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Ice E-J was a pioneer of early gangster rap and the inspiration for later hip-hop stars Ice T, Ice Cube, LL Cool J and Jay-Z.

From his debut release in 1982, E-J gained a modest following, but little commercial success. In a bid to boost record sales, in 1986, he arranged to be shot dead in a dispute over turf at a local garden centre. Whilst this PR stunt did not spark the anticipated renown that it would later bring the likes of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, E-J is still regarded as the architect of this innovative marketing strategy. This, and other examples of EJ's commercial savvy, have earned him recognition as the first rapper to ostensibly value business acumen as much as creative talent 🔗 . As such, despite lacking personal success, E-J is often considered the template for the modern-day rapper-cum-business mogul, as epitomised today by P Diddy (aka Puff Daddy, aka Sean Maguire) 🔗 .

In recent years, the advent of music streaming has led to renewed interest in E‑J's output. Carrying into hip-hop a trend originated in folk music by similarly‑deceased artists Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Eva Cassidy, his music has steadily found a substantial new audience.

This rediscovery of E-J's canon has brought long-awaited critical acclaim 🔗 . Most such plaudits focus on E-J's seminal single, "F**k Yo B***h Yo P**sy-a** ****as", for which, in 2025, he posthumously received an Ivor Novello Award.