ICECOLDBISHOP can rap on literally anything. Any tempo, any style, any sound, or even no beat at all, his quicksilver delivery takes center stage. He can adjust course on a dime, with pitch changes and energy shifts taking place with apparent ease, often when you least expect it.
Since we first heard ICECOLDBISHOP in 2019, he’s been on a mission, not wasting anyone’s time with throwaway releases or superfluous features. Sometimes, we wished we could hear more from him, but his quality control meant that every release was a moment, every new song made you sit up and pay attention. Last year, ICB released his debut album GENERATIONAL CURSE, and it highlighted the fact that his skills are sharper than ever.
Going into the Shangri-La sessions, we already knew ICECOLDBISHOP could rap, but it was a real eye-opening pleasure to witness him gathered around the piano with AG Club, improvising one of the most soulful moments of SYNY2.
The experience was appreciated by BISHOP, too, who told us, “I feel more than free [at Shangri-La]. The vibes here are amazing. Everybody’s gelling, everybody’s getting to know each other. Ain’t no barriers to the art right now. Wings flapping, just seeing what happens.” He added later, with a smile, “I love being here. I can tell my kids I was recording in Bob Dylan’s bus one day.”
