Ice-T: from street survival to playing a cop on SVU

Ice-T lost both parents before seventh grade and was sent to Los Angeles, where he learned to survive on his own through hustling. Rap and later acting gave him new paths beyond the protective persona he had built. Now in his late 60s, he reflects that the chaos of his early life drove him forward and that life holds more than mere survival.

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From writing ‘Cop Killer’ to playing a cop on SVU , ICE-T is no stranger to personal evolution. After losing both parents by seventh grade, he was sent to Los Angeles, where he learned to survive without a family. Here, he hustled for money and respect until rap gave him another route.

Eventually, acting opened another path, forcing him to step outside the persona he built to protect himself. Now, in his late 60s, he understands that the chaos of his early life existed to propel him forward, and that there is more to life than just survival.

We created this video for The Me I Used to Be, a Big Think interview series created in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators . As a creative non-profit organization, they’re on a mission to help people challenge their perceptions and expand their thinking. Often, that growth can start with just a single unlikely question that makes you rethink your convictions and adjust your vantage point. Visit Perception Box to see more in this series.

This video How Ice-T evolved out of ‘survival mode’ is featured on Big Think .

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