Which controversial 1992 song by the punk band Body Count was co-written by the group's vocalist Ice-T and provoked a national debate about freedom of speech in the US?
"Pareles of ""The New York Times"" wrote that with ""Body Count"", Ice-T ""has recognized a kinship between his gangster raps and post-punk, hard-core rock, both of which break taboos to titillate fans. But where rap's core audience is presumably in the inner city, hard-core appeals mostly to suburbanites seeking more gritty thrills than they can get from Nintendo or the local mall."" Despite Ice-T's attempts to differentiate ""Body Count"" from his work in the hip hop genre, the press focused on the group's rap image. Ice-T felt that politicians had intentionally referred to the song ""Cop Killer"" as rap to"
"acquittal of the police charged with King's beating, which sparked the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and the confluence of events put the song under the national spotlight. Complaints escalated over the summer—conservative police associations called for a boycott of Time Warner products, politicians including President George H. W. Bush denounced the label for releasing the song, Warner executives received death threats, Time Warner stockholders threatened to pull out of the company and the New Zealand police commissioner unsuccessfully tried to have the record banned there. Although Ice-T later voluntarily reissued ""Body Count"" without ""Cop Killer"", the furor seriously rattled Warner"
"Indecent Publications Act. This was the first time in 20 years that a sound recording had come before the censorship body, and the first ever case involving popular music. After reviewing the various submissions, and listening carefully to the album, the Tribunal found the song ""Cop Killer"" to be ""not exhortatory,"" saw the album as displaying ""an honest purpose,"" and found Body Count not indecent. The controversy escalated to the point where death threats were sent to Time-Warner executives, and stockholders threatened to pull out of the company. Finally, Ice-T decided to remove ""Cop Killer"" from the album of his"
"gothic or macabre lyrics, satanic imagery, and slasher film or splatter film-like violence. Ice-T released one of the seminal albums of the genre, """" in 1991. It also contained a song by his new thrash metal group Body Count, who released a self titled album in 1992. Particular controversy surrounded one of its songs ""Cop Killer"". The rock song was intended to speak from the viewpoint of a police target seeking revenge on racist, brutal cops. Ice-T's rock song infuriated government officials, the National Rifle Association and various police advocacy groups. Consequently, Time Warner Music refused to release Ice-T's upcoming"
"in twenty years that a sound recording had come before the censorship body, and the first ever case involving popular music. After reviewing the various submissions, and listening carefully to the album, the Tribunal found the song ""Cop Killer"" to be ""not exhortatory"", saw the album as displaying ""an honest purpose"", and found Body Count not indecent. At the July 1992 annual shareholders' meeting for Time Warner, actor Charlton Heston, who was a minor Time Warner shareholder, was given the opportunity to address the crowd, and, in a well publicized speech, recited lyrics from both ""Cop Killer"" and another song"
"""I didn't need people to come in and really back me on the First Amendment. I needed people to come in and say 'Ice-T has grounds to make this record.' I have the right to make it because the cops are killing my people. So fuck the First Amendment, let's deal with the fact that I have the right to make it."" Over the next month, controversy against the band grew. Vice President Dan Quayle branded ""Cop Killer"" as being ""obscene,"" and President George H.W. Bush publicly denounced any record company that would release such a product. ""Body Count"" was"
"States. Some critics argued that the song could cause crime and violence. Many defended the song on the basis of the group's right to freedom of speech. In ""The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck"", Ice-T wrote that ""The people who did have a platform were way off backing me on the First Amendment. That's not where all the anger should have been directed. The anger should have been generated back at the police. [...] Because people jumped on the wrong issue they were able to drive this thing totally through Warner Brothers."" Over the next month, controversy against the"
"escalated over the summer—conservative police associations called for a boycott of Time Warner products, politicians including President George H. W. Bush denounced the label for releasing the song, Warner executives received death threats, Time Warner stockholders threatened to pull out of the company and the New Zealand police commissioner unsuccessfully tried to have the record banned there. Although Ice-T later voluntarily reissued ""Body Count"" without ""Cop Killer"", the furore seriously rattled Warner Music and in January 1993 WBR made an undisclosed deal releasing Ice-T from his contract and returning the ""Body Count"" master tapes to him. In the wake of"
"the title ""Cop Killer"", named for the song of the same name, which criticizes violent police officers. During the production of the album, Warner Bros. executives were aware of the potential controversy that the album and song could cause, but supported it. At a Time-Warner shareholders' meeting, actor Charlton Heston stood and read lyrics from the song ""KKK Bitch"" to an astonished audience and demanded that the company take action. Sire responded by changing the title to ""Body Count"", but did not remove the song. In an article for the ""Washington Post"", Tipper Gore condemned Ice-T for songs like ""Cop"
"Body Count (album) Body Count is the eponymous debut studio album by American crossover thrash band Body Count, released on March 31, 1992 by Sire Records. The album's material focuses on various social and political issues ranging from police brutality to drug abuse. It also presents a turning point in the career of Ice-T, who co-wrote the album's songs with lead guitarist Ernie C and performed as the band's lead singer. Previously known only as a rapper, Ice-T's work with the band helped establish a crossover audience with rock music fans. The album produced the single ""There Goes the Neighborhood""."
