The Pop Corporation

Hip hop has found itself in a funny place lately. Everyone’s broke. There’s been a pandemic. Energy bills are out of control. Prices are going up. It’s difficult to listen to someone talk about how many millions they’ve got hanging off their wrist. It’s tough to stomach listening to someone complain about how lonely they are on their private jet.

Of course, like disco in the late ’70s, a lot party music was aspirational in a bid to give you some light to aim for and forget about the grim mess we live in, so it’s not all bad. However, it’s the ground troops we look toward as their feet are closer to the ground. It’s okay to act and dress fancy, we just need to know that you are still aware of the struggle.

With Young Thug banged up on RICO charges, Future laying somewhat low and reminding us he exists through features, Ye going full fash, Drake being thoroughly embarrassing, we’re left looking at Kendrick again who made an entire album about how difficult the mantle of ‘spokesperson for a generation’ is to wear.

And so, to those bubbling up – those with fresh takes. One hot ticket right now is Ice Spice. Cocky as hell with that amazing head of hair, what we’re getting here is someone who is reminding us to have a good time in the face of all this mess going on: “grabbing my ass while I’m doing my dance.”

That’s the ticket.

Now, with such a sharp and seemingly meteoric rise, there’s already murmurs of industry plant this, and what’s the catch that, but that’s boring chat. We’re here because of what comes out of the speakers and we’ll leave the rest to the chorus of YouTube talking heads who need to get out of the house once in a while, and the various Talk Radio rapheads who need airtime to fill.

Ice Spice is fresh and for now, showcasing Bronx Drill, flipped samples, fun under-mastered beats, and a very silly irreverence that for now, hasn’t worn itself out as a joke. If she decides to wear the joke out, that’s another matter, but meme-rappers always run that risk. As far as ‘Munch’ is concerned, it sounds like the kind of bubblegum rap we like dancing too, and sometimes that’ll do.

She’s already a thing on TikTok (it doesn’t matter whether you get it or not – it’s the social media platform that’s breaking new music the quickest these days, so don’t worry about it) so it’s not like she’s going to need help from the likes of us loser music critics, but this is one for you to keep tabs on. We hope there’s a classic party album in Ice Spice, and if she’s capable, we need that right now.

We just hope some record company doesn’t smother her in bad features, or tries to position her with the Xanax, introspective hip hop crowd that idolises grunge.

Let’s here it for the street corner fire and club shakers. That’s what we need in 2023. Fingers crossed she doesn’t blow it.