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.
Question & Answer
Ice-T Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What is a rapper doin when he starts at hardcore, but can't sell
enough records to remain in the record buisness?
Answer:
He goes pop......
This answer is not set up to diss anybody who starts at pop, or
for the rapper's who started at hardcore, and now makin weak
ass dance music, cause they couldn't stay down wit the hardcore.
How does it feel to wake up every mornin, and look in the mirror,
and realize, that you're a fuckin ho?
Ice-T's song "Question & Answer" is a scorching takedown of the hypocrisy within the music industry. The lyrics describe the critique that rappers receive if they start out as "hardcore" but then eventually end up making "weak ass dance music" in order to remain in the record business. He proceeds to ask a pointed question to those who make such criticisms: how does it feel to wake up every morning and look in the mirror, realizing that you are a "fucking ho?" This line is a direct attack on those who criticize the content of rap music but have no issue profiting off of it.
Ice-T's lyrics are highly critical of the music industry and how it treats rappers. By calling out the hypocrisy of those who criticize rappers for going "pop," he is highlighting how the industry only values commercial success over artistic integrity. The line about looking in the mirror and realizing you are a "fucking ho" is a direct attack on those who benefit from the exploitation of rap music while simultaneously condemning its lyrical content.
Line by Line Meaning
What is a rapper doin when he starts at hardcore, but can't sell enough records to remain in the record buisness?
When a rapper begins with hardcore rap, but fails to sell enough records to stay in the industry, they change their style and crossover to pop music.
He goes pop......
The rapper changes their musical style to pop in order to try and sell more records.
This answer is not set up to diss anybody who starts at pop, or for the rapper's who started at hardcore, and now makin weak ass dance music, cause they couldn't stay down wit the hardcore.
The previous answer is not intended to criticize those who begin with pop music or those who switch to dance music from hardcore, as it is a personal choice.
I just got a question for you:
The artist now has a question to ask.
How does it feel to wake up every mornin, and look in the mirror, and realize, that you're a fuckin ho?
The question entails asking how it feels for someone to see themselves as a sellout or a person who has compromised their integrity and become a commodity just for the sake of making money.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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