Bronx native Ice Spice’s rapid rise to fame has been nothing short of explosive. The 26-year-old American rapper went viral in 2021 for her f-boy diss track “Munch (Feelin’ U).” She has been on an upward climb ever since, breaking numerous music records and adding prestigious accolades to her growing collection.
Ice Spice’s unique voice and catchy lyrics, mixed with the New York drill, have made her one of the top artists in the rap scene in recent years. She has collaborated with the most prominent industry names, such as Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.
Ice Spice has reached the Billboard Top 10 four times and blinded fans with her iconic diamond neckpieces, which exude success. Just over four years into the game, the young rapper already has an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, the People’s Choice Award for New Artist of the Year, and the iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Hip-Hop Artist.
But how did she go from a girl in the Bronx to rap’s newest sensation? In this article, we’ll explore her early life, career milestones, and the defining moments that shaped her meteoric rise to stardom.
Ice Spice: The 26-Year-Old Star from the Bronx
Ice Spice was born on January 1, 2000, as Isis Naija Gaston to parents Joseph Gaston and Charina Almanzar in the Bronx, New York City. Now 26 years old, the rapper has a diverse ethnic background. Her father is African-American with Nigerian heritage, while her mother hails from the Dominican Republic.
Her parents split up when Ice Spice was two years old but lived close to each other in the Fordham Road neighborhood of the Bronx. The rapper was brought up in the Bronx and started attending school there but later transferred to Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers.
Ice Spice graduated from Sacred Heart and enrolled at the State University of New York at Purchase in 2018. According to Teen Vogue, she dropped out around her sophomore year.
In a chat with SiriusXM’s Hip Hop Nation, the rapper revealed the origins of her stage name. She chose her stage name in high school at age 14 when making a “finsta” (fake Instagram) account with “ice” being a spin on her name and chose “spice” because it rhymes — she also loves spicy food.
Ice Spice shares a very close bond with her four younger siblings. In a February 2024 interview with The Cut, the rapper revealed that she’s wildly protective of them.
While most of her siblings lead more private lives, Ice Spice’s younger brother, Joey Gaston, is an up-and-coming model and football player with a steadily increasing fan following on Instagram.
In an interview with Apple Music in 2023, Ice Spice expressed gratitude to her siblings for looking up to her. She reflected that this was similar to how umpteen fans look up to her now, which she credited with prepping her for stardom.
Ice Spice’s Parents Influenced Her Music Career
In an interview with Variety in September 2023, Ice Spice shared how her father, Joseph Gaston, was an underground MC back in the day and was one of the prominent people who influenced her to record her own music.
When talking to Paper Magazine, the rapper recalled fond memories of being with him in the studio as a toddler.
Her father was pivotal in educating her about hip-hop, and the duo bonded over rap. The rapper recalls how he used to freestyle and put her on the spot, saying, “Let me hear something,” which got her creative juices flowing early on.
He sparked Ice Spice’s interest in artists like Jadakiss, 50 Cent, and Jay-Z. The first songs that Ice Spice ever memorized were Nicki Minaj’s “I Get Crazy” and “Itty Bitty Piggy.”
The singer’s mom gave birth to her when she was 17 years old, and the duo shares a dynamic similar to that of sisters. In an interview with Apple Music in 2023, Ice Spice praised her mom, whom she called a “baddie.”
In October 2022, Ice Spice credited her mother, Charina Almanzar, for making her who she is today (per Billboard). The rapper revealed how her mother raised her to be just like her, noting how “Latina girls have that sass” — a unique persona she brings to her tracks.
Ice Spice fondly noted how her mother had recorded her singing since she was four. At the time, the rapper had no idea about her inclination toward music but recalls writing poems and little freestyle raps in elementary and high school.
In an Apple Music video from July 30, 2023, the rapper took fans through the neighborhood she grew up in, expressing how it significantly impacted her rap from style to lyricism.
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In the video, she shared that she lived with her dad and grandma on one side of Davidson Ave while her mom, “Abuela and Ebuelo,” lived just down the block.
Ice Spice has called the Bronx “one of the most authentic places in New York” for its cultural diversity. Before moving to her current abode in New Jersey, Ice Spice used to split her time between her parents’ homes.
Interestingly, the rapper shot the “Munch (Feelin’ U)” video at the park that she went to after school.
Ice Spice’s Rising Star
While Ice Spice’s family played a role in steering her toward rap, the rapper’s overnight success is due to sheer talent, perseverance, and making the right career moves.
Ice Spice went viral in the summer of 2022 after recording a thirst trap of herself taking on Erica Banks’s “Buss It” challenge on TikTok. The rapper capitalized on the widespread attention and used her growing fan following to promote her music.
Ice Spice had already been making music with her college friend-turned-producer and fellow Bronx native RiotUSA.
Shortly after her viral TikTok moment, Ice Spice released her debut song, “Bully Freestyle,” in March 2021, followed by “Name of Love.” The rapper’s summer 2022 independently released single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” played a pivotal role in cementing her career as a rap artist.
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The single was co-signed by Drake, who played it on his SiriusXM channel, Sound 42, with nearly 120 million Spotify streams. “Munch (Feelin’ U)” almost instantly became the New York drill anthem of the summer, and Ice Spice was christened “The People’s Princess.”
After the single’s overnight popularity, Ice Spice signed a deal with 10K Projects and Capitol Records — pivotal in her transition from an internet sensation to a mainstream artist.
The move was strategic as she changed gears, teaming up with industry professionals and releasing singles independently to test the waters of her commercial power. Ice Spice then leveraged that success into a joint label deal, which gave her artistic freedom and the ownership rights of her masters.
Ice Spice dropped several singles, including “In Ha Mood” and “Bikini Bottom,” before releasing her debut EP consisting of six tracks called “Like..?” in January 2023 — the album features a track that pays tribute to her royal comparisons, titled “Princess Diana.
The EP was bursting at the seams, showcasing her versatility and helping cement her as a force to be reckoned with in the rap scene. She skillfully blended drill, trap, and pop elements to showcase her diverse range and artistry.
The same year, Ice Spice collaborated with fellow online sensation PinkPantheress on “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” in February, which landed the artist at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Previously the song “Gangsta Boo” with Lil Tjay reached No. 82. in the Billboard Hot 100.
On April 19, 2023, Ice Spice released a bonus edition of her EP, which featured a remix of “Princess Diana” opposite her role model Nicki Minaj, which made its way to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song became the first No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs by two co-billed women. “Like..?” debuted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart and reached the top 40 of the Billboard 200.
Ice Spice continued making waves as she joined forces with Taylor Swift on a remix of the popular track “Karma,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The rapper reunited with her idol, Nicki Minaj, for the track “Barbie World,” which features a sample from Aqua’s iconic 1997 hit “Barbie Girl.” This song was included in the official soundtrack for Greta Gerwig’s film Barbie.
The collab debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. 2023 was a year of immense success for Ice Spice, and she even made it to Billboard’s 2023 21 Under 21 list. Naturally, with tremendous success comes widespread recognition and accolades.
On April 7, 2023, Ice Spice received a gold plaque for “Munch (Feelin’ U)” from the Recording Industry Association of America. She scored four top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, earned four nominations at the 2024 Grammys, and was the only rapper nominated for Best New Artist.
The rapper won Best New Artist at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards and iHeartRadio Music Awards. Ice Spice bagged Best New Hip Hop Artist at the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards and won the 2023 Billboard Music Award for Top Streaming Song for “Munch (Feelin’ U).”
The young rapper also nabbed the 2023 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Breakout Artist.
Following her success in 2023, Ice Spice wasted no time breadcrumbing fans with her “Y2K!” project, released on July 26, 2024. The debut album features guest appearances from renowned American rappers Travis Scott and Gunna and British rapper Central Cee.
“Y2K!” debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 chart and received mixed critical reception, with Variety and NPR giving it average reviews. In 2024, the “Princess Diana” singer was also featured on the Forbes “30 Under 30” music list.
Who Is Ice Spice Dating?
Ice Spice shared in an interview with Ebro Darden on Ebro in the Morning that she identifies as Bisexual. While there have been rumors about Ice Spice dating many eligible singles, the rapper has never publicly confirmed it.
She was rumored to have been in a relationship with Riot, fellow rapper Lil Tjay, YouTuber King Cid, Pete Davidson, and even Caleb McLaughlin.
In fall 2023, Ice Spice revealed in an interview with The Los Angeles Times that she was seeing someone but refused to delve further into the matter as she wanted her fans to keep their focus on her music and not her personal life.
In July 2024, Ice Spice told Rolling Stone that she was still single and denied speculation surrounding her relationship with Central Cee. The young rapper clarified that she and Central Cee are strictly platonic and are “just twins.”
There were also rumors that Ice Spice was in a relationship with Drake. Drake was impressed by “Munch (Feelin’ U)” and invited the young rapper to the 2022 edition of OVO Fest.
Drake unfollowed Ice Spice after the fest, and fans had even speculated that in the song “BackOutsideBoyz,” when Drake raps, “She a ten tryna rap, it’s good on mute,” — he was throwing shade at Ice Spice.
Eventually, after much media speculation, the rapper revealed there was no beef between them in an interview with the New York Times, and he clarified that the diss was not about her.
Ice Spice’s Signature Style
In an interview with Complex in October 2023, Ice Spice said she doesn’t consider herself a lyricist. The rapper likes to stick to simple bars and wants them to be “digestible.”
She takes a simple approach to lyrics and wants people to listen to them and think, “OK, that was cute.” Her rap delivery is calm and firm, and her themes include self-love, romantic apathy, and misandry.
Ice Spice explained to Rolling Stone how she blended drill beats and trap elements to mix things up in “Y2K!”
She definitely has a distinctive sense of style, blending a celebration of her roots with a shift away from her earlier budget outfits in favor of more upscale clothing since achieving fame.
Ice Spice’s fashion is less about what she wears and more about presenting herself authentically with bold orange hair, duck nails, and bright, nostalgic clothing. She brings a unique sense of fun to the Bronx drill and gives it a broader appeal.
What’s Next for the Bronx’s Rap Queen
The rapper has yet to tease fans about what she’s got in store for them in the future. Ice Spice has been on the Y2K! World Tour since July 4, 2024, and has had shows across North America, Europe, and Australia.
The Tour ended in Adelaide, Australia, on January 5, 2025. The rapper posts regular updates on her official website, Ice Spice Music.
Ice Spice has achieved so much success in the rap industry so quickly that we are confident she will continue to woo audiences with her unique approach to drill music and out-of-pocket fashion sense.