Rap’s Ice-T is setting the record straight about his longtime friendship with hip-hop mogul JAŸ-Z and the history behind “99 Problems” that began through rapper Big Daddy Kane.
The hip-hop legend shared a photo with JAŸ-Z from the Grammys on Sunday (Sept. 27). In the caption, the Law & Order: SVU actor recalled meeting the Brooklyn rapper before his rise to global fame.
“I met Jay Z way back,” he wrote. “When ‘Big Daddy Kane’ brought him by my house in LA. We’ve always been cool.”
Big Daddy Kane played an important role in JAŸ-Z’s early career. JAŸ-Z toured with Kane before establishing himself as one of hip-hop’s biggest stars.
Ice also addressed Jay-Z’s “99 Problems,” which appeared on his 2003 album The Black Album. The track reworked the concept from Ice-T’s 1993 song of the same name.
“And YES, he remade ‘99 Problems,’ but there was never any Beef or bad Business,” Ice-T wrote.
Hip-Hop Legend Ice-T Remembers Meeting JAŸ-Z For The First Time In L.A. With Big Daddy Kane
Ice-T’s original “99 Problems” appeared on his album Home Invasion. The song featured Brother Marquis of 2 Live Crew and centered on sexual relationships.
JAŸ-Z and producer Rick Rubin later transformed the concept. Their version focused on police harassment, racial profiling and the pressures surrounding Jay-Z’s life.
The song became one of JAŸ-Z’s signature records. It also sparked questions about the relationship between the two rappers.
Ice-T has previously discussed the subject, including an encounter with Jay-Z at the 2023 Grammys. Jay-Z reportedly approached him after seeing online claims that Ice-T was upset about the remake.
Ice-T said there was no beef between them. He also previously acknowledged that Jay-Z could have given him a shout-out.
Fans responded to Ice’s latest post by celebrating the connection between the rappers. One commenter declared the Home Invasion version the only “99 Problems” that matters.
Another praised the history involving Ice-T, Jay-Z, and Big Daddy Kane.
Ice’s post reinforces that the song’s legacy is rooted in hip-hop influence rather than rivalry. For him, Jay-Z’s remake remains part of their shared rap history.
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