‘That’s Not a Sell Out That’s Genius’: Fans Come to Ice-T’s Defense After Internet Troll Claims He’s a ‘Sell Out’ After Making a Career Out of Playing a Television Cop
Legendary West Coast rapper Ice-T took to his social media account this week to remind internet critics that he ain’t new to this trolling game.
The incident all started after the “I’m Your Pusher” emcee took to his Twitter page, where he shared some words of affirmation, writing, “CLASSIC ICE COLD FACT: ‘Don’t worry about what people Think about you… Cause they probably don’t Think about you that much anyway….’”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 18: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Ice-T visits SiriusXM Studios on February 18, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
While many fans shared the post, several of which agreed with the 64-year-old in the comments section, one user felt the need to tell the actor about himself, declaring, “You a disgrace to gangsta rap Fin you sold the culture out for the TV check.”
The “Law and Order: SVU” star, seemingly with some time to spare, addressed his critic, quoting the post, stating, “Lol… Says a Bum sitting on somebody else’s car. Clownass,“ referencing the young man’s profile photo showing him sitting on the hood of a luxurious white sports car.
T’s fans further poked fun at the Twitter troll, including one user who quipped, “He knows your name isn’t Fin right? ” acknowledging the actor’s longtime role as Odafin Tutuola on the long-running crime drama series.
“WOW Triley your just hatting,” another person commented before adding, “Ice T is one of the original OGs of gangsta rap and always will be if he dropped a double album tomorrow it would sell. He just has the talent to grow into other forms of entertainment that’s not a sell out that’s genius.”
“U don’t spend your entire life doing gangsta sh-t,” advised another. “Fool Ice is a business man. Look at Young Thug and Gonna, staying gangsta your entire life gets you behind bars or 6 feet under and those 2 are still youngsters. Ice keep doing your thing. They added, “Success seeks approval from no one.”
The News & Documentary Emmy-winning actor, born Tracy Lauren Marrow, joined the series in 2000 as a detective and later sergeant Fin on the Emmy Award-winning show. It wasn’t the first the rapper has been criticized for making a career transition from often controversial gangsta rap to playing the very law enforcement officers he’s rapped about.
In June 2021, Ice revealed that his complex image nearly ruined his career. “It was difficult because I’m the cop killer,” the former rapper told HipHopDX. “Everybody in the mainstream was like, ‘They won’t f-ck with you because you’re too taboo.’ And I was like, ‘Right.’ And then Snoop started knocking down walls. That’s my brother. So Snoop was going through doors, and I’m like, ‘Look, Snoop’s making it through these doors; let’s try.’”