As Ice Spice has grown into one of many largest breakout stars of 2023, the rise has been simultaneous for her go-to co-writer and producer, RIOTUSA. After assembly as college students at SUNY Buy, the 2 Bronx natives quickly grew to become common collaborators, resulting in RIOT producing each observe on Ice’s debut EP Like..?, together with breakout hits “Munch (Feelin’ U),” “In Ha Temper” and “Princess Diana.”
“The very first thing she despatched me was on a drill beat,” the 22-year-old (born Ephrem Lopez Jr.) says of Ice Spice. “I used to be like, ‘Not solely do I not know any rappers which can be feminine, however that is any individual who’s doing it on a complete totally different sort of beat … This could possibly be one thing.’ ”
That “one thing” has changed into a trio of Sizzling 100 prime 10 hit collaborations between RIOT and Ice. The most recent of these, the No. 7-debuting “Barbie World,” is the top credit music for the worldwide field workplace smash Barbie — and likewise consists of each rap celebrity Nicki Minaj and Aqua, the Danish pop outfit behind the ‘90s basic “Barbie Woman,” which “World” prominently samples.
Whereas that music continues its chart run, RIOT is at present engaged on materials for rap hitmakers Ken Carson and Lil Yachty — and naturally, on Ice Spice’s debut album. “We wanna take the time, and dive deep on exploring totally different sounds,” he says of the pair’s work on the much-anticipated full-length. “I’m excited for the following couple of months.”
Billboard spoke with RIOT about making “Barbie World,” working with Minaj (once more) and the way it feels to convey drill to Barbie.
May you inform that Ice Spice had a star high quality fairly rapidly?
Yeah. At first, we weren’t making music, we had been simply those who had been launched by way of school — taking communication programs or crossing paths. It simply so occurred that everyone that was round us had a ardour for music, so we ended up connecting on that. Once I did discover out that she did music, I positively noticed one thing and heard one thing.
Your producer tag, “Cease taking part in with ‘em RIOT” — the place did that come from?
I initially had [a] tag that was recorded by me, and I put a pair results on it. However I outgrew it, and I used to be on the lookout for one thing new and contemporary. I used to be like, “Why not ask Ice to document me a tag?” — and I didn’t inform her what to say. The very first thing that she had despatched me again was “Cease taking part in with ‘em RIOT.” I took it, pitched it a little bit bit, I threw in some reverb, and the remaining is historical past.
What had been the primary discussions of you and Ice getting concerned with the Barbie soundtrack?
Actually, it got here out of nowhere. My supervisor stated, “Hey, [the] Barbie [team] reached out to Ice for the soundtrack. May you make a beat for it?” I’m like, “Hell yeah!” So I pulled up the “Barbie [Girl]” pattern ’trigger after I consider Barbie, I’m considering [that] pattern, proper off the bat. I made a beat in like quarter-hour on FL Studio, and it wasn’t even a full beat. It was the identical basis of what it’s now. I despatched it to examine the temperature from the studio, and I heard the movie [team] liked it.
Had been you nervous that you simply wouldn’t be capable to get it cleared?
Oh, in fact! [But] the truth that it’s from the Barbie movie, I knew that it had to get cleared. It’s such an iconic pattern, and it made a lot sense. For me, it’s a nostalgic music. It got here out earlier than I used to be born, so to have the ability to revamp it and take it to a brand new place was actually thrilling.
Have you ever heard something about what Aqua thinks about it?
I learn one thing on [X fka Twitter] that they loved it, which is cool. I haven’t spoken to them myself, however shout out to Aqua, they made such a cool music.
Was it at all times clear that it was gonna be Ice and Nicki?
At first, to my data, it was only for Ice. That’s why it was drill, at first. Then I added the Jersey [club] change on it. Once we bought the OK from the studio, [Ice] did the hook in half-hour, tops. “Princess Diana” had simply been made, and we’re like, “D–n, Nicki’s a Barbie. Why don’t we ship it to her and see what she thinks?”
I truthfully didn’t assume she was gonna get on it ’trigger we had simply labored on one thing. However she despatched her verse again fast, and as soon as we heard [it], we instantly completed it ’trigger we had been so excited — and Ice killed it. So blessed and grateful for everyone concerned.
Was it exhausting to reinvent it? As a result of the unique’s kind of simple 4/4 dance music. I think about it wasn’t essentially the best factor to suit it into that kind of drill sound as an alternative.
Really for me, it felt like the alternative. I’m not gonna say “straightforward,” however moreso I knew what I might do to the pattern. In Bronx tradition, there’s pattern drill, in order that’s already one thing that we’ve been doing. If something, I [said], “This is without doubt one of the final pattern drill songs that might ever exist.” And to let it’s part of a film? From the place we come from, that’s loopy.
I wished to maintain the pattern genuine to the unique, however I wished so as to add its personal aptitude. That’s why on the second half of the verses, I attempted to play with the phrases, “Should you say, I’m at all times yours.” Normally, all people simply makes use of the hook; that’s essentially the most recognizable half. However I wished to point out like to different elements of the music.
On the whole, your songs with Ice Spice are fairly brief to start with, however to get the pattern, to get Nicki, to get Ice — to do the whole lot that you should do within the music in that brief a time frame, was it powerful? Did you concentrate on making it longer?
Actually, no. That music is brief and candy. That’s often how we construction quite a lot of our songs proper now — the place it’s a pleasant, catchy hook, a verse, one other hook, second verse. I really feel like that construction was cool. The hook was distinctive in itself as a result of they was capable of trip. And the entire music is 1:49 — I like songs which have quite a lot of replay worth. You get hooked on it. We might’ve prolonged it, for certain, however I really feel prefer it was simply sufficient to make you wanna re-listen many times.
Not solely is that this virtually the default theme to the most important film of the 12 months, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a drill music. It’s nonetheless the sort of music you and Ice are making anyway. Does that make it much more rewarding?
Precisely. The place we come from, our borough is commonly “judged” — folks have quite a lot of blended opinions on it. So to have the ability to have such an iconic music with the kind of style that comes from the place we’re from is superior. [We] get to shed new mild on the style and convey it to a much bigger place. I keep in mind when folks was telling me that drill was going nowhere, drill was lifeless, drill is only a development. However I at all times had a much bigger imaginative and prescient for it, and this was the proper instance of the place I used to be making an attempt to convey it. It’s so cool that ceaselessly, on the finish of that film, persons are gonna be capable to dance to that music and luxuriate in [it]. I’m actual blissful about that.
Have you ever heard the music on Sizzling 97 but?
Yeah! I heard it on Sizzling, however I additionally heard it on Sirius XM. You realize the place else I heard it too? On the airplane! I’m like, “Wow, that’s how you already know it’s a success!” That was fireplace.
Have you ever seen the film?
No! I’ve been making an attempt to go see it, however I’ve been actual busy. I noticed glimpses of it earlier than it got here out.
A model of this story initially appeared within the Aug. 5, 2023, subject of Billboard.
