Who Are Ice Spice’s Parents? All You Need To Know About Joseph Gaston And Charina Almanzar
The rising rap star, widely known for her tracks such as Deli, Did It First, Think U The Sh*t, and more, has a fascinating background. But who are Ice Spice’s parents? Let’s find out.
Born Isis Naija Gaston, Ice Spice is the daughter of Joseph Gaston and Charina Almanzar. While she was born in The Bronx, New York City, the Gimmie A Light artist grew up with her single mother in the Fordham Road neighborhood.
According to reports, the Name of Love singer attended school while living with her cousins and grandparents, as her parents didn’t have much time to care for her due to their busy schedules.
To learn more about Ice Spice’s dad and mom, keep reading!
Post Ice Spice’s parents’ split
Ice Spice’s parents split when she was young. Still, both Charina Almanzar and Ice Spice’s dad lived in close proximity, while the musician grew up in the Fordham Road neighborhood of the Bronx, New York.
In a video tour by Apple Music, Ice Spice gave fans a glimpse of her childhood neighborhood. In the video, the On The Radar artist pointed out both her mom’s and dad’s homes. She mentioned that she lived with her father and grandmother on one side of Davidson Ave, while her mother, Charina Almanzar, lived just a few steps away on the same block.
Talking about her upbringing, Ice Spice reflected on the diversity of the Bronx, describing it as a borough “full of people from all different backgrounds.” She shared, “I think everyone I’ve ever met is mixed, especially in the Bronx.”
Before moving to New Jersey, Ice Spice split her time between her mother’s and father’s homes, according to PEOPLE.
It was Joseph Gaston, Ice Spice’s dad who inspired her rap career
While the kid has been making waves in the music industry, Ice Spice’s dad, Joseph Gaston too was an underground MC. The Munch (Feelin’ U) rapper had once mentioned to Variety that her father happens to be “such a private person.”
However, while talking to another outlet, back in September 2023, the rapper then also stated that it was Joseph who had influenced her to chase the music.
Talking to Paper Magazine, she stated “He definitely inspired me to want to record.”
The rapper then also recalled the period of her life, when she was in the studio, all the time as a toddler.
The now-famous rapper went on to add that although she doesn’t remember every detail from her past, her introduction to the music and recording studio had “subconsciously” impacted her a lot.
Ice Spice credited her father for becoming the artist that she is today.
Joseph Gaton also inspired her taste in genre
While we all know that it was Ice Spice’s dad who had inspired her to chase music and become an artist, he also is the person who developed her taste as a rapper.
Although Joseph Gaston is a real estate agent today, looking at his past he was a big-time rapper and a fan of artists such as Jadakiss, 50 Cent, and Jay-Z.
As per Variety, Ice Spice had first memorized the song I Get Crazy by Nicki Minaj. Itty Bitty Piggy also happens to be a few of the initial tracks that the In Ha Mood artist had memorized.
Ice Spice’s mom Charina Almanzar, has an influence on her life as well
As per a Billboard interview that was published back in October 2022, Ice Spice’s Dominican mother had shaped her life. “She raised me to be just like her,” the Did It First artist had stated, back then.
Talking more about her mother, Ice Spice then went on to add that she remembers her mom was always looking fresh and amazing. “I was that kid in the class who had the good-looking mom,” the artist who has collaborated with Taylor Swift on the track Karma added.
Charina Almanzar was the one to support Ice Spice always
Charina Almanzar has always been a strong supporter of Ice Spice’s journey in music. According to PEOPLE, since the Gangsta Boo rapper was just four years old, Ice Spice’s mother, Charina, had been documenting her musical progress. As Ice Spice shared with Billboard, her mother still holds a collection of those old videos.
In a conversation with the outlet, Ice Spice recalled how her mother once sent her a video from her early childhood. “I’m singing in the video. And I’ve never seen this video my whole life, I was shocked by that,” she said. Reflecting on her journey, Ice Spice mentioned that although she had been singing since she was four, she didn’t take music seriously at the time.
“I was writing poems and little freestyle raps in my notes throughout all of elementary and high school,” the rapper added.
It wasn’t until she participated in the Buss It challenge during her college years that Ice Spice began gaining attention. After that moment, she realized she needed to take her musical talent seriously, and her rise to fame began.
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