O.G. Original Gangster, Indeed! All About Ice-T’s Net Worth In 2022—Including His 'Law & Order: SVU' Pay
Ice-T's net worth isn't too surprising in itself, but he has had one of the most surprising career trajectories of anyone around. The one time writer of the song "Cop Killer" is now known for his long-running role in Law & Order: SVU franchise as NYPD Detective/Sergeant Odafin Tutuola. With such a long and varied career, we are dying to know what Ice-T’s net worth could be!
Not only is he on primetime network television, Ice-T has even had his own reality TV show, Ice Loves Coco. He’s also starred in films and has hosted a true crime documentary series. With endless streams of income, we have to imagine the actor/rapper/host is loaded.
Here is all you could ever need to know about Ice-T’s net worth.
How did Ice-T become famous?
Ice-T’s original claim to fame was as a rapper. He initially began his foray into music as a DJ in the early 80s, before noticing he was earning more attention for his rapping during his performances. After turning his focus onto his rap career, Ice-T was able to win an open mic competition judged by Kurtis Blow in 1982. That same year, he connected with Saturn Records’ Willie Strong. Together, the following year the two recorded Ice-T’s debut single "Cold Wind Madness" a.k.a. "The Coldest Rap," which achieved underground success.
He landed his first record deal with a major label in 1987 with Sire Records. His debut album Rhyme Pays wound up getting certified gold. His next album, Power, was released the following year under his own label Rhyme Syndicate, and was also certified gold, having received critical praise on top of success. His album released the following year, The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!, cemented his popularity with a mix of abrasive music and lyrics that were both narrative and provided social commentary, something he would become known for.
In 1991, Ice-T released one of the albums that would go on to define gangsta rap, O.G. Original Gangster. The album reached No. 15 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was also certified gold. It also featured the introduction of his heavy metal band, Body Count. That same year, Ice-T and Body Count toured on the first annual Lollapalooza concert tour. This earned him recognition from whole new groups of listeners, including middle-class teenagers and alternative music fans. In March 1992, the album Body Count was released, containing the controversial and notorious song "Cop Killer." That same year, Ice-T also won a Grammy. By this point, Ice-T was extremely famous as a rapper/musician, especially with the extra scrutiny laid upon him by "Cop Killer."
As an actor, he made his first film appearance in the 1984 breakdancing movie Breakin’. He began pursuing a serious acting career in earnest in 1991 with roles in New Jack City, Ricochet, Trespass (1992), Surviving the Game (1994), Johnny Mnemonic (1995), and Tank Girl (1995). However, it was collaborations with Law & Order creator Dick Wolf in New York Undercover, the short-lived series Players, and Exiled: A Law & Order Movie that lead to his most famous acting role to date, that of Odafin "Fin" Tutuola on Law & Order: SVU, one of TV's longest-running series ever. Ice-T has been with the show since 2000, which introduced him to an entirely new legion of fans.
Related: Ice T Recently Tried His First Bagel, and He Wasn't Impressed
What is Ice-T's net worth in 2022?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ice-T has a net worth of $65 million. He has amassed this small fortune through his career as a rapper/musician and actor. That could buy a lot of iced tea, man!
What is Ice-T's annual salary?
Ice-T’s annual salary varies each year due to the number of projects he undertakes at any time. However, it has been reported that he earns upwards of $6 million each year. And that surely ain’t bad!
How much does Ice-T make each episode?
It has been reported that Ice-T makes $250,000 per episode as part of his contract with Law & Order: SVU. This does not appear to take into account royalties for syndication, which would only add to his income from the show.
Related: Ice T Talks the Future of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Who is the highest paid actor on Law & Order SVU?
With his salary of $250,000 per episode for his role on Law & Order: SVU, Ice-T is actually only the second-highest paid actor on the series. The longest-running lead cast member, Mariska Hargitay, reportedly makes $500,000 per episode for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on the long-running drama. Considering she is the lead on the series, it stands to reason she would be making the most money. However, it is surprising she is paid twice as much as the next highest-paid actor.
Related: Mariska Hargitay's Sweetest Moments With the Law & Order: SVU Cast and Crew
How much did Ice-T get paid for his CarShield commercial?
It is not known how much Ice-T was paid for his CarShield commercial. However, celebrities are typically paid in at least the hundreds of thousands in order to appear in commercials, if not more, so we can assume that would be his low-end payday for CarShield.
Does Ice-T really use CarShield?
You may be wondering whether Ice-T actually uses a product he endorses like CarShield. Well, according to the man himself, he does have CarShield, however, it does appear that the company paid for it. Take that for what you will!
How much did Ice-T get paid for his Tide commercial?
It is not known exactly how much Ice-T was paid to appear in commercials for Tide detergent. However, we do know Tide parent company Procter & Gamble spent $241 million on typical ads for Tide in 2020, so with a budget like that, Ice-T could very well have earned in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for the ads.
How much did Ice-T get paid for his Cheerios commercial?
It is not publicly known how much Ice-T has been paid to appear in commercials for Cheerios. But, Samuel L. Jackson has stated that he made more from his Capital One commercials than he has from acting in movies. That means it is likely a very lucrative deal, either in the hundreds of thousands or even the million-dollar range.
How many commercials does Ice-T have?
Ice-T has appeared in commercials for GEICO, Tide, CarShield and Cheerios—at least 4 different brands. According to one report, in the last 30 days, “commercials featuring Ice-T have had 104,859 airings.”
How much did Ice-T get paid for Borderlands 3?
Ice-T reportedly voices a sentient AI robotic teddy bear named BALEX in the popular video game Borderlands 3. However, it is not known how much he was paid for the voiceover role. We can estimate he was most likely paid in the hundreds of thousands to provide the character’s voice, as the game is quite popular.
Next, find out exactly how Ice-T wound up on a Cheerios box.
