Ice-T's Massive Net Worth Will Blow Your Mind
Ice-T has a net worth of tens of millions of dollars.
He made most of his money in the music industry, but also found success as an actor, author, and speaker.
Here's what to know about the rapper's legendary career.
It might not come as a surprise that Grammy Award-winning rapper Ice-T has made an enormous sum of money for his work in the music industry over the years. He's considered the founder of "gangsta rap," after all, inspiring thousands of other artists to follow in his footsteps with his boundary-breaking albums and daring singles.
Born Tracy Lauren Marrow in Newark, New Jersey, Ice-T was raised by his widowed father after his mother died of a heart attack when he was in the third grade. In high school, Tracy was known for memorizing and reciting the novels of Iceberg Slim to friends. According to his 2011 memoir, Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood, those same friends used to encourage him to continue his recitations by saying, "Yo, kick some more of that by Ice, T"—and thus his future stage name was born.
But the question remains: How much has this rapping actor really made over the years, exactly? According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Ice-T is worth a whopping $40 million. Here's our best bet for how he made it happen.
Record Deals, Album Sales, and Chart-Topping Singles
Ice-T made much of his money from album sales. In 1987, he was signed to Sire Records (a division of Warner Music Group), in his first major deal. His best-known album, 1991's O.G. Original Gangster, peaked at number 15 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It's also featured in the popular book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
His Work as an Actor
The idea that Ice-T has made millions from his decades-long career is even less surprising when you consider that he's more than just a rapper: The 61-year-old is also an accomplished and beloved actor. For nearly twenty years, he has portrayed NYPD Detective/Sergeant Odafin Tutuola (Fin) on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Books, Movies, Appearances, and More
In addition to his acting and music pursuits, Ice-T is also a movie producer, film score composer, entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He's written several books, including Ice: A Memoir and The Ice Opinion, and he has also given many lectures at American prisons, high schools, libraries, and colleges over the past decade.
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