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ORIGIN
Among the most prolific cultural innovators of the 20th century, Grammy Award-winning artists Ice T and DJ Afrika Islam have profoundly shaped the evolution of music, television, film, and social commentary. Their partnership and storied collection of works spans genres from electro-funk and hip-hop to heavy metal and Black electronic music — influencing movements, redefining sound, and leaving an indelible mark on global culture for over five decades.
-Photos by Melissa Blackall
ICE T
Ice T, ‘Breakin ‘N’ Enterin, Los Angeles, CA (1983);
Film, Credit: Director Topper Carew, Rainbow TV Works
DJ AFRIKA ISLAM
DJ Afrika Islam, Bronx, NY (1983);
Film, Credit: now-defunct Japanese broadcast company
DJ Afrika Islam and the Rock Steady Crew, (New York City Rap Tour UK/Europe), Buckingham Palace, London (1982); Reprint; Newspaper announcement
By the early 1980s, DJ Afrika Islam—a South Bronx native—had emerged as one of hip-hop’s earliest innovators. He was a Zulu Kings b-boy, an accomplished DJ known for his dynamic mixing style and expansive vinyl collection, and the official DJ for the Rock Steady Crew.
DJ Afrika Islam’s Friday night show at the ROXY, featuring Madonna (1983) Reprint; Newspaper advertisement, The Village Voice
Producer Rick Rubin, DJ Afrika Islam, Zulu King GORDY at the ROXY (1983); Archival print by Sophie Bramly
DJ Afrika Islam was the resident DJ at the ROXY, the first Manhattan nightclub to dedicate one night a week to hip-hop culture, and founded Zulu Beats, the first all-hip-hop radio show.
Ice T, Los Angeles, California (1986) Photo by Glen E. Friedman
Ice T’s first single, “6 IN THE MORNIN” on Techno Hop records
Ice T, born in New Jersey and raised in Los Angeles, attended Crenshaw High School, where he performed with a locking dance group called the West Coast Locksmiths. He later served a brief stint in the U.S. Army, where he was introduced to hip-hop as a musical form through the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” By the early 1980s, Ice T had emerged as an independent recording artist in Los Angeles, scoring a local hit with “6 IN THE MORNIN."
Ice T and Madonna at RADIO club, Los Angeles, CA ( 1982);
Archival print, unknown
DJ Afrika Islam at RADIO club, Los Angeles, CA (c. 1982);
Archival print, unknown
The two artists first met in Los Angeles at RADIO club—the West Coast’s first venue devoted to hip-hop culture—where Ice T served as the resident MC and DJ Afrika Islam frequently performed while touring in LA.
Attendees at Ice T’s first New York City showcase at Prospect Theater, Bronx, NY, (c. 1984); Archival print by DJ Afrika Islam
Impressed by Ice T’s lyrical skills, DJ Afrika Islam invited him to New York City and produced his first showcase in the Bronx. He was convinced that building a presence in New York City would amplify the momentum of Ice T's single. At the time, hip-hop in Los Angeles was still emerging and remained more local than the influential and established New York scene. In New York City, Ice T was immediately embraced by hip-hop pioneers and their fans.
Over the next several years, the duo moved between New York and Los Angeles, writing, producing, and performing together. Ice T drove the narrative, while DJ Afrika Islam defined the sonic identity. Together, they pioneered a new sound called “reality rap,” later known as “gangster rap.”
Ice T and DJ Afrika Islam in the studio, Los Angeles, CA (c. 1987); Archival print, unknown
Ice T’s debut studio album, Rhyme Pays (1987), produced by DJ Afrika Islam, Sire Records
Their collaboration led to Ice T signing a groundbreaking deal with Seymour Stein and Sire Records in 1987. He became the first West Coast rapper to secure a major-label contract and the label’s first hip-hop artist, joining a roster that included The Ramones, Talking Heads, The Pretenders, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and Madonna. Their first album, Rhyme Pays (1987), was the first West Coast rap album released by a major label.
They collaborated on four influential, chart-topping albums. Together, they founded Rhyme $yndicate Records and launched United Nations, Hollywood’s first hip-hop nightclub. They introduced Ice T’s heavy-metal band Body Count during the inaugural Lollapalooza tour in 1991.