"song was re-edited and remixed to give it a more rock-oriented sound. Ice-T left Warner Bros. Records the following year because of disputes over the Ice-T solo album ""Home Invasion"", taking Body Count with him. Despite the controversy, the album received some praise, including A- reviews from ""Entertainment Weekly"" and ""The Village Voice"", who later ranked the album among their list of ""The 40 Best Albums of 1992"". ""Variety"" reported that the album had sold 480,000 copies by January 29, 1993. In 1993, Body Count recorded a cover of ""Hey Joe"" for the Jimi Hendrix tribute album """". The band"
"hop lyrics when their song ""Fuck tha Police"" earned a letter from FBI Assistant Director, Milt Ahlerich, strongly expressing law enforcement's resentment of the song. Controversy surrounded Ice-T's album ""Body Count"", in particular over its song ""Cop Killer"". The song was intended to speak from the viewpoint of a criminal getting revenge on racist, brutal cops. Ice-T's rock song infuriated government officials, the National Rifle Association and various police advocacy groups. Consequently, Time Warner Music refused to release Ice-T's upcoming album ""Home Invasion"" because of the controversy surrounding ""Cop Killer"". Ice-T suggested that the furor over the song was an"
"from ""Body Count"", ""KKK Bitch"" – which namechecked Tipper Gore herself – in an attempt to embarrass company executives into dropping the album. Some death threats were sent to Warner Bros. Records executives, and some stockholders threatened to pull out of the company. According to his 1994 book ""The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck?"", Ice-T decided to remove the song from the album of his own volition. Eventually, the album was re-issued with ""Cop Killer"" removed. Alongside the album's reissue, Warner Bros. issued ""Cop Killer"" as a free single. Ice-T left the label in 1993, following additional disputes over"
"removed from the shelves of a retail store in Greensboro, North Carolina after local police had told the management that they would no longer respond to any emergency calls at the store if they continued to sell the album. In July 1992, the New Zealand Police Commissioner unsuccessfully attempted to prevent an Ice-T concert in Auckland, arguing that ""Anyone who comes to this country preaching in obscene terms the killing of police, should not be welcome here,"" before taking Body Count and Warner Bros. Records to the Indecent Publications Tribunal, in an effort to get it banned under New Zealand's"
"Iceberg/Freedom Of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!"". On June 5, 2008, Ice-T joked that he would be voting for John McCain in the 2008 American elections, speculating that his past affiliation with Body Count could hurt Barack Obama's chances if he endorsed him, so he would choose instead to ruin John McCain's campaign by saying he supported him. Ice-T had a feud with LL Cool J in the late 1980s, and early 1990s. Apparently, this was instigated by LL's claim to be ""the baddest rapper in the history of rap itself"". Ice-T recorded disses against LL on his 1988"
"guitar and expect it to work. [...] Ice and I, on the other hand, really loved the music we were doing, and it showed."" Body Count (band) Body Count is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by Ice-T, who co-founded the group with lead guitarist Ernie C out of their interest in heavy metal music. Ice-T took on the role of vocalist and writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs. Lead guitarist Ernie C has been responsible for writing the group's music. Their controversial self-titled debut album was"
"The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say! The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say! is the third studio album by American rapper Ice-T, released on October 10, 1989 by Sire Records. The album has an uncharacteristically gritty sound, featuring some of the darkest tracks that Ice-T ever released. The album was released after Ice-T was encountering censorship problems on tour. In ""The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck?"" the rapper states that ""People had already told me what I could not say onstage in Columbus, Georgia. You couldn't say anything they called a 'swear' word. You"
"police organizations across the United States. In an article for ""The Washington Post"", Tipper Gore condemned Ice-T for songs such as ""Cop Killer"", writing that ""Cultural economics were a poor excuse for the South's continuation of slavery. Ice-T's financial success cannot excuse the vileness of his message ... Hitler's anti-Semitism sold in Nazi Germany. That didn't make it right."" Some critics argued that the song could cause crime and violence. Dennis R. Martin (Former President, National Association of Chiefs of Police) argued that: Others defended the album on the basis of the group's right to freedom of speech, and cited"
