Video Surviving on the Inside | Ice T | TEDxSingSing

Ice gives advice to those on the inside fitting with the theme of community.

Through his music, his books and his lecture tours at colleges including Harvard, Princeton and Stanford, Ice-T has become a cultural icon recognized the world over.

Born in New Jersey, Ice-T quickly learned the art of survival. As an only child whose parents died when he was very young, Ice-T became involved in Los Angeles gangs before spending four years in the army. His first break came when the producers of the film “Breakin’” asked him to rap in the movie. He went on to become rap music’s original gangster, writing songs like “Six in the Mornin’” and “New Jack Hustler.”

Ice-T formed Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1989 and released a string of groundbreaking West Coast rap records. He subsequently formed the thrash metal band Body Count with close high school friend and guitarist Ernie C. Body Count’s 1991 self-titled debut contained the controversial single “Cop Killer.” Body Count was the most critically acclaimed act on the highly successful 1991 Lollapalooza tour and continued to tour worldwide. Ice-T received a Grammy Award and was voted Best Male Rapper in Rolling Stone’s 1992 Readers Poll.

Ice-T parleyed his music career to acting roles in “New Jack City,” “Ricochet,” “Trespass” and “Johnny Mnemonic,” all while building a flourishing television career. Since 2000, he has portrayed NYPD Detective Odafin Tutuola on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He has numerous independent and documentary film roles to his credit and most recently starred in the popular E! reality series “Ice Loves Coco.” He has also branched out into producing, directing and writing.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx