When I worked at Sire Records, Ice-T was the realest artist on the label-- right out of the 'hood and working in a strange new genre called rap. I learned a lot. It was HUGE for Sire and for Ice's career when Orion Pictures asked him to do the title track for a big new movie they were shooting, COLORS. It helped propel Ice's music to a much wider audience.

For tonight's contest, name your 5 favorite rap songs and tell me why. Ten winners each get a copy of What's Hip? contemporary remixes of classic songs by artists like Rod Stewart, Gary Wright, America, Doobie Brothers, DEVO and George Benson. Send your entry to Howie at downwithtyranny@aol.com

He had a lot of successful with gold record after gold record and he started getting more and more involved with the movie business too. Now he's better known as an actor-- both in films and on TV (especially on LAW AND ORDER) than as a rapper and musical pioneer. Last week NYC Mayor Bloomberg shot a promo (in a City Hall woman's rest room) with Ice for a new VH1 show he's doing. When a NY Daily News reporter questioned Ice about Mayor Bloomberg's acting ability, Ice had a quick answer: "He's a better actor than I am a mayor." The reporter was impressed with Ice's diplomatic skills and asked if he would ever use that skill for a political career of his own. Ice laughed, "Nah, I got outta crime."

(guest posted by Howie)