Ice-T says it’s time for hip-hop stars to squash rap beefs.
The West Coast rapper was a guest on the Nov. 4 episode of the Boss Talk 101 podcast, and warned rap beefs can “escalate” to violence. He used a hypothetical situation where he feuds with Naughty by Nature member Treach to get his point across.
“The disses that’s going on, like, I can outrap you is one thing. But then when you take it to the next level, like, ‘When I see you it’s a problem,'” said Ice-T. “The problem with beef is that it can escalate away from you. Say I have beef with Treach and I’m talking s–t about Treach. I could run into one of his fans on the street who wants to get active.”
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The Law & Order SUV actor recalled his 1992 single “Cop Killer,” and how he wasn’t afraid of police officers, but their relatives.
“When I had the ‘Cop Killer’ beef, I wasn’t worried about a cop. I could run into a cop’s brother or son who wants to start an altercation,” he said. “Having beef is just not smart if you can avoid it.”
The 66-year-old rapper and actor later added about how social media plays a big factor nowadays in feuds between artists.
“They didn’t have social media, big difference. Social media is an amplifier to everything. It amplifies everything. It forces reaction that really could be squashed so much simpler. Why people would have a problem and take it to social media is beyond me, especially if you know a n—- phone number,” he added.
The “I’m Your Pusher” rapper has had his share of feuds, including one in the early ‘90s with fellow performer LL Cool J, though it has long since been over.
Below are his comments:
