Ice-T Speaks On Jay-Z Approaching Him About “99 Problems” At The Grammys
During an interview with Big Boy’s Neighborhood, Ice-T spoke about Jay-Z approaching him at the 2023 GRAMMY awards over his alleged beef stemming from
During an interview with Big Boy’s Neighborhood, Ice-T spoke about Jay-Z approaching him at the 2023 GRAMMY awards over his alleged beef stemming from “99 Problems.”
The legendary West Coast rapper talked about the moment, recalling his 2014 interview with Radio.com, where he criticized Jay for not acknowledging his original song. He stated that his past comments finally came across Hov’s desk, and the Brooklynite wanted to know if there was an issue.
“I’m at the Grammys, and Jay-Z comes to me. He says, ‘Ice, you know I love you, right?’” Ice said. “I say, ‘Yeah!’ He says, ‘Well, it’s on the internet that you mad.’ I said, ‘I’m not mad! They’re bringing up all kinds of interviews about it, and they asked me the story, and I told them the true story.’”
“He goes, ‘Yeah man, but it’s no hard feelings.’ And he started talking about how me and him — ’cause I met Jay-Z way back in the day. Big Daddy Kane brought Jay-Z to my house back in the day when he was starting out. I used to take Jay around, roll my car, him and Dame Dash, so we’re friends.”
The rapper-turned-actor continued, articulating that Hov could’ve shouted him out at the song’s end to give credit to the 1993 source material.
“But I said, ‘Yo, well, you know, when you did ’99 Problems,’ at the end of the record, you could’ve said, ‘Ice!’ You could’ve given me a little dap or something!’ I said, ‘But I’m not mad at it. What had happened was people wanted to know the story.’”
In the 2014 Radio.com interview, which resurfaced in November 2022, the entertainer was frustrated with the “God Did” emcee‘s decision not to show him love after using his track for his 2003 remake.
“Why has Jay-Z never said, ‘This is Ice-T’s song’? Show me some love!” the rapper, née Tracy Lauren Marrow, 65, questioned. “That’s just another way of handling the situation. I handle the situation differently. If I use your music, I want to let people know.”
Ice-T’s 1993 “99 Problems” arrived on his fifth studio LP, Home Invasion, and served as the foundation for Hov’s 2003 track. Jay’s remake was included in his critically acclaimed The Black Album — which at one point was set to be his last album before retirement.
BY MARC GRIFFIN
