For those unaware, The Legend Of Ice T: Crime Stories (out now via Ruffnation Entertainment) is a most wondrous limited edition TRIPLE color vinyl LP set celebrating Hip-hop Pioneer Ice T, who is the embodiment of LA Hip-hop as well as being an acclaimed actor.

Ice T’s Crime Stories features some of the most powerful songs from his catalog, as well as some lesser-known and previously unreleased material. Through his music, his books, and his lecture tours of America’s prisons, high schools, libraries, and colleges (including Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford), Ice T has become an influential spokesman for America’s youth, regardless of color.

His first break came when the producers of the film Breakin’ asked him to rap in the movie. He went on to become rap music’s preeminent gangster, writing songs like Six in the Mornin’ and New Jack Hustler.

Ice T formed Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1989 and released a string of groundbreaking West Coast rap records. His 1991 self-titled debut contained the controversial single Cop Killer and Body Count was the most critically acclaimed act on the highly successful 1991 Lollapalooza tour.

Ice T currently stars in NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective Odafin Tutuola. For three seasons in 2012/2013 Ice and his wife, Coco, starred in the E! Reality show Ice Loves Coco. As an author, he has released four books, the first being The Ice Opinion (1994), following that there was Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood (2011), a fictional tale entitled Kings of Vice (2013) and Split Decision with his longtime friend Spike (2022).

In Jan 2012, Ice’s directorial debut, Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, played at the Sundance Film Festival. In Sept 2012, he produced the documentary Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released theatrically in 2013. In 2017, he produced and starred in Who Shot Biggie & Tupac for FOX. A new Body Count album garnered a 2018 Grammy nomination. He also produced and hosted Ice Cold Murder for Oxygen.

Side A:
1. Too Old For This S***
2. Feds In My Rearview Mirror
3. Tha Hanging
4. That’s How I’m Livin’

Side B:
1. The Tower
2. Midnight
3. Six in the Morning

One of the true Pioneers of Gangster Rap, Ice T opens up this immense collection with the dynamic Too Old For This S*** and the laid back rhythmic flow of Feds In My Rearview Mirror, which are followed by the masterful Tha Hanging and then comes one of the illest raps ever recorded, That’s How I’m Livin’.

Flipping the first vinyl over, next up is the storytelling of The Tower, the Zeppelin drumbeat and Sabbath tri-tone of Midnight and then we get brought forth one of the first songs that pioneered gangster rap, the brilliant Six in the Morning.

Side C:
1. Peel Their Caps Back
2. Drama
3. Soul on Ice
4. Pain

Side D:
1. Pray
2. Retaliation
3. The Fifth

Placing the second vinyl on the turntable, next up is one of the coldest raps ever invented and crafted within Peel Their Caps Back and the underrated West Coast gangsta rap of Drama and they are neatly followed by the hookable hip-hop rhythms within Soul on Ice and then Ice T becomes a dedicated documentarian for Pain.

Lovingly flipping the vinyl over, one of my favorite things to do as an audiophile, we next get the propulsive Pray, which is backed by the sickest hardcore hip-hop of Retaliation and then we get the gangsta street rap of The Fifth.

Side E:
1. S*** Hit The Fan
2. They Want Back In
3. You Got Me Open Girl
4. Common Sense

Side F:
1. Check Your Heart
2. Ballin’ B**** I Knew
3. Addicted to Danger
4. Where The S*** Goes Down

Putting the final of the three LPs on the player, next up is the old school storytelling of S*** Hit the Fan, the classic Ice T horror movie sound within They Want Back In, and then come both the vivid You Got Me Open Girl, the side rounding out on the lyrically magnificent Common Sense.

Once again, if only for the last time, flipping the beautifully-colored, blood splatter vinyl over, along next is the literal definition of gangsta rap Check Your Heart, the neat beats of Ballin’ B**** I Knew, the beautifully constructed collection coming to a close with one of the inventor of the crime rhyme’s finest Addicted to Danger and the smoothly raw Where The S*** Goes Down.

Six in the Morning Official Music Video

Official 3LP Purchase Link

Ice T @ Twitter

Ice T @ Instagram