Ice Spice

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ice Spice's rise is rooted in the Bronx, where she was born on January 1, 2000. Her father, Joseph Gaston, is African-American, and her mother, Charina Almanzar, is Dominican; they met at a McDonald's in New York. The two divorced when she was two. She spent much of her childhood with grandparents and cousins, moving from Davidson Ave to University in 2007. She attended school in the Bronx until the 5th grade and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers in 2018. At age seven, she took a liking to hip-hop after listening to rappers like Lil' Kim and Nicki Minaj. She chose her stage name while a freshman in high school. Gaston attended SUNY Purchase as a communications student and defensive volleyball specialist, but dropped out during her sophomore year, later explaining she felt she wasn't taking her education seriously and wanted to focus on music. She worked as a cashier at Wendy's and The Gap before her music career took off.

In Their Own Story

The green room hummed with the low buzz of backstage chatter, neon lights reflecting off polished floors. Two figures stood near opposite walls, representing different chapters of the same songbook. One adjusted a microphone stand while the other scrolled through a phone screen glowing in the dim light. No words were exchanged, yet the air between them crackled with unspoken acknowledgment—a silent understanding that they were both navigating the same shifting tides of fame and expectation.

Reader's Guide

The timeline begins with Ice Spice's viral breakthrough in early 2022, establishing a distinct drill-pop style that resonated globally. By late 2023, Doja Cat released her *Scarlet* album, marking a shift toward hip-hop that coincided with Ice Spice's peak visibility. Social media speculation intensified during this window, with fans dissecting Instagram stories and tweets for hidden meanings regarding their relationship. Some interpreted subtle comments as competitive shade, while others viewed them as playful banter typical of the industry. Despite online noise, both artists maintained professional courtesy at major award shows and events throughout 2023 and 2024. Their legacy remains intertwined in fan history not through a direct collaboration, but through their shared role in defining the era's sound for female rappers.

Did You Know?

• Ice Spice was a defensive specialist on the volleyball team at SUNY Purchase, recording 0 kills and nine digs in the 2018 season.
• She chose her stage name from a 'finsta' (fake Instagram account) she made at age 14.
• Her song 'Munch (Feelin' U)' went viral on TikTok before gaining additional attention when Drake played it on his SiriusXM radio station, Sound 42.
• She is one of several rappers to release multiple songs that achieved top-ten status on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023.
• Ice Spice previously dated professional cornerback Sauce Gardner, as confirmed via her personal Instagram account in 2025.

Bronx Roots and Educational Path

Isis Naija Gaston was born on January 1, 2000, in the Bronx. Her father, Joseph Gaston, is African-American, and her mother, Charina Almanzar, is Dominican; they met at a McDonald's in New York. They divorced when she was two years old. She spent much of her childhood with grandparents and cousins, moving from Davidson Ave to University in 2007. She attended school in the Bronx until the 5th grade and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers in 2018. At age seven, she began listening to hip-hop artists like Lil' Kim and Nicki Minaj. She chose her stage name while a freshman in high school. Gaston attended SUNY Purchase as a communications student and defensive volleyball specialist but dropped out during her sophomore year due to the strenuous commute. Prior to her music career, she worked as a cashier at Wendy's and The Gap.

The Viral Breakthrough of Munch

Ice Spice started rapping in 2020 after meeting RiotUSA. Her debut song, "Bully Freestyle," was released in March 2021 following a viral video of her doing the "Buss It" challenge on Twitter. In August 2022, she released "Munch (Feelin' U)," which gained popularity after Drake played it on his SiriusXM station, Sound 42, and subsequently went viral on Twitter and TikTok. In September 2022, she signed with 10K Projects in a joint venture with Capitol Records. On October 28, she released the single "Bikini Bottom".

Unprecedented Chart Dominance in 2023

Ice Spice's debut EP, Like..?, was released on January 20, 2023. In February 2023, her collaboration with PinkPantheress, "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2," peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. In April 2023, the remix of "Princess Diana" with Nicki Minaj reached number four. On May 26, 2023, the Taylor Swift collaboration "Karma" was released and peaked at number two. On June 26, she released "Barbie World" with Nicki Minaj and Aqua, which debuted at number seven. These four songs made her the only rapper to release four top-ten singles in 2023.

Accolades and Expanding Horizons

Ice Spice has received the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, the People's Choice Award for New Artist of the Year, and an Impact Award from the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards. She has received four Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist. Her debut studio album, Y2K!, was released on July 26, 2024, preceded by the single "Think U the Shit (Fart)" in January 2024. Outside of music, she had roles in the films Highest 2 Lowest and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, both released in 2025.