Ice Spice and producer RiotUSA are one of the H๏τtest duos in hip-hop today. Here we break down the Bronx rapper’s unique sample flips in five of her best-known tracks.
Everyone knows Ice Spice broke out onto the mainstream hip-hop scene with her 2022 viral track “Munch (Feelin’ U).” It was the popularity of “Munch (Feelin’ U)” on TikTok in particular that helped propel her career to a level she never imagined. Hailing from the Bronx, New York, the 24-year-old drill rapper earned a reputation for her lyrics, but she’s had some help on her quirky beats. Part of the motivation to begin creating music in 2021 came from her chance meeting with the producer RiotUSA at college. RiotUSA’s quirky beats and interesting sampling have played an ongoing role in Ice Spice’s commercial success. Spice hasn’t been withholding about this at all, often bringing her producer into the limelight along with her Here we’ll dive into five Ice Spice samples that showcase the fun and unexpected approach the duo has capitalized on.

“Gangsta Boo”: Chopping Diddy With Lil TJay

“Gangsta Boo” is a collab track Ice Spice created with Lil Tjay for the deluxe edition of her debut extended play Like..? in 2023. RiotUSA and Mario Winans also worked together on the production side. The track features one of the most interestingly chopped Ice Spice samples to date. The track takes its slick melodic riff from P. Diddy and Ginuwine’s “I Need a Girl (Part Two),” released on a 2002 compilation album. RiotUSA ingeniously transforms the riff from its original laid-back and sultry R&B feel. Now, by removing notes here and there, the riff is both poppier and punchier, giving “Gangsta Boo” both a familiar and edgy sound.

“Actin A Smoochie”: Ice Spice Meets Tierra Whack

Tierra Whack, the rapper-singer who’s been performing since she was a teenager, dropped her R&B? EP in 2021. Ice Spice and RiotUSA apparently took a liking to the track “Cuttin Onions,” since they sampled it with little alteration for Spice’s “Actin A Smoochie.” The primary modification made was a tempo increase which also forced an upward pitch change.

“No Clarity”: Most Famous Flip

2021’s “No Clarty” contains probably the most famous Ice Spice samples we’ve covered thus far. This was the rapper’s second single, and it made great use of Zedd and Foxes’ “Clarity.” Back in 2012, you could hear this song everywhere. Glee, The Voice, and The X Factor also included renditions of the song. Even Korean popstars BLACKPINK covered the track back in 2019. RiotUSA and Spice utilized the track’s chorus, having it play pretty much through the entirety of “No Clarity.” But they switched things up by modulating the track and changing its speed fluidly. Warping a song called “Clarity” worked as a clever play on the тιтle “No Clarity.” It worked even better as the perfect melodic accompaniment to Spice’s delivery.

“Gimme A Light”: A Nod To Sean Paul

Ice Spice’s newest track, “Gimme a Light,” is appropriately named. That’s because Sean Paul’s 2002 hit record “Gimme The Light” is its inspiration and basis. It uses the hook in Paul’s classic track to great effect, slowing it down and looping for Ice Spice’s own hook. The syllable stresses in the slowed Paul hook form a map that the entire song’s beat follows. “Gimme A Light” is set to be the first single off of the Bronx rapper’s debut studio LP, Y2K, slated for release next month by Capitol Records. This interesting installment in the growing catalog of Ice Spice samples foreshadows what she and RiotUSA have in store for us on the full-length album.

“Barbie World”: Bringing Back Aqua

This Ice Spice sample throws things way back to 1997, using Aqua’s famous track “Barbie Girl.” This was the Danish-Norwegian dance group’s biggest song, reaching number one in 10 countries and selling over 8 million copies worldwide. Throughout most of “Barbie World,” Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj exchange raps over Aqua’s chorus. There are a few momentary pauses, and the beginning of the song samples the iconic “you can say, ‘I’m always yours,'” line before Spice says “Stop playin’ with ’em Riot.”