Why DMX is better than Tupac, according to Ice-T
Ice-T is one of the forefathers of gangsta rap and a pioneer of West Coast hip-hop. His 1987 album Rhyme Pays is a specimen of high-quality early California rap music, and his track ‘6 N The Mornin’ is considered one of the first of its kind.
Although the emcee has transitioned into acting with his role on NBC’s Law & Order, that doesn’t mean the lyricist isn’t making music. He has been very prolific and even released an album in 2020 as part of the heavy metal band Body Count, which he formed in the early 1990s.
However, he is still in tune with hip-hop and during an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast with Noreaga and DJ EFN, Ice-T (real name Tracy Marrow) reflected on his career and the people who he believes have been integral to hip-hop culture over the years. During the conversation, Marrow paid homage to Grand Champ legend DMX and revealed that, in his opinion, the late rapper had a bigger impact on the genre as a whole than 2Pac. When Marrow was asked to pick who was better between the two MCs, the Rhyme Pays creator responded, “The West Coast is gonna hate me, but I say DMX.”
Giving his reasoning, Ice-T explained, “I’m much more of a DMX fan. I love ‘Pac, I was friends with ‘Pac, but I just liked the more aggressive shit! When I first heard ‘Where My Dogs At?’ I was like, ‘Yo, who the fuck is this?’.” He continued, “I was in a club, his style I liked that. ‘Pac as a human being and a man is something else. It was magical. It was like you were sitting with a young Malcolm X, but music-wise, DMX was more Ice-T’s shit.”
Ice-T was close to 2Pac and first met him while he was in Oakland recording 2Pacalypse Now, but later in his Drink Champs interview, the emcee insisted that there was a difference between the Bay Area Pac of the early ’90s and the Los Angeles Death Row version.
In the eyes of Ice-T, Death Row radicalised Shakur. Although Ice-T and Shakur never collaborated while the late artist was on Death Row, Ice-T has always sung his praises and continued to be an advocate for West Coast hip-hop in the US and abroad.