Ice MC

Biography

Ian Colin Campbell (born 22 March 1965), better known as Ice MC, is a British rapper who started his professional music career in Italy, when he got a record deal signing to record producer and singer Savage and released his debut single "Easy" in 1989. He's best known for the Eurodance 1990s hit singles "Take Away the Colour×Take Away The Colour1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Take Away the Colour (radio mix)3:282Take Away the Colour (HF mix)6:443Take Away the Colour (V.C.F. mix)5:09", "Think About the Way×Think About the Way18 March 1994 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Think About the Way (radio mix)4:162Think About the Way (Noche de Luna mix)6:223Think About the Way (Pumped Up with Girl)5:584Think About the Way (Luv Dup remix)7:105Think About the Way (Doop Dibby dub mix)3:206Think About the Way (Pumped Up club mix)5:547Think About the Way (a cappella)4:16" and "It's a Rainy Day×It's a Rainy Day25 November 1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1It's a Rainy Day (radio version)4:152It's a Rainy Day (Euro club mix)6:563It's a Rainy Day (Happy Man mix)6:344It's a Rainy Day (Eh Eh mix)5:185It's a Rainy Day (New extended remix)6:376It's a Rainy Day (Ferrari remix)5:487It's a Rainy Day (Mad Sun remix)5:23". Ice MC singles are most notable for being the first Eurodance songs to blend raggamuffin rapping style with female singing choruses. Zanetti's music team produced Ice MC hits while also producing songs for other major Italian artists of the same decade, like Double You, Alexia, and Corona.

Early life

Ian Colin Campbell was born on 22 March 1965 in Nottingham, England, to Jamaican immigrant parents. He grew up in the Hyson Green area of Nottingham. During high school, he earned the nickname "Ice" from his initials "IC," which later evolved into "Ice MC" (meaning Master of Ceremonies). After leaving school, Campbell became interested in breakdancing and clubs. In 1983, he joined a breakdancing group and toured Europe with them, marking his early involvement in the performing arts before transitioning to music.

The first albums

In 1989 in Italy, Ice MC met singer and artist Roberto Zanetti (also as composer known as Savage and producer as Robyx). Their first single called "Easy", made in a hip house style, came out in 1989. It became successful all over Europe, reaching the top 5 in Italy and the top 3 in Germany. The two next singles, "Cinema×Cinema19 March 1990 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Cinema3:452Scream4:063Peace3:514Gone With the Wind4:475Dolce Vita3:556Easy3:477I'm Sad4:078OK Corral3:319Rock Your Body4:2910Laika4:06" and "Scream×Scream1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Scream (Zombie extended remix)6:552Scream (The Single)4:063Scream (The Overture)2:28", and the subsequent debut album, Cinema (released later in 1990), were also successful. In 1992 his second LP, My World×My World1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1People4:202Happy Weekend3:203Rainy Days3:264Prayer4:235Italiano Ragga3:416People (dub reprise)1:007Don't Forget Me3:118Baby3:239Funkin' With You3:1610I Love You4:2411I Go Crazy4:20, came out but failed to achieve the success of its predecessor.

The most successful hits

His third album, Ice'n'Green, was released in 1994 and featured Alexia on vocals. Three of his most successful songs, "Think about the Way×Think About the Way18 March 1994 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Think About the Way (radio mix)4:162Think About the Way (Noche de Luna mix)6:223Think About the Way (Pumped Up with Girl)5:584Think About the Way (Luv Dup remix)7:105Think About the Way (Doop Dibby dub mix)3:206Think About the Way (Pumped Up club mix)5:547Think About the Way (a cappella)4:16", "It's a Rainy Day×It's a Rainy Day25 November 1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1It's a Rainy Day (radio version)4:152It's a Rainy Day (Euro club mix)6:563It's a Rainy Day (Happy Man mix)6:344It's a Rainy Day (Eh Eh mix)5:185It's a Rainy Day (New extended remix)6:376It's a Rainy Day (Ferrari remix)5:487It's a Rainy Day (Mad Sun remix)5:23" and "Take Away the Colour×Take Away The Colour1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Take Away the Colour (radio mix)3:282Take Away the Colour (HF mix)6:443Take Away the Colour (V.C.F. mix)5:09", made the charts all over the world. For the third album Ice MC adopted an all new dreadlocks look and used Jamaican style rap, known as raggamuffin. The album was also released in the US, where the two biggest singles saw substantial club play and moderate dance music radio airplay. In 1995, Ice'n'Green – The Remix Album was released. This contained various remixes of previous hit singles.

Collaboration with Masterboy

In 1996, Ice MC decided to leave Zanetti and Alexia due to some disagreements. Shortly after that a new album, Dreadatour×Dreadatour1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Give Me the Light3:522New Style 20003:513The Vibe4:444Skit No. 1 Landlady0:175Music for Money4:176In the Sun3:267Freaky Flow3:328Skit No. 2 Tarzan0:179Tarzan5:1610Never Stop Believing4:1411Skit No. 3 Supermarket0:2212Tell Me5:1713Anything Can Happen3:3114Double or Quits4:1115It's Up to You3:4216On the Scene3:4117Nothing but Time4:1718Skit No. 4 Outro Plane to Catch0:29, (produced by Masterboy producer Enrico Zabler) was released. The hit from the album was "Give Me the Light×Give Me the Light6 May 1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Give Me the Light (Chico y Chico 7" Latino remix)3:412Give Me the Light (Chico y Chico Latino club remix)5:403Give Me the Light (Brain Progressive Summer mix)4:564Give Me the Light (Unit mix)4:28", the second Single-Release from "Dreadatour" was "Music For Money×Music for Money9 September 1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Music for Money (single version)3:272Music for Money (radio cut)3:233Music for Money (maxi club mix)5:404Music for Money (Static mix)5:335Music for Money (Maxi MB Melow mix)5:33" also produced by Enrico Zabler from Masterboy also the Album-Tracks "Never Stop Believing" and "It's Up To You". The Album "Dreadatour" itself was not a commercial success.

Since 2002

At the end of 2002, he decided to return to Italy and to contact Roberto Zanetti again. Together they started writing some new material and, at the beginning of 2004, they began recording a new album, Cold Skool×Cold Skool19 April 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Ice Is Great (skit)2So Excited3My World4China China5Angel6Wake Up7Ordinary Day8Music in My Ear9It's a Miracle10Ice MC's Shoes (skit)11Miss You So12Elastica13Big Hummer14Nothing to Say15Never Be Over16Lady Marianne17Crazy December18I've Got This Music (skit).
In 2012 a new single "Out Tonight" featuring Giulia Gal was released and in 2013 the new remixes by Enfortro & Dirty Disciples were released.
In 2017, the single featuring Nico Heinz and Max Kuhn including an official video were released.
In February 2024, he was selected alongside DJ Jad, Wlady and Corona to compete in the final of Una voce per San Marino 2024, the Sammarinese national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

Singles

Other singles:

1997: "Bebop the Night" (original soundtrack "Wilde Zeiten")
1997: "Energy" (original soundtrack "Wilde Zeiten")
1998: "Busy Body" (unreleased single produced by Gary Jones, one of the co-producers of E-Rotic)
2013: "Out Tonight (Enfortro vs. Dirty Principle Edit)"
2017: "Do the Dip" (feat. Nico Heinz & Max Kuhn)