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‘Law & Order: SVU’: Ice-T Explained What It’s Like Being Known as An Actor to New Generations

With a career like Ice-T has, different people know him for different reasons. From rapping to Law & Order: SVU, he’s done a lot. Then, there are those who know him as Fin Tutuola on Law & Order: SVU. As a cop in New York City handling the most sensitive crimes, Tutuola is a beloved character.

While those true old-school rap fans will know Ice-T for his insanely huge contributions to the genre, younger audiences aren’t as familiar. For the father of gangster rap, it all makes plenty of sense. Back in 2013, Ice-T sat down with Vice to talk about SVU. He seems to have his head wrapped around the whole situation.

Instead of being upset at young audiences for not knowing him for his rap abilities, Ice-T keeps it in perspective.

When discussing young audiences the rapper turned actor says, “[Y]ou don’t have a reference point for me as a rapper. Your mother does, your father does.” Although, it isn’t particularly hard for young people to find his music on the internet.

As one of the oddities of modern media, Ice-T acknowledges the access people have to his music now and doesn’t feel he is owed anything.

“[W]ith YouTube and all that, they can go back and check history. Now, should they respect that? I don’t know. It’s an interesting concept.” The rap industry is a tough world. It is an inherently youth-led culture.

‘Law & Order: SVU’: Ice-T and the Youth

After so many years on television, Ice-T understands where he stands in his career. One thing he knows is rap and rap culture. It has the ability to instill energy and emotion into both rappers and fans. Ice talked about the effect rap has on him.

“One thing about rap is it’s the fountain of youth. When I start rapping, I believe I’m the same age I was when I wrote that record.” As far as performers go, the experience of being on stage is something that Ice-T thinks is universal. “I think Mick Jagger thinks he’s still the young Rolling Stone.” Which, the fact Jagger keeps playing shows after so many years might verify Ice-T’s theory.

There is something special about music. That connection is not only between the artist and the music but the music and the fans. While music has the ability to take artists back to those moments when they were young, great music can transport fans to the past as well. Ice-T explained this as well, “I think it also transports the listener back to the time when they first heard it. I’m just glad to still be in the game.”

We are too. The rap game and the Law & Order: SVU game.