Ice Spice already had the New York Times declaring her as “Hip Hop’s New Princess” earlier this month. Plus, Vevo and Spotify named her as a music act to watch for in 2023.
The Bronx-bred rapper now has her first Billboard Hot 100 hit. “Gangsta Boo” featuring fellow New Yorker Lil Tjay debuted at #82 on the latest Hot 100 chart. The track lives on the recently released Like..? EP.
Ice Spice named her song after the late Lola “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell. The Three 6 Mafia member passed away on January 1, 2023, at the age of 43. Spice spoke about creating the record with Lil Tjay as a guest feature.
“I made the song, and then I was just thinking who I would hear on it really. But I wanted it to be a real genuine collab,” said Ice Spice in an interview. “We’ve been friends since last year, so I was just like, ‘Yeah, who better than him?'”
The former State University of New York at Purchase student added, “We’re both from the Bronx. I made the song before [Gangsta Boo] passed. Right before, actually. So, yeah. That was a really sad, very exact coincidence.”
Ice Spice’s Like..? EP also hosts “Bikini Bottom,” “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and “In Ha Mood.” The latter two songs made it onto Billboard‘s Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. “Gangsta Boo” also charted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs rankings.
