19-Year-Old Ice-T Is Stoked About How 59-Year-Old Ice-T Turned Out

A regular on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ice-T, born Tracy Lauren Marrow, is understandably in positive spirits regarding the program's recent renewal for a staggering 19th season. "I'm not mad at that at all," he enthuses. "I'm happy to be able to be firing on all cylinders."

What would the 19-year-old Marrow say of the 59-year-old incarnation appearing on a long-running television show? "He would just be happy. The Ice-T of 19 was trying to get out of the hood, so he's like, 'Oh, we found a way out, we good'. The Ice-T of 19 wanted a swimming pool; the Ice-T of 50, he got a swimming pool. So that's all that matters."

Not that the hip hop titan and actor is content to merely engage in rest and relaxation. The vocalist reconvened long-time heavy metal outfit Body Count (the band he "put together just to let one of my best friends Ernie C play his guitar" and launched on record via 1991's O.G. Original Gangster) for 2014's Manslaughter after several years' absence.

"The Ice-T of 19 was trying to get out of the hood, so he's like, 'Oh, we found a way out, we good'."

Manslaughter sometimes focused on cartoonish violence as much as it did social commentary. The new record Bloodlust, however features an incensed Marrow condemning racism, poverty, police brutality and gang conflict. It's also perhaps the most accomplished album of Body Count's career. "I just think the band is finally… locked back in. We had a lot of hardships in our band, we lost three members. It's a special chemistry that makes good records, and I think after Manslaughter we realised we could make a good record again, so we just wanted to do it better. We went in with the intent to make the best record we could. I concentrated on my lyrics, everybody concentrated, and good records come from focus. You have to be focused, and you've got to want to do it. So we set out with something to prove."

Marrow delved into his contact list from the world of metal to enhance Bloodlust's already considerable vitality. Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Soulfly's Max Cavalera and Lamb Of God growler David Randall "Randy" Blythe all afforded guest spots.

"When we're getting ready to make a record, we always get those, everyone knows us and they say, 'yo, when you get ready to go in the studio, let us know'. Randy Blythe became friends with Ernie. And Max, we've been knowing them [Soulfly] since Sepultura days. Dave Mustaine, I've been knowing him my whole career. So those numbers were always there, and they always said 'call us' but we never did. This time, [we said] 'let's call motherfuckers'. Let's say, 'what's happening?' Rockers are like, 'I've gotta a riff, I got a vocal'... So we weren't afraid to collaborate, and all for the better. The record came out that much better."

Marrow also has a few names remaining on his collaborative bucket list for Body Count, too. "Next record, we'll probably get Tony Iommi. Ernie produced the [Black Sabbath] Forbidden album, I was on The Illusion of Power [from] that album. So we've got a connection with him. I would love to get Henry Rollins on a record, but he says he don't do music anymore. But I think I could call him up. Maybe get Jello Biafra. People that we really respect, and people that are known for being legendary."

Bloodlust was created during US election season, but prior to the Trump administration. "We never mentioned Trump's name on the record because this was written pre the election," Marrow explains. "And I just didn't believe he was gonna be president. I didn't think it was possible. So I said I don't want to be talking about somebody who will be a citizen at the time this record comes out. Well, I was proved wrong. But I think the tension that the world is feeling right now, it's kinda hard to make party music and pop music, and just act like nothing's going on. I think that's irresponsible. You have to address some of the shit that's going on in the world right now. I'm a transmitter of their [fans'] voices. They don't have that voice, so people tell me and I translate that through my music. So hopefully I'm angry at the same shit they're angry at."

Pundits have suggested that much like the divisive Reagan era fuelled some truly vitriolic punk, hardcore and hip-hop, the current administration could also motivate a new generation of disaffected youths to pick up a guitar or microphone and rail against injustice and inequality. "I hope so. I would love to see like a 19-year-old Public Enemy, or a young Ice-T come out. Because you've gotta remember, when we started talking shit we were in our 20s... So it's sad that when you know you have some injustice you've gotta refer back to us. We need new voices."