Ice-T: I wrote 99 Problems

Bang Showbiz

23 July 2012

Ice-T says people need to know he wrote the original '99 Problems', not Jay-Z

Ice-T says people need to remember he wrote the original '99 Problems'.

The veteran rapper wrote the track for his 1993 album 'Home Invasion' and its lyrics were used in part by Jay-Z on his 2004 single, also called '99 Problems', and Ice says people often don't realise he was behind the original line.

Speaking at the premiere of new film 'Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap', he told BANG Showbiz: "It was available and he re-did the record. Me and Jay are friends so it's all good. It was a dope record - I mean, the thing is, we're in an era now where a lot of the kids think he invented the record, so the old school hip hoppers got to let the kids know, I said that on 'Home Invasion' baby, get it right."

While the two tracks share the same title and chorus line, they are very different both musically and lyrically. Ice's song is about a man boasting of his many sexual conquests. Jay-Z's song is based on a real life story about how he was pulled over by police officers while smuggling drugs and they called for drugs dogs to search his car, which didn't show up, so they had to let him go.

Meanwhile Ice is planning to start work on a new album, his first since 2008's collaborative 'Urban Legends', which saw him team with Black Silver.

He said: "I'm thinking about doing an album right now, I want to produce every song myself. I think it's going to be more like old school funk, with a live drum feel with nice funky bass lines and stuff and some keys and horns, but Ice-T style. Right now I'm tentatively going to call the album 'Shot Caller'."

'Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap' features Eminem, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Q-Tip and Snoop Dogg, among many more stars, and will be released in cinemas from July 20.