Ice-T doesn't think rap feuds are smart in the age of social media

Beef was hip hop's flavor of the year in 2024. Ice-T is well seasoned and has fought his fair share of battles throughout his career with signs to prove it, but the rapper who became actor. Don't think it's smart for rhymers to get involved in controversies with social media taking over.

The West Coast legend stepped up to the Boss Talk 101 podcast on Monday (Nov. 4) where he compared today's rap beef to decades past and pointed to social media as an amplifier to spoil the fun to heighten tensions.

“Problems going on, like, I can get over you is one thing. But when you take it to the next level, like 'When I see you it's a problem,'” he said. “The problem with beef is that it can escalate away from you. Say I have beef with Treach and I'm talking about Treach. I could meet one of his fans on the street who wants to be active.”

Ice-T continued, “Having beef ain't smart if you can avoid it… They didn't have social media, big difference. Social media is an amplifier for everything. It amplifies everything… It forces the reaction that really could be crushed so much more simply.”

The 66-year-old explained that when beef goes online and millions know about it, then a further response is needed. “It forces the reaction that really could be destroyed so much more simply,” he added. “Why people have beef and take it to social media is beyond me, especially if you know a phone number.”

When constantly asked about the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud earlier this year, Ice-T dismissed the comment and only said he was interested in securing the bag at this point.

“Sorry if I'm not interested in the current Rap Beef or random male gossip. I'm a HUSTLER. I'm just focused on the Bag,” he told X at the time.

In the same vein of social media fueling the beef, Ice-T revealed that he cleared any static he had with Jay-Z when talking to Big Boy earlier this year.

Jay's multi-platinum top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit “99 Problems” interpolates Ice's 1993 track of the same name, and Hov met Ice at the 2024 Grammy Awards to show him his love and make sure there was no problem.

“I'm at the Grammys and Jay-Z comes up to me. He's like, 'Ice, you know I love you, right?'” Ice-T said. “I'm like, 'Yeah!' He's like, 'Well, it's on the internet that you're crazy.' I said, 'I'm not crazy! They're doing all kinds of interviews about it and they asked me the story and I told them the real story.'

Watch the clip below.