Information on Ice-T’s Net Worth and Salary
Ice-T, an American rapper, and actor possess a net worth of $65 million. Tracy Marrow aka Ice-T commenced his music journey during high school, where he performed in a band comprised of classmates. This positive experience led him to pursue music as a career. Following his four-year service in the U.S. Army, he ventured into a rap career.
Signed by Sire Records in the late ’80s, Ice-T gained national fame with his debut album, the first hip-hop album to necessitate a warning sticker for explicit content. Subsequently, he released several albums and co-founded a heavy metal band named Body Count. Alongside his music ventures, Ice-T delved into acting in the early ’90s, featuring in projects like “New Jack City,” “Ricochet,” “Trespass,” “Surviving the Game,” and “Tank Girl.”
At present, Ice-T enjoys success in both acting and music. Since 2000, he has starred in over 400 episodes of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Additionally, he was featured in the E! reality series “Ice Loves Coco.” In 2023, Ice-T received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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“SVU” Compensation
Ice-T currently earns $250,000 per episode of “Law & Order: SVU.” This equates to approximately $6 million per season, excluding syndication royalties.
Early Life
Born Tracy Lauren Marrow on February 16, 1958, in Newark, New Jersey, Ice-T later relocated to Los Angeles at the age of 12 following his parents’ demise. Attending Crenshaw High School, he refrained from indulging in vices such as drinking, smoking, or drug use, standing out amongst peers amid prevalent gang activity. Although not a gang member, most of his friends were affiliated with the Crips. Ice-T initiated his musical journey with The Precious Few of Crenshaw High School. Upon turning 17, he began receiving Social Security benefits post his father’s demise, renting an apartment for $90 monthly. To support his pregnant girlfriend, he sold cannabis and stole car stereos for additional income. After high school, he served a four-year term in the U.S. Army post the birth of his daughter in 1977, fostering his interest in hip-hop and rap during this enlistment.
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Music Career
Ice-T, formerly known as Iceberg Slim, transitioned to the stage name Ice-T as a tribute. His path into rap began as a DJ at parties, where his skills gained recognition. Despite a brief return to crime—robbing jewelry stores with friends—after a car accident, he opted for a legitimate rap career. His debut single, “Cold Wind Madness,” achieved underground success, although its explicit lyrics led to radio stations refusing to play it. The release of “Killers” in 1984 marked his venture into politically charged rap songs. Securing a deal with Sire Records, Ice-T launched his first album, “Rhyme Pays,” in 1987.
His initial three albums, released consecutively in 1987, 1988, and 1989, each obtained gold certification from the RIAA. Notably, the 1991 release “O.G. Original Gangster” stands out as his most renowned album and a foundational work in gangsta rap. Introducing his metal band Body Count on the album, they later produced their own album featuring the contentious track “Cop Killer.” Ice-T clinched a Grammy Award in 1991 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for “Back on the Block.” Amidst the “Cop Killer” controversy, he switched from Sire/Warner Bros. to Priority Records. Over the ’90s and 2000s, Ice-T continued to release albums with Body Count, culminating in “Carnivore” in 2020, yet he revisited his rap origins in 2006 with “Gangsta Rap.” In 2021, Ice-T secured his second Grammy for Best Metal Performance with “Bum-Rush.”
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Acting Career
Simultaneously excelling in music and acting, Ice-T embarked on his acting journey in 1984 with the films “Breakin'” and its immediate sequel, “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.” Notably, these movies predated his debut LP (where he featured on the “Breakin'” soundtrack.) His acting highlights include playing a police detective in “New Jack City” (1991), starring alongside Denzel Washington and John Lithgow in “Ricochet” (1991), and assuming various supporting roles throughout the ’90s. His portrayal of drug dealer Danny Cort garnered his first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in the television series “New York Undercover.” Among his film credits, Ice-T starred in the HBO production “Stealth Fighter” and features like “Sonic Impact” in 1999.
The year 2000 marked Ice-T’s debut as Detective Odafin “Fin” Tutuola in the successful series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” where he won his second NAACP Image Award. His appearances extended to the 2007 MTV sketch comedy show “Short Circuitz” and recent titles like “Bloodrunners” (2017), “Clinton Road” (2019), and “Equal Standard” (2020). Additionally, he ventured into voice acting for video games.
Other
Alongside his artistic ventures, Ice-T penned books such as “The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a F—?” (1994), “Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-From South Central to Hollywood” (2011), “Kings of Vice” (2011), and “Mirror Image” (2013). Following these, “Split Decision: Life Stories” was released in 2022, with “Death for Hire: The Origin of Tehk City” following in 2023.
In the realm of reality TV, Ice-T explored “Ice-T’s Rap School” in 2006, a spinoff from VH1’s British reality show.”Gene Simmons’ Rock School” was a reality show where Ice-T gave eight teens assignments from New York Preparatory School each week. They competed for a gold chain with a microphone on it, and on the 2006 season finale, the group opened for Public Enemy. Ice-T also starred in the E! reality show “Ice Loves Coco,” showcasing his relationship with wife Nicole “Coco” Austin.
In December 2013, Ice-T ventured into podcasting by partnering with Paragon Collective. He co-hosts the “Ice-T: Final Level Podcast” with longtime friend Mick Benzo. The podcast covers current events, movies, video games, and behind-the-scenes of “Law and Order: SVU” with special guests from the entertainment industry. The podcast has garnered critical acclaim. In 2016, Ice-T appeared in a commercial for GEICO.
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Personal Life
In 1976, Ice-T had a daughter with then-girlfriend Adrienne. They attended high school while raising her. Ice-T later dated and had a son with Darlene Ortiz in 1992. In January 2002, he married swimsuit model Nicole “Coco Marie” Austin. The couple purchased a penthouse apartment in New Jersey in 2006 and built a five-bedroom house in Edgewater, New Jersey in 2012. Their first child was born in November 2015.
Ice-T was involved in two notable personal disputes. The first was with LL Cool J in the late ’80s, sparked by LL’s claim to be “the baddest rapper in the history of rap itself.” Ice-T recorded diss tracks against him and publicly criticized his music. By 2012, the feud had ended. He also clashed with Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, accusing him of “killing hip hop” and calling his song “Crank That” garbage. The rappers engaged in a series of diss videos targeting each other.