Rich Ice- Harlem’s Savior
When it comes to Harlem, I think of the most flashiest, flyest rappers, or I think of those who deliver bars to bring listener’s to listen to every bar delivered. Names to this list in my opinion go Cam’Ron, Ma$e, P.Diddy, Black Rob, and most importantly, Big L. I don’t know if my readers are not aware of Rich Ice, he is holding it down for the town.
He (Rich Ice) came into the game with the Icey Gang which included solid members like SNS (The Son of DJ SNS. I actually owned a couple of his mixes as a teenager) have made waves since 2011 bringing hip hop back to its traditional comfort that included great music, amazing mixtapes going back to when DJ’s actually hosted them, and back to the NY vibe that I loved.
When I first heard Rich Ice, I listened to Vado’s 2019 mixtape, Long Run Vol. 1 and like any listener, we pay attention to production, lyrics, beat selection, & features and Rich Ice was a new name to me. In 2019 record, “No Love”, (Datpiff, 2019); Vado starts the song off right like always and Rich Ice rode the beat like a Buick Park Avenue, very smooth and calm. After hearing his verse, I did my research and I seen mixtapes he dropped such as 88 Vol. 1 & 2, Ice Season 1 & 1.5; I was hooked on his music like a fish when it’s mouth is open. You couldn’t compare Rich Ice nor his Partner in Rhyme SNS to anybody because they sounded so refreshing, you light them like a candle, fragrance fills the room. In that case, that fragrance is the new generation’s influence for the definition of swag. When I think of Swag, I think of cadence, delivery, and confidence when performing.
The east coast in this age has elites like French Montana, ASAP Mob, Joey Badass. Meek Mill, & Troy Ave but this generation is so biased that they overlook quality and production that they only pay attention to what is trending. Even in my opinion, Dave East is very lyrical but at the same time; he is an example that the young generation do not appreciate lyrical or cultural hip hop. Rich Ice has the voice and delivery to bring young and new hip hop listeners to listen to the pure sounds of New York along with his partner, SNS to create a signature that makes everybody pay attention to the beautiful picture Harlem brings to the hip-hop scene.
Last year on Thanksgiving 2020, Ice Season 2 dropped and in my opinion, it is the best underground mixtape I heard in the past 14 years and this was back when Starlitio use to drop his mixtapes under the pseudonym, All-Star Cashville Prince. Reason its been that long is becuase one thing in hip-hop that its a growing culture but keeps growing is becuase it is the most independent, self-made grind to come across. Listening to this mixtape is like taking a trip through Harlem. As soon as the intro hits, I feel like I am watching the most theatrical move. That includes action, sound effects, & a great script to comprehend. On 0.40, the line where he said, “ Money the only thing I trust, I don’t do the friends”, (Rich Ice-Topic, 2021) had hit my soul. I continued to go to work and stack my weekly paychecks like I am aiming at a down payment. I felt that desire, integrity, & poise to convince myself to make that line my reality. Why? This generation where fans rely on dumb down rap to where they do not listen to investment lines and they overlook that, having bad spending habits getting high. From an anti-social perspective (That be I), Rich Ice music makes me want to get out of bed and make money. He is motivation music and thats what this generation needs!
Rich Ice got the talent and he got what it takes to be at the top. How it’s going down, Ice Season 2 has proved to be the blueprint to inspire this era in hip-hop to keep it cultural and cordial because this music is still a business and Rich Ice got the knack to be in your top most played artist in your playlist.
Where Art imitates life, Rich Ice paints a perfect picture of the life in Harlem where you have to come up to win. In that case, every town is the same and therefore; You must come up to win. Which means rags to riches, nothing to something, etc. I hope the world is aware of Rich Ice and the Icey Gang because in this day and age, it is hard to find unique talent but the Icey Gang brings the same vibe I felt when I listened to The Diplomats Vol. 1 mixtape in 2002. The get money music to get fresh vibe. Thanks Rich Ice for dropping this masterpiece,
Coming live from the Stove Top,
Andrew Kenekham aka Druski Dru
Reference
Danation (2012) Cold Heat 1.5 Retrieved from datpiff.com/french-montana-cold-heat-1.5-mixtape.30630.html/
datpiff (2019) Vado-No Love(feat. Rich Ice) [Long Run Vol. 1] Retrieved from Youtube.com
Flybeats09(2019) 88 Vol. 2 Retrieved from datpiff.com/rich-ice-88-vol-2-mixtape.952270.html
Karl Kani (2019) Long Run Vol. 1 Retrieved from datpiff.com/vado-long-run-vol-1-mixtape.951351.html
Rich Ice(2021) Ice Season 2 [Explicit] Retrieved from Amazon.com/Ice-Season-2-Explicit-Rich/dp/B08P261DF5
Rich Ice-Topic (2020) fresh out the hood retrieved from youtube.com
Vado (2020) Vado X Rich Ice- Scale (Official Music Video) Retrieved from youtube.com/watch?v= 8LHT2Urzt0k