"President George H. W. Bush to various law enforcement agencies, with strong demand for the song's withdrawal from commercial availability, citing concerns of promoting anti-police sentiment. Conversely, Ice-T defended the lyrical content of the song as did various other proponents who did not believe that the song posed any risk and remained in support of the song continuing to be released and sold. CLEAT (Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas) called for a boycott of all products by Time Warner in order to secure the removal of the song and album from stores. Within a week, they were joined by"
"a looped sample of Slick Rick saying ""Stop lying"" from his song ""La Di Da Di"". Sample credits The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say! The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say! is the third studio album by American rapper Ice-T, released on October 10, 1989 by Sire Records. The album has an uncharacteristically gritty sound, featuring some of the darkest tracks that Ice-T ever released. The album was released after Ice-T was encountering censorship problems on tour. In ""The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck?"" the rapper states that ""People had already told me what"
"controversy for its antisemitism (the beginning of such accusations against Ice Cube during his affiliation with the Nation of Islam), based on the bashing of Heller's religion. The track was omitted from the UK release, and later pressings included a censored version of the song. In September 1990, members of hip hop act Above the Law clashed with Ice Cube and his posse Da Lench Mob during the annual New Music Seminar conference, forcing the latter to flee the premises of Times Square's Marriott Marquis, the venue of the event. On January 27, 1991, Dr. Dre assaulted Dee Barnes, host"
"the basis of the band's First Amendment rights. Ice-T has referred to it as a ""protest record."" Ice-T eventually recalled the album and re-released it without the inclusion of the song, which was given away as a free single. Ice-T referred to ""Cop Killer"" as a ""protest record"", stating that the song is ""[sung] in the first person as a character who is fed up with police brutality"". Ice-T has also credited the Talking Heads song ""Psycho Killer"" with partially inspiring the song. ""Cop Killer"" was written in 1990, and had been performed live several times, including at the 1991"
"band grew. Vice President Dan Quayle branded ""Cop Killer"" as being ""obscene,"" and President George H.W. Bush publicly denounced any record company that would release such a product. At a Time-Warner shareholders' meeting, actor Charlton Heston stood and read lyrics from the song ""KKK Bitch"" to an astonished audience and demanded that the company take action. The criticism escalated to the point where death threats were sent to Time-Warner executives, and shareholders threatened to pull out of the company. Finally, Ice-T decided to remove ""Cop Killer"" from the album of his own volition. In an interview, Ice-T stated that ""I"
"""Body Count"" was intended to reflect straight anger. It was supposed to be the voice of the angry brother, without answers. [...] If you took a kid and you put him in jail with a microphone and asked him how he feels, you'd get ""Body Count"": 'Fuck that. Fuck school. Fuck the police.' You wouldn't get intelligence or compassion. You'd get raw anger."" From the album, ""There Goes The Neighborhood"" was released as a single, while ""Body Count's in the House"" was featured in the film ""Universal Soldier"". Ernie C and Ice-T conceived the album with the dark, ominous tone"
"Greensboro, North Carolina, after local police had told the management that they would no longer respond to any emergency calls at the store if they continued to sell the album. In July 1992, the New Zealand Police Commissioner unsuccessfully attempted to prevent an Ice-T concert in Auckland, arguing that ""Anyone who comes to this country preaching in obscene terms the killing of police, should not be welcome here"", before taking Body Count and Warner Bros. Records to the Indecent Publications Tribunal, in an effort to get it banned under New Zealand's Indecent Publications Act 1963. This was the first time"
