Musician, actor and author Ice-T will take the stage and talk to students at 7:30 p.m. April 16 at Texas Hall for UTA’s Maverick Speakers Series.
Admission is free for students, staff and retirees when using a UTA email address to purchase online. General admission tickets are available for $5.
The hip hop emcee will reflect on his journey and share insights about the challenges he’s faced in his Overcoming Adversity: From the Streets to Stardom speech.
“The main thing I try to tell people is that there’s no simple route to what they consider success,” he said. “There’s been ups and downs, there’s been mishaps, there’s been moments when we thought it was all over.”
Ice-T took his hardships and channeled them to become rap music’s original gangster. He is a pioneering figure with notable roles in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and his directorial debut with Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap.
His journey is not one of extraordinary talent but of hard work and perseverance. He said he wants Mavericks to know that he is a normal person who’s encountered walls and someone who’s faced setbacks and learned from them — encouraging others to do the same.
Ice-T said being a Black man has deeply influenced his work and life. It is an inherent part of who he is, and it’s something that’s unique and can’t be changed. While being Black comes with challenges, it has also contributed to his strength.
“If you’re Black, you’re going to have to work twice as hard, but therefore, you claim you’re twice as strong,” he said.
The artist is using his platform to inspire youth through lectures at prisons, schools and libraries.
@taylor._.sansom
