Ice Spice Among Forbes' 30 Under 30: A New Rap Icon

In the hip-hop domain where beats meet life stories, one rising star is making headlines--Ice Spice. If you have not heard of her just yet, you are about to. Our girl newly snagged a sweet spot on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for 2024. Mind you, this is not just a simple thumbs-up. It is a change in the game for her career and somewhat of a sneak peek for us into what might be up next in hip-hop.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Ice Spice, also known as Shakira Thompson, grew up surrounded by the beats and rhymes of the hip-hop culture. She began her journey right at home in the ATL, absorbing vibes from famous homegrown artists like OutKast and Missy Elliott. Ice Spice then put together her own style, mixing in Southern charm, clever words, and a no-nonsense attitude. It is like she took the cool stuff from her roots and made it totally her own.

She basically took the best parts of where she's from and made it her own style. Black Enterprise talks about how her rise to Forbes’ music elites stems from her going viral on TikTok with her 2022 hit “Munch (Feelin U)”, saying, "The NYC rapper’s swift journey to the forefront of pop collaborations and high-profile fashion campaigns with brands such as Marc Jacobs and Adidas, coupled with a Best New Artist Grammy nomination, cements her status as a rising star." Forbes' recognition is not just a feather in her cap, though. It is a testament to the grind and determination that brought her from the streets of Atlanta to the esteemed 30 Under 30 list.

Ice Spice's story is not only about her personal success. It is also about crushing walls while at the same time, taking hip-hop and reshaping it. Billboard calls her “The New Princess of Rap,” and Time says that her “roll shows no signs of slowing down.”

With her inclusion in Forbes' 30 Under 30, Ice Spice is an artist with a mission, yes. But being a symbol of a changing landscape in rap fits her as well. As Black Enterprise puts it, "The new IT girl also earned a Best New Artist Grammy nomination while finding a home on the Billboard charts with her tracks “Barbie World,” “Princess Diana,” and “Boys A Liar, Pt. 2.” She has etched her place in the new era of rap.

In the grand mix of beats and rhymes, Ice Spice's journey from the streets of Atlanta to Forbes' elite list is not just a tale. It is a point of no return. As we shout out her recognition on Forbes' 30 Under 30, we are witnessing not an individual triumph but a shift in the fabric of hip-hop. Ice Spice is no regular artist coming up. She is a fresh look for the future rap genre. No doubt her fans are excited to see where her spicy beats have yet to take us.