Ice-T Rapper Songs: The Complete Guide to His Greatest Tracks

Ice-T rapper songs defined an entire subgenre before most people even had a name for it. Two years before N.W.A dropped Straight Outta Compton, a former gang affiliate named Tracy Lauren Marrow put South Central Los Angeles on wax with “6 in the Mornin'” — a first-person street narrative that would become the blueprint for West Coast gangsta rap. From that 1986 B-side through eight solo studio albums, Ice-T built a catalog that blended unflinching street reportage with sharp social commentary, all delivered in a cool, conversational flow that influenced everyone from Ice Cube to Kendrick Lamar.

This guide breaks down Ice-T’s most important rap songs era by era, with the backstories, chart data, and cultural context that most lists leave out — including quotes from Ice-T himself.

Detail	Info
Real Name	Tracy Lauren Marrow
Born	February 16, 1958 — Newark, New Jersey
Active Years	1984–present
Solo Studio Albums	8 (1987–2006)
Biggest Chart Hit	“Colors” (#70 Billboard Hot 100, 1988)
RIAA Certifications	1 Platinum (Power), 4 Gold
Key Legacy	Pioneer of West Coast gangsta rap; predated N.W.A by 2 years
Other Career	Actor — longest-running Black actor on TV (Law & Order: SVU, 2000–present)

The Songs That Started Gangsta Rap

“6 in the Mornin'” (1986) — The One That Started It All

Before this was a famous song, it was a B-side. “6 in the Mornin'” was pressed on the flip of “Dog ‘n the Wax (Ya Don’t Quit—Part II)” on Techno Hop Records in 1986. It wasn’t promoted. There was no music video budget. But the opening line — “Six in the morning, police at my door / Fresh Adidas squeak across the bathroom floor” — spread through LA like a brushfire.

Ice-T built the song’s cadence directly from Schoolly D’s “P.S.K. What Does It Mean?” (1985), which is generally considered the first gangsta rap record. In a 2017 Red Bull Music Academy interview, Ice-T explained the connection directly:

I took the cadence from that and made ‘6 In the Mornin’.’ If you listen to, ‘P.S.K we making that green.’ ‘6 in the morning police at my door.’ The same cadence.

Ice-T, Red Bull Music Academy (2017)

What made “6 in the Mornin'” different from “P.S.K.” was specificity. Schoolly D hinted at street life; Ice-T narrated it in first person with cinematic detail — dice games, police chases, shootouts — all told with the cool detachment of someone who’d actually lived it. The song’s influence was so direct that Ice Cube later called his own “Boyz-n-the-Hood” “6 in the Mornin’ part two,” a fact Ice-T confirmed in the same interview.

There’s also a lesser-known prequel: “Midnight” from the 1991 album O.G. Original Gangster ends with the line “Looked at my watch, it was six in the morning” — picking up right where the original story begins. It’s one of the smartest narrative callbacks in hip-hop.

“Colors” (1988) — The Song That Crossed Over

Written for Dennis Hopper’s 1988 gang film of the same name, “Colors” became Ice-T’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry at #70 — modest by pop standards, but massive for a gangsta rap track in 1988. In 2008, VH1 ranked it the 19th greatest hip-hop song of all time.

The opening bars are iconic: “I am a nightmare walking, psychopath talking / King of my jungle, just a gangster stalking.” Ice-T revealed he borrowed the energy from King Sun’s “Mythological” — taking the cadence and intensity but writing entirely original lyrics. Unlike most gangsta tracks of the era, “Colors” functions simultaneously as an authentic gang perspective and a cautionary warning against joining that life. That duality is rare, and it’s what makes the song hold up.

“Squeeze the Trigger” (1987)

The B-side to the “Colors” single and a track from Rhyme Pays, “Squeeze the Trigger” is one of the earliest examples of Ice-T’s social commentary over hard beats. It’s raw, aggressive, and showed that “6 in the Mornin'” wasn’t a one-off — this was a whole approach to music.

Peak Ice-T: Power Through O.G. Original Gangster

Between 1988 and 1991, Ice-T released three albums that cemented his legacy: Power (his only Platinum record), The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech…Just Watch What You Say!, and O.G. Original Gangster (widely considered his masterpiece). Here are the standout tracks from that run.

