Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood [Hardcover]

Ice-T (Author), Douglas Century (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 19, 2011

My life’s been a great story / In the ultimate war / Should I ill or do right? / Make peace or go raw?—Ice-T, “Exodus”
 
He’s a hip-hop icon credited with single-handedly creating gangsta rap in the 1980s. Television viewers know him as Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola on the top-rated TV drama Law & Order: SVU. But where the hype and the headlines end, the real story of Ice-T—the one few of his millions of fans have ever heard—truly begins.

Ice is Ice-T in his own words—raw, uncensored, and unafraid to speak his mind. About his orphan upbringing on the gang-infested streets of South Central Los Angeles. About his four-year stint in the U.S. Army’s famed “Tropic Lightning” outfit. About his successful career as a hustler and thief, the car crash that nearly killed him, and the fateful decision to turn away from a life of crime and forge his own path to international entertainment stardom.

Ice by Ice-T is both a tell-it-like-it-is tale of redemption and a star-studded tour of the pop culture firmament. The acclaimed rapper and actor shares never-before-told stories about friends like Tupac, Dick Wolf, Chris Rock, and an antler-clad Flavor Flav, among others. Readers will ride along as Ice-T’s incendiary rock band Body Count narrowly escapes from a riotous mob of angry concertgoers in Milan, and listen in as the music legend battles the self-appointed censors over his controversial “Cop Killer” single.

Most of all, Ice is the place where one of the game’s most opinionated players breaks down his own secret plan for living, offering up candid observations on marriage and monogamy, the current state of hip-hop, and his latest passion: doing one-on-one gang interventions and mentoring at-risk youths around the country.

With insights into the cutthroat world of the street—and the cutthroat world of Hollywood—Ice is the inspirational story of a true American original.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this intriguing memoir, groundbreaking rapper and actor Ice-T chronicles his rise from nomadic criminal to hip-hop star. After losing both parents by the age of 12, Tracy Marrow was shipped to relatives in Los Angeles where he navigated the growing gang culture of the city and became a father at 18. A four-year tour in the army was followed by a lucrative interlude robbing jewelry and clothing stores. As his fellow thieves began to file off to prison, Ice-T turned to the nascent rap scene and scored immediate success. Continuing to reinvent himself, Ice-T went on to front a rock band and also was one of the first rap figures to work in film and television. There™s little focus on the music itself, but rather on his careers and his observations on the various subcultures he passes through. What lifts the book above the general run of entertainer memoirs is the quality of these observations—Ice-T is a canny businessman, and he charts clearly the decisions that brought him up each step of a very treacherous ladder. (Mar.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Famous first as a rapper, and then as an actor in numerous movies and as a regular on Law & Order: SVU, Ice-T was born Tracy Marrow in New Jersey, then moved to Los Angeles when both of his parents died prematurely of heart attacks. Raised by inattentive relatives, he became embroiled in gang life. After four years in the army, he found himself on the street and back in the criminal world. He had been writing his own rhymes since high school, then released several groundbreaking West Coast rap recordings and became lead vocalist for the influential thrash-metal band Body Count, which, in 1992, released its notorious single, Cop Killer. The subsequent controversy led to Ice-T�s first experience with censorship and even a dressing-down from the Bush-Quayle administration. In this no-holds-barred memoir, Ice-T writes with refreshing, if profane, down-to-earth candor, recalling his first memories of racism, his increasingly dangerous street life, and his experiences on tour, including a funny and wild anecdote about a show in Milan. A fascinating and inspiring story about an African American orphan who beat the odds to become successful, this memoir will appeal to fans of hip-hop and popular culture. --June Sawyers

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: One World/Ballantine; First Edition edition (April 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345523288
• ISBN-13: 978-0345523280
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (85 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #625,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Original Gangster -- Being Ice Aint Easy ... January 6, 2011

By Steffan Piper VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I'm probably one of the few people that have read and reviewed Ice's other book The Ice Opinion as well as this new book, which is equally informing and true as the previous. Being honest, after having read that book a few years back, the thought occurred to me to ask: "what more could this man say that he hasn't already spoke about?" Let me just clear the table and confirm that nothing in these two books is material that's been repeated or regurgitated. Without doubt, this is a solid and eye-opening read.

