Lately, I’ve had a lot of time to think about my place in this world. In a world that is so dominated by expectations and arbitrarily populated with cruelty, only a few things can give me any security in this life. When I’ve felt like I’ve lost everything, there are nine words I can whisper under my breath when no one’s listening:
“How can I lose, If I’m already chose? Like…”
These proverbs come from Ice Spice, who blew up on Tiktok after releasing “Munch (Feeling U)” and has kept that momentum since. The star, named Isis Gaston, grew up in the Bronx, the birthplace of a burgeoning subgenre of Hip-Hop, Drill. Drill prioritizes the spacious with slightly reverb vocals and minimalistic beats with heavy bass and repetitive patterns. Influenced by this sound, she started releasing music under the name Ice Spice. Spice’s look is loud and brazen. Even if you didn’t know who she was, looking at her you would know she’s someone. She isn’t afraid to invite us into her luxurious and self-empowered mindset. It seeps into her style of rap too, she simply lets her flow unfurl; maintaining composure in her relaxed sound.
“Munch (Feeling U)” was her first of many songs that would go viral. It’s an anti-love song that feels deliciously cruel. Listening once, you’ll soon realize that Ice Spice is not feeling you whatsoever.
“You thought I was Feeling You?… That [boy] a munch.”
The word “Munch,” in this context seems to represent a man so inadequate, a new piece of slang had to be invented to properly describe his insignificance. She doesn’t dwell on him, though. As she raps calmly and swiftly: “I’m walking past him, he sniffing my breeze.” in her signature breathy voice. And in less than a minute and 44 seconds, it’s all over. The song’s ephemerality feels perfectly devastating.
But the music seems small in contrast to her rising celebrity status. Ice Spice knows how to keep a crowd’s eyes on her. When Twitter was ready to crown her as “This generation’s Princess Diana” for her orange perm and charming personality, she was ready to come out with her new song, “Princess Diana.” Spice always seems to be 10 steps ahead of the curve. Making her the perfect popstar for our new quick internet culture.
Ice Spice has also become a sort of queer icon. Her virality and chic looks were sure to catch the collective eye of the culture and with her lyrics mentioning her bisexuality, it was only inevitable. In a recent interview with Apple Music 1’s Ebro Darden, Darden asked her if she ‘dates squares’, “Not squares but I like… good boys and girls,” she said. This interview quickly became a viral TikTok trend of sorts. Her unapologetic support only amplifies her iconic status.
Her collabs also exude it-girl energy, working with PinkPantheress and Nicki Minaj to create “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2.” and “Princess Diana Remix (feat. Nicki Minaj).” Their collective serve seems to be extremely lucrative. The songs have been holding steady on the Billboard Hot 100, “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” having 13 weeks in the top 10, and “Princess Diana Remix (feat. Nicki Minaj)” holding steady in the top 20. It’s safe to say she’s found her way into our drill-intoxicated hearts.
