Body Count (album)
| Body Count | ||||||||||
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| Studio album by Body Count | ||||||||||
| Released | March 31, 1992 | |||||||||
| Recorded | September–December 1991 One-on-One Recorders, Syndicate Studio West (North Hollywood, California) |
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| Genre | ||||||||||
| Length | 52:59 | |||||||||
| Label | Sire/Warner Bros. | |||||||||
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| Body Count chronology | ||||||||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  |
| Chicago Tribune |  |
| Entertainment Weekly | A− |
| Kerrang! | 4/5 |
| Rolling Stone | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 9/10 |
| The Village Voice | A− |
Body Count is the eponymous debut album of American heavy metal band Body Count. Released on March 31, 1992, the album's material focuses on various social and political issues ranging from police brutality to drug abuse. The album presents a turning point in the career of Ice-T, who co-wrote the album's songs with lead guitarist Ernie C and performed as the band's lead singer. Previously known only as a rapper, Ice-T's work with the band helped establish a crossover audience with rock music fans. The album produced one single, "There Goes the Neighborhood".
Body Count is well known for the inclusion of the controversial song "Cop Killer", which was the subject of much criticism from various political figures, although many defended the song on the basis of the group's right to freedom of speech. Ice-T eventually chose to remove the song from the album, although it continues to be performed live. It was voted the 31st best album of the year in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics poll, and is believed to have helped pave the way for the mainstream success of the rap metal genre, although the album itself does not feature rapping in any of its songs.
Ice-T formed Body Count out of this interest. The band comprised musicians Ice-T had known from Crenshaw High School. Ice-T states that "I knew we didn't want to form an R&B group. [...] Where am I gonna get the rage and the anger to attack something with that? [...] We knew Body Count had to be a rock band. The name alone negates the band from being R&B."
Ice-T co-wrote the band's music and lyrics with lead guitarist Ernie C, and took on the duties of lead vocalist. Ice-T states that "I knew I couldn't sing, but then I thought, 'Who can sing in rock 'n' roll?'" Aside from Ice-T and Ernie C, the original line-up consisted of Mooseman on bass, Beatmaster V on drums and D-Roc on rhythm guitar. According to Ice-T, "We named the group Body Count because every Sunday night in L.A., I'd watch the news, and the newscasters would tally up the youths killed in gang homicides that week and then just segue to sports. 'Is that all I am,' I thought, 'a body count?'"
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