Body Count

Body Count represents an odd chapter in metal history, this being Ice-T's well-publicized foray into metal. Already an established rapper and budding actor, Ice-T recorded a song "Body Count" on his 1991 rap album, the song forming the basis for the band of the same name. Having already gained fans from their 1991 Lollapalooza appearances, the band debuted with their self-titled album in 1992. Soon, a major storm of publicity developed over the song "Cop Killer", so much so that the label forced the removal of the song (this, in turn, prompted Ice-T to leave the label). Despite the controversy, the album did reasonably well, but the two followup albums failed to generate much interest, and after awhile Ice-T returned to more familiar musical terrain, as well as continuing his acting career, though a fourth album did see the light of day in 2006.

The "Cop Killer" controversy aside, the legacy of Body Count's music isn't terribly lasting. The music itself was simplistic, though the dark, intentionally cliche-ridden, over the top lyrics partially made up for the lack of metal chops. As an influence upon later rap-metal bands, it's hard to say, as the style is very different from, say, Rage Against The Machine, whose debut album came out only a year later than Body Count's. It's been said by many that fans and critics alike really didn't get the humor behind the band, though some critics lauded the albums at the time.

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Discography

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