Ice Spice Talks Friendly Rap Rivalries and Taylor Swift’s Advice

Ice Spice knows how to have fun with a little pressure. In fact, she welcomes it.

The Bronx rapper opened up in NYLON’s latest cover story about how competing with other women in rap is more exciting than stressful. For her, it is not about drama; it is about staying sharp and creative.

When asked about her early days in the spotlight, Ice Spice admitted she sometimes cringes at past interviews. NYLON highlighted one from 2022, when she called herself a “two-hit wonder” after the breakout success of “Munch (Feelin’ U).”

“Clearly, I was always just feeling, like, ‘Oh my God, I need to be better than my last time,’ you know?” she told the outlet.

Ice explained she enjoys a little competition. “Honestly, the pressure’s great,” she said. “I think the girls [in rap] also enjoy the friendly competition amongst each other. I feel like that’s what keeps the spark.”

And it is not all rivalry. Ice recently teamed up with Latto, ending years of rumored beef, on their new track “Gyatt.”

One person Ice Spice will never compete with is her friend Taylor Swift.

“The thing about Taylor is that she keeps it so real,” Ice shared. “Not even kidding, but one of the biggest things that I always think about that Taylor said is ‘As long as you keep making music, everything’s going to be fine.’”

She added that their friendship goes beyond advice. “Every time we hang out, she’s not just giving me advice, you know what I mean? We’re talking about the food we’re eating or whatever’s going on in the moment.”

Still, those simple words from Taylor stuck with her. “Whenever I’m feeling doubtful or not as confident, having writer’s block no matter what it is, things like that really, really stand out to me. She said that to me a few years ago, and it still stood with me.”