It’s the classic conundrum for an artist: Is it better to seek popularity and be a commercial success, or are you better off as an artist’s artist, someone whose work is critically acclaimed but may not be topping the Billboard charts or selling out stadiums?
For rapper and South Los Angeles native IceColdBishop, it’s not a decision he has to make. Critics and industry insiders loved his 2023 album “Generational Curse,” and using what he’s learned from his years in the music business, he’s hoping to have a larger audience to go with it soon.
A critically adored debut
In the first track of “Generational Curse,” Bishop explains that “my whole life I been stepped over, all I ever had was leftovers.”
While that statement serves as a poetic biographical detail, it could also apply to the career of this rapper with an idiosyncratic voice.
Much of the material that became “Generational Curse” was created in the late 2010s, only for the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the music industry to delay the release for almost five years.
In the meantime, Bishop knew he had a special album, as artists and executives in the music industry praised the project to those in the know. That positive word-of-mouth led to album playthroughs for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, creating a buzz comparable to the scripts on Hollywood’s Black List.
While that momentum carried over critically — outlets like Pitchfork raved upon the album’s release — the audiences didn’t quite follow, leading to comment sections full of posts asking “how is this dude not bigger?” (Editor’s note: Links in this story may contain profanity or adult themes.)
When speaking with KTLA, Bishop explained that album rollout and marketing played a big role, with other artists on his former label, Epic Records, receiving a bigger promotional push because their contracts were more beneficial to the company.
He knows he could’ve taken those types of deals, which would’ve given him quick riches but left him with “no ownership” of his art. The decision ultimately came down to “What are we doing this for?”
“Do we want to just make money right now, or do we want to be comfortable forever?” he asked.
Bishop chose the latter.
He is now out of that one-album deal, and the self-described “extremely underground” rapper who’s worked with some of the sharpest pens and producers in the industry has a plan for his next project, as well as other musicians and creatives looking to showcase their art and reach new audiences.
Team building
In a principle that goes back to Bishop’s days as a 5-foot-9 point guard, he sees teamwork as the key to his success and the triumph of other artists in a similar situation.
“Instead of looking for others to help us, we’ve been kind of just lifting each other up,” he explained. “And I think that in this new era of music, if we’re all going to continue to elevate and, one day, be mainstream or go for the pursuit of being mainstream, I think that unity at this level is important, because as we grow, we can continue to look out for each other.”
In a notoriously cutthroat industry like music, having trusted people around you to look after your interests is a necessity. Bishop said that though his one-record deal ended, he saw what a major-label album rollout looks like, as well as what the rollout for a smash hit like Tyla’s “Water” looks like.
“She had a lot of great people around her core, young and hungry, and a lot of the people that are around her that were young and hungry were Black women. … They fight the most for artists, it seems in my experience, in these buildings, because there’s no ego with them,” he said. “It’s almost like a big sister, auntie, motherly energy of ‘I just want to see you guys succeed.'”
After seeing what went right and wrong with the release of “Generational Curse,” Bishop saw an opportunity. He could handle much of the work himself or through trusted fellow collaborators and creators, ensuring he and his colleagues are getting the full attention and effort needed to succeed.
“So with that knowledge, if the situation isn’t lucrative for me, there’s no point for me to consider going back to doing this situation,” he said. “I have too much knowledge, man.”
From the West Coast to the world
For Bishop, sharing that knowledge is more than just a way to build his career and help those around him; it’s a way to add to the long lineage of West Coast hip-hop.
While he rarely mentions Southern California or West-Coast-specific details in his lyrics, his music is undoubtedly influenced by those who came before him, and he’s cognizant of what’s expected when he’s described as a California rapper.
While the preconception for many is likely a danceable track in the vein of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” Bishop is working to show his lyrics are as important as the beats.
“I think that there’s a misconception that L.A. only produces a handful of lyricists at a time,” he said. “And I think that us being hit makers, having No. 1s and being on the charts isn’t a foreign thing.”
He’s putting his money where his mouth is and hasn’t been afraid to go toe-to-toe with respected lyricists like Denzel Curry from Florida and Mick Jenkins from Chicago to show he’s more than another G-funk artist.
“I’m very connected with artists all over, so I can’t say it’s just the L.A. scene, but … I feel like we all kind of need each other to get to the next level, because we all do different things,” he said. “And I think that when you are from the West Coast, they expect different things. So if we support each other and the things that we may want to do that are not so traditional, maybe it’ll catch notice.”
What’s next
Bishop is already putting his plan into motion. He’s dropped a string of singles and feature verses thus far in 2025, including the West Coast-defending “Thumbtacks,” which was released Tuesday in partnership with producer Danforth, who recently received acclaim for his work on Beyonce’s Grammy-dominating “Cowboy Carter.”
He’s also recently hopped on songs with artists like Maryland native McKinley Dixon and others completely outside hip-hop. It’s all part of his plan to keep his fans satisfied and momentum positive ahead of the expected 2026 release of his next full-length project.
“I’m just a person. I want to see everyone win. … I think that there’s a beauty in people having dreams and ambitions,” he said. “I love to see people happy because they have something to be happy about.”
And to Bishop, happiness isn’t being the best-selling rapper in the world. It’s the feeling that comes from doing your best work and helping others overcome their obstacles to do the same.
“If I lift up people maybe when I’m down, I could be lifted up as well. And I don’t do it for something to be given to me in return, but I’m a human as well. You know? I’m down too sometimes.”
With the ups and downs that come with life, it’s easy to be discouraged, but some of the greatest artists of today weren’t recognized on their own schedule.
As examples, Bishop listed Viola Davis, who’s now considered one of the best actors in the world but didn’t become a household name until her 40s and 50s, and Nas’ classic album “Illmatic,” which was initially considered a flop before later gaining recognition.
That album’s lifespan in particular is one Bishop hopes “Generational Curse” might one day emulate, but for now, he’s focused on the journey, keeping in mind that “what’s for me is for me.”
“Nothing that you can do can stop me from getting what’s for me,” he explained. “So why hate on a motherf— when I feel like that?”