Ice Spice, a New York City-based rapper, makes her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 list (dated February 4), with her new collaboration with Lil Tjay, “Gangsta Boo,” which debuts at No. 82.
According to Luminate, the song debuted with 5.1 million U.S. streams, 727,000 radio airplay audience impressions, and 3,000 downloads sold in its first week (ending Jan. 26) on her EP Like..? via Dolo/TenThousand Projects/Capitol Records. It also debuts at No. 16 on the multi-metric Hot Rap Songs chart and No. 32 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list.
Like..? concurrently starts at No. 13 on Top Rap Albums, No. 19 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 37 on the all-genre Billboard 200 with 15,000 equivalent album units earned.
Ice Spice (real name Isis Gaston), who hails from the Bronx, is a newcomer to Billboard’s charts. She charted one track prior to “Gangsta Boo”: Her breakout hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” reached No. 25 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 34 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs last September/October. It also peaked at No. 19 on Rap Airplay, No. 23 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, No. 27 on Rhythmic Airplay and No. 28 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Meanwhile, thanks to attention surrounding her new release, “Munch” surged by 67% to 2.3 million U.S. streams Jan. 20-26.
Notably, “Gangsta Boo” borrows from Diddy and Ginuwine’s “I Need a Girl (Part Two),” which features Loon, Mario Winans, and Tamgieri. In 2001, the classic peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Gangsta Boo” also pays homage to the late rapper of the same name. The Memphis-based rapper (born Lola Mitchell), a member of Three 6 Mafia, died on January 1 at the age of 43.
Another hit tune from Ice Spice, “In Ha Mood,” also from Like..?, debuts at No. 24 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 43 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Ice Spice, who was named Billboard’s October R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month, revealed that Lil Tjay, who is also from the Bronx, is her go-to artist for advise. “We like to talk a lot,” she explained. “[He] actually has comparable scenarios. It helps a lot to be able to rant to someone and have them say, ‘This is what I did when something occurred to me.’ It also helps to learn from their errors.”
Ice Spice claims she was inspired by Nicki Minaj, Lil Kim, Cardi B… “all the greats” for her new EP. Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu have undoubtedly influenced me. But I absolutely want to have my own lane, where it’s all mine and I’m not simply mimicking someone else.
