Ice-T started in 1982 out with other West Coast rap pioneers such as Kid Frost, DJ Flash, and The Egyptian Lover with Electro recordings. Later on, he changed his style and was the first West Coast rapper to be accepted by the East Coast. 6 'n The Mornin is sometimes seen as the track that triggered the whole gangster rap movement. It was produced by The Unknown DJ, who produced electro funk tracks before and went on to produce Compton's Most Wanted. The song was inspired by Schoolly D's "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?" and became itself the inspiration for Eazy-E and N.W.A's Boyz-N-The-Hood. Ice-T went on to work with Afrika Islam, the man behind the beats on 1987's Rhyme Pays, 1988's Power and 1989's The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say.
He also is a star in Law in Order: Special Victims Unit.
In 1992 he created the crossover band Body Count with 4 other black musicians.
Ain't a Damn Thing Changed
Ice-T Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might cause a riot
What the radio won't play the underground will supply it
I'm a MC pirate, this loud not quiet
Radical as they make, they make a rule I'll defy it
Critics may say I'm wise, some may call my words lies
I've lived more in one day than they will in their lives
Cops hate kids and kids hate cops
What is crime and what is not?
What is justice? I think I forgot
Squeeze the trigger, 1986
Ain't a damn thing changed motherfucker
In "Ain't a Damn Thing Changed," Ice-T charges headfirst into provocative and contentious social issues that, at the time, were striking nerves across the country. He begins with a declaration of defiance, suggesting that attempts to censor or silence him will only backfire and fuel underground rebellion. He goes on to touch on topics like police brutality and corruption, questioning notions of justice and morality. He seems to argue that, despite some people's claim that he's just spouting lies or trying to stir up controversy, he's simply acknowledging the harsh realities of life that most people prefer to ignore or sugarcoat. The song's final lines, "Squeeze the trigger, 1986 / Ain't a damn thing changed motherfucker," suggest that despite the passage of time and supposed progress, society is still grappling with many of the same issues and injustices that plagued us years ago.
Line by Line Meaning
Ban me? Try it
If you try to ban me, you'll fail
You might cause a riot
People will protest if you try to stop me
What the radio won't play the underground will supply it
Even if the mainstream won't play my music, the underground will
I'm a MC pirate, this loud not quiet
I'm a rebellious rapper and I'm not afraid to make noise
Radical as they make, they make a rule I'll defy it
I'm so radical that I'll break the rules just for the sake of it
Critics may say I'm wise, some may call my words lies
Some people think I'm smart, while others think I'm lying
I've lived more in one day than they will in their lives
I've experienced more in my life than they could imagine
Cops hate kids and kids hate cops
There's a mutual hatred between the police and young people
Cops kill kids with warning shots
Police sometimes use deadly force against unarmed children
What is crime and what is not?
It's hard to know what's considered criminal and what's not
What is justice? I think I forgot
I've lost faith in the justice system
Squeeze the trigger, 1986
This is a reference to a specific event where someone pulled the trigger
Ain't a damn thing changed motherfucker
Nothing has really changed since then, and I'm angry about it
Contributed by Nolan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hussam Elnory
Squeeze the 🍊''s and đźĄ's