First, you might not know that Ice was an Army Ranger and an incredibly solid and dedicated soilder while he was doing his time in service. Yes, he did end up having to stand up in front of the C.O., but who hasn't? Legendary Marine, Chesty Puller once said that "the best soliders are often found in the brig." In Ice's case, he wasn't kidding. Ice never got involved in drugs or alcohol and never squealed on anyone either. In historical and mythical terms, he's a pretty honorable character, but the reality that you come away with from reading this book, is that Ice is anything but a character, he's a real person with his survival instincts ratcheted up on high. Ice, born Tracy Marrow, is probably the best example of social darwainism that I've ever heard about. Working your way up from the bottom, parentless, financially 'out', being bussed from one social tier to another for school, trapped in a warring culture on the brink of a social apocalypse -- you name it. "Just hold your ground and be true to yourself." That's his message and he has the life behind him to prove it. Hmm. Who also said that, about 400 years ago? I wonder. "To thine own self ..."

A few days ago, I was at Zales looking at something with my wife. At that time I was about half-way through this book, and while I was standing at the counter, all I could think about was Ice-T and his team of smash-and-grab jewelery thieves doing 'licks' all over Los Angeles and later nationwide. The story he tells isn't about ego, it's not romanticized and he's not telling you to score points with the reader or with the history books in general. This is just how it was. The funny thing is, is that there's probably a lot of us who grew up during this period of time, like myself who can absolutely relate. Even from the criminal tip. He never got caught, never went to jail, never carried a gun in those days and never had to hurt anyone innocent. I can't say the same for a lot of thugs on the street or even the white-collar criminals out there today. Ice talks a lot about his military training, how it made him disciplined and how the military mind in the civilian world is often implemented. You either become an Officer, or you become a criminal. Notice I didn't say Cop.

The amazing thing was that Ice was making a boatload more cash before he got into the rap game and was trying to manage both his criminal career and his ascendency into Rap all at the same time. Being surrounded by both Crips and Bloods on all sides, he emerged as the spokesman for both sets and was like the nuetral Switzerland. He had respect from all the big time guys and worked hard to maintain it. One of the more interesting tidbits is how he ended up over at Warner Brothers and being close with a lot of folks who had much respect for him as a musician, and as a person. Ice also had a lot of respect for the law, even though some, who might remember this, might not think so. He tells it like this:

"There was a line and it was their job to enforce it and it was my job to cross over and back and not get caught."

When his musical career broke, I remember hearing him when I was living all the way up in Alaska and thinking how raw it was. It was incredibly clear to see that everything that came out after Ice, was inspired by Ice, because nobody had rapped about such a hard game before. When Ice Cube hit with his Amerikkkas Most Wanted album and NWA casettes were circulating, people everywhere couldn't get enough. By then though, we all knew where it started and Ice had already moved on to something else - Body Count.

The book is harrowing in places and deeply engrossing. Never for a moment does any of it come across as contrived, unrelatable or 'not real'. Ice's mantra always seems to seep from these pages to "just be you and I'll be me." For that, you know this isn't going to read like a lot of the celebrity biographies, which are just filled with way too much ego that oozes out from every page of the book. Forgive me if I don't care to name names, but too many of them are like that. Ice-T can easily tell you how when he bought a brand new Ferrari and Flava flav smashed into the back of it, you never think for a moment that he's bragging. He tells it like a young man, excited and jazzed about something cool that just landed in his lap -- and that's unflinchingly sincere in all aspects.

This isn't a white-washed version of his life, reading it you can tell. He's not holding anything back here either as he admits to many things that many people in his position just wouldn't.

Regarding Law & Order, I'm one of those people that originally tuned into that show because of Ice-T and I've always felt that I'd always prefer to see more episodes centered around his character. But he has a different position on this. Like he says in the book: "I'm number five on the roster ... and that's a good place to be."

Through the years, I've come to appreciate Ice more and more for a number of reasons. Ice (obviously -- if you're paying attention) is a huge fan of Robert Beck, as am I, and the life that Robert Beck lived and wrote about is the story of a lot of us, myself included. When I read Mama Black Widow, I finally had found someone who was writing about the facets of my own life. Later I read Airtight Willie & Me and quickly read everything else.

This book is going to get some good circulation and he deserves it.

***

For the record, this review is on the Advance Review version of the book and thus I was sadly without any of the cool pictures that will be in the final print edition or other things that are promised in the details. I'll likely pick this up in it's final version come April.

