The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!
| type = studio
| artist = Ice-T
| cover = TheiceburgIcet.jpg
| alt =
| released = October 10, 1989
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 55:42
| label = Sire
| producer =
- Ice-T
- Afrika Islam
| prev_title = Power
| prev_year = 1988
| next_title = O.G. Original Gangster
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{Singles
| name = The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say
| type = Studio
| single1 = Lethal Weapon
| single1date = 1989
| single2 = What Ya Wanna Do
| single2date = 1989
| single3 = You Played Yourself
| single3date = April 5, 1990
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|last=Henderson|first=Alex|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-iceberg-freedom-of-speech-just-watch-what-you-say-mw0000202127|title=The Iceberg: Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say – Ice-T|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=July 29, 2015}}
| rev2 = Chicago Tribune
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news|last=Tanzilo|first=Robert|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-01-11-9001030583-story.html|title=Ice-T: The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech (Sire LP and Warner/Reprise video)|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=January 11, 1990|access-date=August 11, 2016}}
| rev3 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book|last=Relic|first=Peter|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor1-link=Nathan Brackett|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|editor2-link=Christian Hoard|chapter=Ice-T|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|publisher=Simon & Schuster|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/401 401]}}
| rev4 = Spin Alternative Record Guide
| rev4score = 9/10{{cite book|last=Sandow|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Sandow|editor1-last=Weisbard|editor1-first=Eric|editor1-link=Eric Weisbard|editor2-last=Marks|editor2-first=Craig|chapter=Ice-T|title=Spin Alternative Record Guide|title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide|publisher=Vintage Books|year=1995|isbn=0-679-75574-8|pages=190–191}}
| rev5 = The Village Voice
| rev5score = A−{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv1289-89.php|title=Consumer Guide|newspaper=The Village Voice|date=December 26, 1989|access-date=August 11, 2016}}
}}
The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say! is the third studio album by American rapper Ice-T, released on October 10, 1989, by Sire Records. The album has an uncharacteristically gritty sound, featuring some of the darkest tracks that Ice-T ever released.
Background
The album was released after Ice-T was encountering censorship problems on tour. In The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck? the rapper states that "People had already told me what I could not say onstage in Columbus, Georgia. You couldn't say anything they called a 'swear' word. You couldn't touch yourself. They were using the same tactics they used on everyone from Elvis and Jim Morrison to 2 Live Crew".{{cite book |author=Ice-T |author2=Sigmund, Heidi |title=The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck? |year=1994 |publisher=Pan Books |isbn=0-330-33629-0 |page=165 }}
The album's cover, featuring a B-boy with a shotgun shoved in his mouth, and two pistols pressed against each side of his head, reflected Ice-T's experiences with the concept of freedom of speech. "The concept of that picture is, 'Go ahead and say what you want. But here comes the government and here come the parents, and they are ready to destroy you when you open your mouth'".
Accompanying VHS
The album was accompanied by a VHS entitled The Iceberg. This mixed footage of Ice-T's gigs with his own commentary. In the first section, he said that some of the footage was of poor quality because it was filmed on equipment from a pawnbroker or stolen from a mall. The video featured some footage of the Dope Jam tour, including Doug E Fresh, KRS-One and Kool Moe Dee.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| total_length = 55:42
| title1 = Shut Up, Be Happy
| note1 = featuring Jello Biafra
| length1 = 2:36
| title2 = The Iceberg
| length2 = 4:21
| title3 = Lethal Weapon
| length3 = 4:33
| title4 = You Played Yourself
| length4 = 4:14
| title5 = Peel Their Caps Back
| length5 = 3:42
| title6 = The Girl Tried to Kill Me
| length6 = 4:10
| title7 = Black 'n' Decker
| length7 = 1:16
| title8 = Hit the Deck
| length8 = 3:46
| title9 = This One's for Me
| length9 = 4:33
| title10 = The Hunted Child
| length10 = 4:27
| title11 = What Ya Wanna Do?
| note11 = featuring Bronx Style Bob, Donald D, Everlast, Hen Gee, Nat The Cat, Randy Mac, Shakell Shabazz, Toddy Tee, MC Taste, and Divine Styler.
| length11 = 8:57
| title12 = Freedom of Speech
| note12 = featuring Jello Biafra
| length12 = 4:11
| title13 = My Word Is Bond
| length13 = 5:07
}}
Sample credits
- "Shut Up, Be Happy" contains a sample of "Black Sabbath" performed by Black Sabbath.
- "Hit the Deck" contains a sample of "Coonskin No More" performed by Scatman Crothers.Ice-T (1989). "Hit The Deck". The Iceberg/Freedom Of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!. Sire/Warner Bros. Records. UPC 075992602822
- "The Hunted Child" contains a sample of "Bring the Noise" performed by Public Enemy.Ice-T (1989). "The Hunted Child". The Iceberg/Freedom Of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!. Sire/Warner Bros. Records. UPC 075992602822
- "My Word Is Bond" contains a sample of "La Di Da Di" performed by Slick Rick.Ice-T (1989). "My Word Is Bond". The Iceberg/Freedom Of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!. Sire/Warner Bros. Records. UPC 075992602822
= Personnel =
- Afrika Islam - producer, programming (tracks 1, 3–13)
- Arnold Turner - photographer
- Beat Master V - drums (track 6)
- Devious Doze - artwork
- D.J. Evil "E" The Great - scratches
- Ernie C - guitar (track 6, 11)
- Ice-T - main artist, executive producer, producer
- Johnny (Sleepy John) Rivers - programming (track 2)
- Lloyd Roberts - bass (tracks 8, 11)
- Mark Wolfson - engineer mix
- Mary Ann Dibs - design
- Vachik Aghaniawtz - engineer mix
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (1989)
! Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA Charts){{cite Ryan|page=134}}
| 81 |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|37|artist=Ice-T|accessdate=October 23, 2014}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|11|artist=Ice-T|accessdate=October 23, 2014}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Freedom of Speech|artist=Ice-T|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1989}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech...Watch What You Say
|artist=Ice-T|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1989}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Ice-T}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iceberg Freedom Of Speech... Just Watch What You Say!}}