Ice Spice: Photos From the Billboard Cover Shoot

At the start of 2021 — a yr earlier than she launched herself to the world as Ice Spice, together with her signature cinnamon curly afro ­— Isis Gaston wrapped her hair into two braids and tucked them beneath a silk scarf. Carrying a black lounge set, she smiled for the digital camera whereas a pattern of Nelly’s “Sizzling in Herre” light into the background and the hook of “Buss It,” rapper Erica Banks’ breakout 2020 single, began. The clip reduce, and Gaston, now clad in a teal cut-out gown, dropped it low and twerked together with her lengthy, gentle brown locks cascading over her body.

The viral video was simply one in all hundreds of thousands from the “Buss It” TikTok problem, which helped Banks earn her first Billboard Sizzling 100 entry, a Travis Scott remix and a partnership with Warner Information along with her personal label, 1501 Licensed Leisure. However for the then-21-year-old Gaston, who was simply mustering the braveness to document her personal music, the TikTok pattern and the way in which it boosted Banks’ profession appeared like one thing she might obtain, too.

“It was so humorous — I used to be already engaged on my first tune ever that I used to be recording. I had already wrote little raps and sh-t earlier than that, [but] it took me loads to get to recording. I used to be midway finished with it after I did the ‘Buss It’ problem. After I noticed it going so viral, I used to be like, ‘Rattling, think about that was my tune I used to be twerking to,’ ” she recollects at the moment with a chuckle. “The subsequent month, I put out my first tune and took it from there.”

Learn the total cowl story right here.