Ice Spice Talks “Y2K!” Debut Album, Travis Scott & If She's Feeling the Pressure: “It's Not a Make-or-Break for Me”

Show off one of Ice Spice's Y2K! The World tour is off and the 24-year-old can breathe a little. Ice was nervous about the Washington, DC crowd, as they're usually “kinda dead,” but the sold-out Anthem venue provided a pleasant surprise to kick off the rapper's first headlining tour on Tuesday night (July 30).

While Ice was ecstatic to see the Spice Cabinet fill the venue, there was a special guest in attendance that tugged at her heartstrings.

“The best part, honestly, is that my dad came to the show last night,” she says Advertising sign. “I was at soundcheck like, 'Damn, I'm really cracking up here. This is crazy.' Being able to see family through it all – he's just a proud dad. The best part of being Ice Spice is having a proud dad.”

At a time when hip-hop was struggling to find newbies, along came Ice Spice and her amber curls – the promised Bronx princess. Ice has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom from the bodega to the Super Bowl — or “the 4 Line to four-time Grammy nominee,” as she raps. Y2K! opener “Phat Butt.”

Ice Spice posted four top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits in 2023 and won Advertising signR&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year honors. She moved up the rap food chain, earning co-signs from Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift, Grammy nominations, a Super Bowl commercial with Starry and her own drink at Dunkin' Donuts, all before her debut album was released.

The 24-year-old gave New York a new face for the movement and expectations surrounding the expected Y2K! album change depending on who you ask. Some see Ice more as a singles artist, while others set the bar high due to her hot start to her career.

Fully produced by right-wing partner RiotUSA, Y2K! arrived last Friday (July 26) with features from Travis Scott, Gunna and Central Cee for a total of 10 tracks (a bonus track dropped Thursday) — four of which were previously released on streaming services as singles.

However, Ice isn't treating this project as “make or break” for her, regardless of what the critical reception and charts say. (Advertising sign Projections currently have her outside the top 10 on next week's Billboard 200.)

“I think people try to put this pressure on me just because I've been so successful,” she says. “I don't really put too much weight on it. Of course I appreciate and prefer it, but it's not for me. I'm just happy with the album I made.”

Dive into the rest of our interview with Ice Spice below, as she talks about working with Travis Scott, not worrying about her brand overshadowing her music and improvements as a performer.

How is the tour treating you? How was the first show?

Ice Spice: Good. It's always a bit hectic, but it's fun. It was really good. DC definitely shocked me, because they're usually kind of dead, but they surprisingly shocked me.

What are some of your biggest improvements as a performer compared to two years ago?

I think everything, to be honest. I think that's how it is for me at least. Breath control, overall stamina — these are things I didn't realize mattered. It just helps improve the show, especially after my set gets bigger.

What was your mindset and feelings this release week? Y2K! outside; Was there a prouder moment?

I was just feeling everything. From anxious to calm to excited and relieved. Really grateful mostly. I think I will eventually headline my own show for the first time. I started the European side doing festivals, and now it's my audience. It's a different atmosphere that I'm grateful for. I've been wanting to do this for a year and we're finally here. This is my proudest moment.

Has anyone reached out to you that you didn't expect showing love for the album?

So many people reached out. Travis [Scott], of course. I love our record and the video we did for “Oh Shhh…” He hit me up congratulating me. [Sei Less] it's one of my favorite restaurants in New York, honestly. I have been so many times in the last year.

How would you define the success of this project?

I think Y2K is really passing! tour. This is a success for the project. Being able to share it with fans in real time as it happens is crazy.

Do you ever feel like your brand can overshadow the music at times? How do you juggle it?

When I first met this artist, I was asked, “Do you want to be bigger than your music or do you want your music to be bigger than you?” I had no idea what they were talking about. I said, “Both, brother, what do you say?” They just say, “Well, you have to pick one.” We were just in the studio talking, because people love to talk about stuff like that.

But no, I think it always helps. I think the bigger you are, the more reach you have and the bigger the platform, I don't see how it couldn't help. I feel like I only wish it were that way.

Was there anything on this album that you didn't want out?

For sure. This is certainly always the case. For both projects I've done, there have been sample issues and feature cleanups that we're dealing with — but that's part of the process. Every time, you feel like, “Oh my god, no, things aren't going as planned.” You just end up figuring it out. I think a lot of people go through this.

Why was it important to get back to the core of the drill and continue your relationship with Riot in production?

We wanted to make what we like. I love drill beats, and especially his. We shut down for a whole year and made it whenever we could. We have the busiest schedules, but I think that's why it's important to have a close bond with whoever you work with. You have to find time when you can.

When you were talking about the album, would there be a kind of North Star or saying that you always talked about the album? Like, “This is what we need to achieve.”

We usually refer to ourselves. I'd say, “I want a Princess Diana beat or a Munch beat or an Is Spice beat.” We just vibrate and do what we do.

What was it like hooking up with Paris Hilton?

I met her during Coachella at the Neon Carnival. He is like the sweetest person. Her house is incredible. It's the epitome of Y2K, so the connection was inevitable.