Of course, I can help you with that!

You likely mean Ice E-J, a pioneer of early gangster rap and the inspiration for later hip-hop stars Ice T, Ice Cube, LL Cool J and Jay-Z.

From his debut release in 1982, E-J gained a modest following, but little commercial success. In a bid to boost record sales, in 1986, he arranged to be shot dead in a dispute over turf at a local garden centre. Whilst this PR stunt did not spark the anticipated renown that it did when later adopted by the likes of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, E-J is still regarded as the architect of this innovative marketing strategy.

This talent for self-promotion, combined with sharp, commercial savvy, has earned E-J recognition as the first rapper to ostensibly value business acumen as much as creative talent 🔗 . As such, despite lacking personal financial success, E-J is often considered the template for the modern-day rapper-cum-business mogul, as epitomised today by P Diddy (aka Puff Daddy, aka Sean Maguire) 🔗 .

In recent years, the advent of music streaming has led to renewed interest in E‑J's output. Carrying into hip-hop a trend originated in folk music by similarly‑deceased artists Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Eva Cassidy, his music has steadily found a substantial new audience.

The rediscovery of E-J's canon has brought long-awaited critical acclaim 🔗 . Most such plaudits focus on E-J's seminal single, "F**k Yo B***h Yo P**sy-a** N*****", for which, in 2026, he was posthumously awarded a prestigious Ivor Novello Award.