Ice Spice performs at the Fox Theater in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.
The world is full of monuments that seem to transcend this mortal plane. And, if we’re fortunate enough, we get to experience their awesome power firsthand, ultimately becoming wiser and more cultured in the process.
Over the years, I’ve been able to travel the earth and bear witness to such monuments, like Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, the Eiffel Tower and Mexico’s ancient pyramids. However, none of them quite compared to the show that 24-year-old Ice Spice put on at Oakland’s Fox Theater on Wednesday night.
Heralded as “the new princess of rap,” the Bronx-born artist dropped her debut singles “Bully Freestyle” and “No Clarity” in 2021 after meeting RiotUSA, her longtime collaborator, while studying communications at State University of New York. In 2022, they released “Munch (Feelin’ U),” a bad girl anthem that racked up 59 million hits on YouTube and 4 billion hashtag views, earning recognition from rap stars and major labels. The viral song — and Spice’s signature orange curls — suddenly became part of America’s collective consciousness. Not long after, Taylor Swift invited her to hang out at the Super Bowl, celebrities cosplayed her for Halloween, and she became millions of dollars richer.
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“The first time I met her, I knew she was special. I got that tingling........