“High Rollers” (1988)

From Power, produced with Afrika Islam. Peaked at #9 on the Billboard Rap chart and even crossed to New Zealand (#38) and the UK (#63). The song paints a vivid portrait of the hustler lifestyle — money, cars, women — but with a cautionary undertone that separates Ice-T’s work from pure glorification. The Afrika Islam production is lush and cinematic, perfect for the narrative.

“I’m Your Pusher” (1988)

One of Ice-T’s cleverest concepts: he’s not selling drugs, he’s selling music — and it’s just as addictive. The track samples Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” from Superfly, flipping the blaxploitation classic into a hip-hop anthem. It’s the perfect bridge between street content and conscious messaging, and it proved Ice-T could do more than just narrate crime.

“You Played Yourself” (1989)

From The Iceberg, this was one of his biggest singles of the late ’80s. The message is straightforward — take responsibility for your actions — but the delivery is razor-sharp. The album itself was named as a direct response to the PMRC censorship battles Ice-T had been fighting since Rhyme Pays became the first hip-hop album to carry a Parental Advisory sticker in 1987.

“New Jack Hustler (Nino’s Theme)” (1991)

Written for the New Jack City soundtrack — the same film where Ice-T starred as undercover cop Scotty Appleton, launching his acting career. The song earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance. It’s a five-minute street epic that captures the drug trade’s allure and destruction simultaneously. The film role and the song together represent a turning point: Ice-T the rapper becoming Ice-T the multimedia artist.

“O.G. Original Gangster” (1991)

The title track from what many fans consider his best album. O.G. Original Gangster runs 24 tracks over nearly 70 minutes — an ambitious statement at a time when most rap albums were 45 minutes. The title track itself is a personal manifesto: Ice-T’s real history, his code, his place in the game. The album also introduced Body Count with the track “Body Count” — a preview of the metal crossover that would soon consume his career.

The Complete Ice-T Solo Discography

Ice-T released eight solo studio albums between 1987 and 2006. Here’s every one, with its chart performance, certification, and the tracks that matter most.

Album	Year	Label	Billboard 200	RIAA	Key Tracks
Rhyme Pays	1987	Sire/Warner Bros.	#93	Gold	“6 in the Mornin'”, “Squeeze the Trigger”, “Make It Funky”
Power	1988	Sire/Warner Bros.	#36	Platinum	“Colors”, “High Rollers”, “I’m Your Pusher”, “Power”
The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech	1989	Sire/Warner Bros.	#37	Gold	“You Played Yourself”, “Lethal Weapon”, “The Hunted Child”
O.G. Original Gangster	1991	Sire/Warner Bros.	#15	Gold	“New Jack Hustler”, “O.G. Original Gangster”, “Midnight”, “Body Count”
Home Invasion	1993	Priority	#14	Gold	“That’s How I’m Livin'”, “Gotta Lotta Love”, “99 Problems”
VI: Return of the Real	1996	Priority	#89	—	“I Must Stand”, “Bouncin’ Down the Strezeet”
The Seventh Deadly Sin	1999	Coroner/Roadrunner	—	—	“Common Sense”, “Valuable Game”
Gangsta Rap	2006	Melee/Rhyme Syndicate	—	—	“Ain’t New Ta This”, “Gangsta Rap”

Notable: Rhyme Pays (1987) holds the distinction of being the first hip-hop album to carry an explicit lyrics warning label — a full two years before the RIAA’s standardized Parental Advisory sticker. Home Invasion (1993) was Ice-T’s first release after leaving Warner Bros. over the “Cop Killer” controversy with Body Count.

Deep Cuts Worth Knowing

“Midnight” (1991) — The narrative prequel to “6 in the Mornin’.” Tells the story of the night before, ending at 6 a.m. as the police arrive. One of the most underrated songs in Ice-T’s catalog.

“That’s How I’m Livin'” (1993) — From Home Invasion. A smoother, more reflective track that shows Ice-T maturing without losing his edge. The music video featured prominent cameos and got solid MTV rotation.

“99 Problems” (1993) — Yes, Ice-T did it first. His version on Home Invasion predates Jay-Z’s 2003 hit by a full decade. Different beat, different story, but the same hook concept.

“The Tower” (1991) — A grim prison narrative from O.G. Original Gangster that demonstrates Ice-T’s storytelling at its most cinematic.

Why Ice-T’s Rapper Songs Still Matter

Ice-T’s contribution to hip-hop goes beyond his discography. He was the connective tissue between East Coast hip-hop’s early innovations and the West Coast’s street narratives. In his own words:

My thing was to not just outrap you but have thicker, heavier content. I used to see people winning battles. I’d seen cats go out and do 36 bars and then seen somebody eat them with eight bars. I knew that it was content, content, content.

Ice-T, Red Bull Music Academy (2017)

He predated N.W.A. When “6 in the Mornin'” dropped in 1986, Eazy-E hadn’t formed N.W.A yet. Ice Cube was still in college at the Phoenix Institute of Technology. Dr. Dre was in the World Class Wreckin’ Cru wearing sequins. Ice-T laid the foundation that the entire West Coast gangsta rap movement built on.

He named Rakim the greatest. Despite being a pioneer himself, Ice-T has always been honest about his influences. At the Red Bull Music Academy, he said of Rakim: “Rakim made everybody want to learn how to flow… This n—a right here is the best rapper in the history of the world.” That kind of generosity is rare among legends.

He fought for free speech. The “Cop Killer” controversy with Body Count in 1992 wasn’t just tabloid noise — it was a genuine First Amendment battle. Police organizations, politicians, and even President George H.W. Bush targeted Ice-T. He eventually pulled the song from the album voluntarily (it was never banned), then left Warner Bros. on principle. The episode made him a free speech icon far beyond the music world.

His influence echoes today. Kendrick Lamar referenced “6 in the Mornin'” directly in “The Blacker the Berry.” Ice Cube built his entire early style on Ice-T’s template. And Ice-T himself remains culturally relevant — he’s been playing Fin Tutuola on Law & Order: SVU since 2000, making him the longest-running Black actor on American television.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ice-T’s most famous rap song?

“6 in the Mornin'” (1986) is Ice-T’s most historically significant song — widely credited as the first West Coast gangsta rap track. His biggest commercial hit is “Colors” (1988), which reached #70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was ranked VH1’s 19th greatest hip-hop song of all time.

How many solo albums does Ice-T have?

Ice-T released eight solo studio albums between 1987 (Rhyme Pays) and 2006 (Gangsta Rap). His commercially and critically strongest run was the four-album stretch from Rhyme Pays through O.G. Original Gangster (1987–1991).

Did Ice-T come before N.W.A?

Yes. Ice-T’s “6 in the Mornin'” was released in 1986, two full years before N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton (1988). Ice Cube himself acknowledged the connection, calling “Boyz-n-the-Hood” the sequel to “6 in the Mornin’.” Ice-T was the first to bring explicit street narratives to West Coast hip-hop.

What is the “Cop Killer” controversy?

“Cop Killer” is a rock song by Body Count, Ice-T’s heavy metal band, released on their 1992 debut album. It sparked outrage from police organizations and politicians, including President George H.W. Bush. Ice-T voluntarily pulled the song from the album and eventually left Warner Bros. Records. The song was never officially banned or censored by the government.

What was Ice-T’s first song?

Ice-T’s earliest recorded appearance is “Reckless” (1984) from the Breakin’ movie soundtrack. His first solo release was “Dog ‘n the Wax (Ya Don’t Quit—Part II)” with the now-famous “6 in the Mornin'” on the B-side in 1986.

Is Ice-T still making music?

Ice-T’s last solo rap album was Gangsta Rap (2006), but he continues to record and perform with Body Count. Their 2020 album Carnivore received strong critical reviews. He’s also remained a major cultural figure through his role on Law & Order: SVU and his podcast Ice-T: Final Level.

Did Ice-T write “99 Problems” before Jay-Z?

Yes. Ice-T recorded “99 Problems” for his 1993 album Home Invasion, a full decade before Jay-Z’s 2003 hit of the same name. The two songs share the “99 problems” hook concept but have different beats, producers, and lyrical content.

The Original Gangster’s Catalog Deserves More Respect

Ice-T’s rapper songs don’t just hold up — they explain how an entire genre came to exist. Without “6 in the Mornin’,” there’s no “Boyz-n-the-Hood.” Without “Colors,” gangsta rap doesn’t cross into film soundtracks when it did. Without O.G. Original Gangster, the template for the 70-minute hip-hop epic doesn’t get set.

Whether you’re revisiting these tracks or hearing them for the first time, this is essential listening for anyone who cares about hip-hop history.