Ice shares his final words on Rap School after the jump.

On time constraints:

Early on in the show, I realized that it wasn't about making these kids into real rappers. It was more like, I'ma take you on a quick course of what it's like to become a rapper. Each one of these skills could take years to perfect. I just said, They're going to be able to put on a kids' version of a rap group. And they did a good job, for what it's worth. They tried. Coming from zero to that, I was pretty much amazed.

On the final concert:

What I would have liked to do with the concert is use a play-back track. What happens is in professional rapping right now, very few people use actual records because of the stage and the tendency for the stage to shake and make the records skip. The audience doesn't really care about backing tracks -- they want the show to be flawless. So, we use computers and the DJ will scratch over a backing track. Because they wanted Phil to actually DJ, they put him on stage, they had a janky DJ scenario and the records were skipping in the live show. They didn't show that on TV, but the momentum of the show was hard on the kids. But they went through with it. They did as good as they could. Dodge didn't let the heckler get in his face. The audience did not pay to see Rap School, so right before the kids came out, I went out, did a song and told everyone to bear with it. They did as good as expected. I've seen professional groups come out and flop, so they did all right. They ain't got no hit record out. And they're singing kids' stuff. (singing) "Ya gotta believe"...I mean, that ain't Public Enemy.

On prep-school prejudice:

I think I kinda know all kids are the same. I might have had misconceptions when I was there age, but being a little bit older...I guess I think when you're around affluent people, or people who think they have it, they can be far more rude than the so-called street person. I grew up in the most thug, most gangsta environment. I have more issues when I'm around rich people than if I'm in the hood. If I go out to the club and the hood is in there, there's more respect in there for your girl, for how you handle yourself than if I go to a rich place with all these guys who think they're millionaires. They have no respect. They're very rude, they'll grab your girl, they'll say anything. So where is the evil? If you go up to Harlem, everyone's hugging and being friendly. If you go to the Upper East Side, people don't even talk to each other. With kids, a lot of times if the poor kid has an attitude, it's just because he doesn't think he can win. That rich snottiness bothers people a lot more.

On what he learned from the show:

I learned a lot. I learned that during all the years I spent in school, messing with my teachers, I was an idiot. I never really realized how one bad apple can really disrupt the class, and now I know I used to do that. I also learned that teachers take these kids home with them. I would be literally laying in the bed with Coco talking about them and the next day's work. She was getting sick of it, but you can't walk away from it. I kind of reaffirmed my belief that kids are empty computer discs. They really don't have information and the only information they have is what you teach them. I think all kids should have a chance to learn a little bit about other cultures and other things. I just never really believed that guarding and protecting kids really protects them. Say you have parents who are afraid, who'd never think of going to the Bronx. How would the kids ever think about going there? It's really about what you program into these kids' heads, because the kids haven't gone through any experiences yet. It's an adult's job to lace them with the right information.

Comments

[daz]

hi my name is daz and i live in barrow in furness im 16 years of age i like to listen to rap and song righting and am hoping one day maybe to have a careea in rap plaese could you email me and tell me a little bit more of how to start.
thanks
gangster d

[cariadlove]

I have to say that I really enjoyed this show! I must admit before I watched this on VH1, I didn't know diddly about rap, rappers, the hood or anything remotely related to any of it. Coming from a small town in Arkansas, White, Middle Class... I really learned a lot about a subject I knew very little about and I believe I'm not alone! Ice, my hat is off to you, you did a good thing with those kids and I think it maybe a program that would help many other children to learn to not be prejudice of any color, creed, or race and see people for what is on the inside, not for what some in society has labled them. :) And by the way, I listen to rap now! ;)Thank you :)

[Tamara]

kool

[ACKDYSHUN]

VH1 SHOWS ARE DA BOMB! ICE-T'S SHOW WAS THE FRONT RUNNER TO THE WHITE RAPPER SHOW. HOPE HE DOES A SOLID & DOES A 2X. HOLDUP--MICHAEL JACKSON, LATOYA JACKSON ARE HAS-BEENS! DONNY OSMOND WOULD DROP SCARED ON THE WHITE RAPPER SHOW!!! PEACE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jamie]

hey ive only seen one episode of rap school but i reckon its awsome. i live in australia but about 6 months ago i started writing raps myself. personally i think they are alright . but compared to a professianal rapper...... anyway i cant get show times for australia i was wondering if i could get them. and and like 'Gangsta d' how do u start a rap career?
Thanks
jamie

[AK]

I haven't seen this show but I'd like to -- Ice-T sounds like a really smart guy from what he's saying in this interview. I remember when Princess Superstar came out, they interviewed him and he said, 'I always thought with rap, that everyboy had to be able to do it (meaning, they had to be allowed to do it) for it to mean anything.'

I couldn't agree more. Open up the conversation.

[Jesse]

I liked the show, i wanna become a hip-hop, rapper.
when i was in grade 6 me and my friend made this song it was good for our age. my rapper name is lil' ICE (not cuz of you) it use to be ice but it sounds gay so i made it lil' ice then i found out about ICE Cube, and Valina ICE, even my Xbox live gamertag is ICE 2122. But great show hop for a new one next year. i like to chill' out to rap, my fav rapperz are.

Eminem
Akon
50 Cent
ICE Cube
Lil jon and the Eastside boys
DJ UNK
Ludacris

and more.

anyway my main question is to become a rapper how much does it cost to go into a studio and make a record?? please E-mail me back.

Peace "T"