Ice-T Sticks to Reputation

Despite a near-fight in the audience during the opening minutes, the performance by rapper-singer Ice-T and his metal band Body Count went smoothly on Friday night at Glam Slam.

Since the brouhaha over the band’s “Cop Killer” recording and Ice-T’s subsequent exit from Warner Bros. Records, the controversial artist has kept a relatively low profile.

But this hometown gig, which previewed material from the band’s upcoming album (it’ll be called “Dead Again”), proved the Ice man has lost none of his flair for the dramatic--nor, given titles such as “Drive-By,” his passion for songs guaranteed to outrage.

It was a two-part show: The briefer rap segment saw the solo Ice doing such familiar material as “Colors” and “O.G. Original Gangster” to a receptive, if stoic crowd. Things changed quickly, however, when Body Count joined him--creating a mosh pit that went into overdrive for songs from Body Count’s debut album.

The new tunes, including one dedicated to serial killers, are even less musically subtle than its earlier ones. And when Ice ended the show by telling the crowd to “rise for the national anthem” before playing “Cop Killer,” it was obvious that controversy will continue to be Body Count’s main selling point. That’s probably in the band’s best interest because Body Count--for all the hoopla--is no more than an average metal group.