Ice T, DJ Afrika Islam, Dope Jam Tour (c. 1988); Photo by Mike Miller
DJ Afrika Islam, Ice T, Evil E, Los Angeles, CA (c. 1988); Film Credit: MTV
Body Count’s 1992 single “Cop Killer” sparked national protests and government censure. The song shaped debates on censorship, free speech, and police brutality. They became frequent TV guests, appearing on The Arsenio Hall Show, Yo! MTV Raps, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. They headlined major tours with Public Enemy, Tupac, Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Biz Markie, Queen Latifah, and House of Pain.
Ice T & DJ Afrika Islam, Germany (c. 2020); Film Credit: Ice T & DJ Afrika Islam
Ice T and DJ Afrika Islam would go on to transcend the boundaries of music, reshaping the broader entertainment industry and redefining the role of Black artists. Through chart-topping records, provocative and visual storytelling, and groundbreaking appearances in film and television, they challenged industry norms and blurred genres. They asserted creative control when few Black artists could. Their work opened doors for future generations, reinforcing a long tradition of Black artistic innovation while demonstrating how hip-hop artists could function as auteurs and cultural architects across media, influencing global culture far beyond music.
ICE T
Photo by Melissa Blackall
Since the early 1980s, Ice T, now the longest-running male actor in a TV series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, has been a critical influence on the evolution of hip-hop culture as a Grammy Award-winning musician, pioneer of gangster rap, record label founder, actor, and host and producer for several TV shows and documentary films. Known as a cultural icon and consummate storyteller, Ice T’s first song, “6 N’ the Mornin’,” is a defining track of the gangster rap subgenre, initially called reality rap. “Colors” (1988) was named the 19th-greatest hip hop song of all time by VH1, and gang scholar and sociology professor Stefano Bloch called it “the greatest sociological text ever written on gang activity and identity.” In 2020, Ice T’s band Body Count released Carnivore, which won a Grammy in 2021 for “Bum- Rush,” 30 years after Ice T’s first Grammy win. Ice T has authored four books and appeared in national campaigns for brands including Tide, CarShield, Cheerios, and GE. He also served as the voice of NBC’s 2022 Super Bowl and NFC promotions. Following his induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 16, 2023, Ice T joined DJ Afrika Islam and Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. to launch DAY ONE DNA in November 2023 at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research. In 2024, Body Count released their LP Merciless. Ice T is currently filming the 27th season of Law & Order: SVU and continues to tour globally with Body Count.
DJ AFRIKA ISLAM
Photo by unknown
DJ Afrika Islam is a two-time Grammy award-winning, multiplatinum music producer, record label owner, and DJ. He is a “DAY ONE” originator of hip-hop, having played a crucial role in the formative days of the culture before becoming Ice T’s producer and longtime collaborator. DJ Afrika Islam, a South Bronx native, was a member of the Bronx River Organization and joined the Zulu Nation in his late teens. He was the first Rock Steady Crew DJ, the first resident DJ at the ROXY, and the founder of the first all-hip-hop radio show. DJ Afrika Islam was a New Music Seminar (NMS) DJ Battle for World Supremacy winner and has been honored at the DMC World DJ Championships. He was instrumental in expanding the hip-hop and pre-EDM electrofunk music scene globally. As one-half of Mr. X & Mr. Y, DJ Afrika Islam was among the leading live acts in Europe during the 90’s. He has performed in over 30 countries and was the first American hip-hop DJ to perform in Japan, Australia, and throughout the Middle East, while writing, producing, and remixing for TV and movie soundtracks and for countless artists, including Michael Jackson, Everlast, Neneh Cherry, and Kalwi & Remi. In 2018, DJ Afrika Islam and Ice T reunited to launch Electronic Beat Empire (EBE), an independent Black electronic music label honoring hip-hop’s electronic roots. In 2021, they partnered with Extreme Production Music to create UNCUT, a collection of hardcore gangster cuts for professional music users. In 2023, Ice T, DJ Afrika Islam, and Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. launched DAY ONE DNA at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. DJ Afrika Islam, based in Germany, tours annually throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and is currently developing projects in Thailand.
