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Ice Spice is opening up about “competition” with her rap peers and explaining why she’s a marketing “genius.” As The Shade Room previously reported, the 23-year-old released her own signature drink in partnership with Dunkin’ earlier this month.
Additionally, the partnership’s official commercial debuted during the MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, per Variety. During the ceremony, the rapper was awarded the MTV VMA for 2023 “Best New Artist.”
The 23-year-old sat down for an exclusive interview with Variety the day after the MTV VMAs. During the conversation, Ice Spice reflected on her rise to success while explaining how some critics believe she’s an industry “plant.”
“A lot of people have thrown that in my face — like, ‘Oh, I’ve never seen anything happen so quickly. She needs to be studied,’ or ‘She’s a plant,'” the rapper told Variety.
Despite the critics’ perspective, which Ice Spice dubs as merely “rumors,” the rapper explained that she doesn’t let the criticism affect her.
“I just let people believe whatever they want to believe, to be honest,” Spice said. “I don’t really mind all the rumors. At first, I did, but now I’m at a point where I understand that just comes with this lifestyle.”
As the interview continued, the rapper seemingly credited her success — or mere ability to defend herself against the naysayers — to being a “marketing f*****g genius.”
The rapper recalled when one X user mentioned her, saying, “its urgent we get you a everyday stylist!” The user’s tweet was sent a day before Spice’s collaboration with Dunkin’ went public.
The rapper humorously clapped back by posting a Dunkin’ job application with the brief words, “apply today!”
Spice reflected on the exchange, explaining that she has to be “quick” on her feet. The 23-year-old even added that “people with a smarta** mouth make for good marketers.”
“People be trying to act like I’m dumb, and I’m just like, I’m a marketing f*****g genius,” she explained to Variety. “I feel like that just comes from being from New York, having to be quick on your feet, having to be witty and having a fast comeback. Having so many siblings and cousins just gave me that smarta** mouth that I have and being able to react quickly. I think people with a smarta** mouth make for good marketers.”
As the interview continued, Ice Spice reflected on “competition” among both her female and male rap peers. The 23-year-old alleged that some of her peers “want to be all ‘I’m a girl’s girl.’ However, “behind the scenes” they can behave otherwise.
“It is a competition at the end of the day. People want to be all ‘I’m a girl’s girl,’ but then behind the scenes being bitches,” the 23-year-old explained.
Despite the alleged facade of others, Spice explained that she’s openly “excited” to see the other rap females “doing amazing.”
“Basically, we here, the girls, are doing amazing. I’m excited to see it,” Spice explained.
However, she can also be “transparent” in showing that she values their “competition.”
“I feel like the competition is what keeps us all excited because I think we all secretly enjoy competing and seeing who put that s**t on better and who’s gon’ get the most views,” the rapper continued. “I can be transparent, and I know the competition is checking on me too, which is why it’s OK to say that. Because it’s like, ‘Yeah, girl, I’m watching you, and I know you watching me.'”
Additionally, Spice explained that she knows the “boys are watching too, because they be secretly haters.” However, the notion of competition is present in “every industry.”
“And boys are watching too because they be secretly haters. But everybody today is competing with everybody no matter if you a boy, girl, nonbinary, whatever it is,” she explained. “You still checking in on your competition. That’s in every industry.”
Roomies, what do you think about Ice Spice’s perspective?