"Records had stood by freedom of expression during the controversy, although some within the Time Warner conglomerate now favored a more pragmatic policy. The album was originally set for a November 15, 1992 release, but the Rodney King riots were still fresh in people's minds, an election was in process, and political releases by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre were causing controversy, so Ice-T agreed to postpone ""Home Invasion""s release, in addition to removing the song ""Ricochet"", which had already appeared on the soundtrack to the film of the same name. With the album's release postponed to February 14, 1993,"
"the song and then hanging it on a mic stand to allow him to sing. The band made news when it was reported that several fans left after Vedder had ""impaled"" the Bush mask on his mic stand at the band's show of April 1, 2003 in Denver, Colorado show at the Pepsi Center. Following a performance of the song at Pearl Jam's show of April 30, 2003 in Uniondale, New York at the Nassau Coliseum, the band was met with boos from the crowd and chants of ""U-S-A."" Vedder responded by defending his right to free speech and the"
"the song appears on Body Count's 2005 release ""Live in L.A."" According to Ernie C, the controversy over the song ""still lingers for us, even now. I'll try to book clubs and the guy I'm talking to will mention it and I'll think to myself 'Man, that was 17 years ago.' But I meet a lot of bands who ask me about it, too, and I'm real respected by other artists for it. But it's a love/hate thing. Ice gets it too, even though he plays a cop on TV now on ""Law & Order SVU""."" In Australia, the track"
"while AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album ""a surprisingly tepid affair"" partly because ""all of Ice-T's half-sung/half-shouted lyrics fall far short of the standard he established on his hip-hop albums."" In the Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of prominent critics published by ""The Village Voice"", ""Body Count"" was voted the 31st best album of 1992. Christgau, the poll's supervisor, ranked it 22nd on his own year-end list. In 2017, ""Rolling Stone"" listed the album at No. 90 on its list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. The album was originally set to be distributed under"
"The original song was more profane and describes a wide range of sexual conquests. Ice-T would re-record his version of the song with the Rubin/Jay-Z guitar riff for Body Count's 2014 album ""Manslaughter"" in order to ""reclaim"" the hook from being mis-attributed to Jay-Z. Portions of Ice-T's original lyrics were similarly quoted in a song by fellow rapper Trick Daddy on a track also titled ""99 Problems"" from his 2001 album ""Thugs Are Us."" Jay-Z begins his third verse directly quoting lines from Bun B's opening verse off the track ""Touched"" from the UGK album ""Ridin' Dirty"". The song has"
"band Body Count, and Paris's ""Sleeping with the Enemy"" over its songs ""Bush Killa"" and ""Coffee, Doughnuts, & Death"". Insane Clown Posse faced similar issues after they signed to Disney-owned Hollywood Records; despite compliance with the label's demands to censor specific songs and lyrics, ""The Great Milenko"" was recalled almost immediately after its release (but not before selling 18,000 copies out of 100,000 shipped). All three acts moved to different labels (including Priority Records and Island Records), which released their respective albums without objections. Multiple edits of CeeLo Green's song ""Fuck You"" exist, including one which changed the titular lyric"
"Rage Against the Machine and Limp Bizkit, although Ice-T does not rap on any of the album's tracks. Ernie C stated that ""A lot of rappers want to be in a rock band, but it has to be done sincerely. You can't just get anybody on guitar and expect it to work. [...] [We] really loved the music we were doing, and it showed."" Like Ice-T's gangsta rap albums, ""Body Count""'s material focused on various social and political issues, with songs focusing on topics ranging from police brutality to drug abuse. According to Ernie C, ""Everybody writes about whatever they"
"couldn't touch yourself. They were using the same tactics they used on everyone from Elvis and Jim Morrison to 2 Live Crew"". The album's cover, featuring a B-boy with a shotgun shoved in his mouth, and two pistols pressed against each side of his head, reflected Ice-T's experiences with the concept of freedom of speech. ""The concept of that picture is, 'Go ahead and say what you want. But here comes the government and here come the parents, and they are ready to destroy you when you open your mouth'"". ""The Iceberg"" alternates between typical violent metaphor, outlandish boasts, and"