If you're one of those folks that like to read books like this in one sitting, which is typically fine, I would suggest not doing so with this. I would read this in stages and really spend some time thinking about what's here. I would read this book in 80 page increments so you don't just glass over the details. This is a very good book and deserves consideration.

...

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars great look into the life of a rap legend February 3, 2011

By Ladybug

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I'm writing this review as a casual fan of Ice-T. I was 12 years old when O.G. came out, and I had to sneak a copy of a friend's cassette tape home and listen to it when my parents weren't around so they wouldn't take it away. Around the same time, New Jack City came out and, again, I had to sneak into a theater with a friend to watch it. I was enthralled with Ice-T, though I had no real knowledge of him other than this limited exposure. Since that time, Ice-T has become a widely recognizable media figure and, in many ways, a father figure to a lot of contemporary rap.

What I truly enjoy about Ice-T now, though, is his personality. No doubt in part due to his rap career, he has a very clever yet direct way of putting things, whether he's talking about women's hair (see Good Hair) or lamenting the state of the music industry (see his YouTube criticism of Soulja Boy). It's really this aspect of Ice-T that made me interested in reading his autobiography.

I really appreciate how Ice-T's personality comes through in this book. I was concerned that it could be ghostwritten into banality, but that is definitely not the case. There's a ton of great stuff here for anyone else who appreciates Ice-T's humor and wit.

This book is also very honest--Ice-T goes into a lot of detail about his childhood and how his family and surroundings affected him growing up. As a child, he found that he and his mother could both pass as white, which allowed him to outwardly fit in in his suburban neighborhood even though he was obviously very cognizant of the differences between him and the other kids. Once his parents both died while he was young, he was transplanted to Los Angeles, where it's also clear that he was a bit of an outsider, even if he superficially fit in. This theme continues as Ice-T joins the military and quickly realizes that he wasn't going to be happy there, either, though it is this experience that seems to have really driven Ice-T to succeed.

The most interesting part of this book to me was how observant, patient, and disciplined Ice-T was, whether he was meticulously planning robberies or methodically trying to avoid gang violence in Los Angeles during the crack boom. It's clear that these skills served Ice-T well when he was a struggling, self-sufficient teenager and that they continued to serve him well as a savvy rap star and, now, well-known actor.

Where the book fell short for me was how much of Ice-T's success as a musical artist and actor is glossed over. There's a good amount on the Body Count controversies, but not much on any of his rap music past Power. He also writes a good amount about New Jack City and Law & Order, but not a lot in between. I would have appreciated hearing how his street smarts helped him or even how overconfidence may have hurt him when he was trying to succeed in the music and movie businesses. He doesn't really delve deeply into any missteps or moments where he thought it all might fall apart. Certainly he's had his doubts about his own success, but he doesn't let on to it at all, not that he comes across as a prideful braggart--it just seems like things have been left out.

Overall, I was left wanting more, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I definitely have hundreds of questions I'd love to ask Ice-T, especially after reading this book. But due to what was left out, it wasn't completely satisfying.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read May 29, 2011

By Beverly L. Archer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This book was an impulse check out at the library. I was standing in line waiting to checkout and it was on the new non-fiction display. I enjoy watching Ice-T on Law and Order SVU. I like to read the occasional biography. So I decided to give it a try.

For the most part, I enjoyed reading this biography. I felt as though I was getting an inside glimpse into what makes Ice-T, Ice T. I realized that Ice-T is a lot different than my perception of Finn on Law & Order SVU. I found it to be well written and interesting.

However, if you are looking for a biography that will provide a moral lesson for today's youth, this is not it. He does discuss his transition from crime to legitimate work, but he doesn't take a strong stand about the wrongness of his time as a criminal. He's very true to his beliefs, which makes for an honest read.
Also, if you have a problem with foul language, particularly the F-word, then you might want to skip this book. If you want to learn about the man behind the image, then you should read this book, but if you have an "agenda", if you are looking for a motivational "don't do crime - take the straight and narrow path" story, you might want to search for another book.
If you are looking for an honest account of this man's life then this is a good read for you. He's very true to himself and he doesn't pull any punches. He doesn't smooth over his mistakes. And while he might not provide a strong warning against a life of crime, I really didn't find that he was glamorizing it. He does point out that there are risks and the price you pay if you get caught is high.
Overall, it was an impulse check out that turned out to be a rather good read.