Body Count

Body Count is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Body Count, released on March 30, 1992, by Sire Records. The album's material focuses on various social and political issues ranging from police brutality to drug abuse. It also presents a turning point in the career of Ice-T, who co-wrote the album's songs with lead guitarist Ernie C and performed as the band's lead singer. Previously known only as a rapper, Ice-T's work with the band helped establish a crossover audience with rock music fans. The album produced the single "There Goes the Neighborhood". Body Count is well known for the inclusion of the controversial song "Cop Killer", which was the subject of much criticism from various political figures, although many defended the song on the basis of the group's right to freedom of speech. Ice-T eventually chose to remove the song from the album, although it continues to be performed live. It was voted the 31st best album of the year in The Village Voices Pazz & Jop critics poll, and is believed to have helped pave the way for the mainstream success of the rap metal genre. Conception While Ice-T was primarily known for his work in the hip hop genre, he had long been a fan of rock music and formed Body Count out of this interest. The band's first lineup was composed entirely of musicians he had known from Crenshaw High School. Ice-T states that "I knew we didn't want to form an R&B group. [...] Where am I gonna get the rage and the anger to attack something with that? [...] We knew Body Count had to be a rock band. The name alone negates the band from being R&B."