interview progressed. She candidly discussed the challenges of finding her voice and identity in the music industry, admitting to initially emulating others before embracing her unique style. “I feel like in the beginning I definitely needed to like find my voice more and I think it just comes with practice and time like anything else. I had to just really be more comfortable in the stu. Like before I didn’t really have like an identity when it came to recording and I would try to sound like other people or what I thought a hit record sounded like until I really just got more comfortable and just started experimenting and really being myself. It took like 3 years to like to find my voice I feel like,” she recounted.

As she prepares to unleash her debut album upon the world, fans eagerly await the next chapter in her musical journey. The Grammy-nominated rapper told the hosts of Hoda & Jenna the album is dropping “this year” and will be out “soon.” Excited for the future, Ice Spice, whose real name is Isis Naija Gaston, revealed the name of it, “I’m so excited. It’s called Y2K,” she said. We can also expect some exciting collaborations. Spice, who has already collaborated with artists like Nicki Minaj, Rema, and Lil Tjay, said, “Of course” there would be more on the album. One that she is particularly excited about. “I have a crazy collaboration that just got locked in, like, two days ago,” she explained.