Like..? is the debut extended play (EP) by American rapper Ice Spice. It was released on January 20, 2023 through 10K Projects and Capitol Records.[2] Frequent collaborator RiotUSA served as the executive producer for the EP.[3] The EP was preceded by the singles "Munch (Feelin' U)", "Bikini Bottom" and "In Ha Mood". The song "Gangsta Boo", with Lil Tjay, was Ice Spice's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number 82, while "In Ha Mood" went on to peak at number 58 on the chart.

Like..?
A cartoon version of Ice Spice wearing a bikini and thigh-high boots bent over with her head between her knees and her hand covering her crotch.
Standard cover
EP by
ReleasedJanuary 20, 2023 (2023-01-20)
GenreDrill[1]
Length13:08
Label
ProducerRiotUSA (also exec.)
Ice Spice chronology
Like..?
(2023)
Y2K!
(2024)
Singles from Like..?
  1. "Munch (Feelin' U)"
    Released: August 10, 2022
  2. "Bikini Bottom"
    Released: October 28, 2022
  3. "In Ha Mood"
    Released: January 6, 2023
  4. "Princess Diana"
    Released: April 14, 2023

On April 19, 2023, Ice Spice released a bonus edition of Like..?, which featured a remix to "Princess Diana" with Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The remix peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Ice Spice's second top-ten on the chart. A deluxe edition of Like..? was then released on July 21, 2023. The deluxe edition was supported by the single "Deli", which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4]

Music and lyrics

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The EP mainly consists of clipped guitar licks "looped ad nauseam until a smattering of hi-hats and booming bass take over" and distorted vocal samples.[5] On "Princess Diana", Ice Spice addresses her rise to fame. "Gangsta Boo" puts a "drill spin" on Diddy's I Need a Girl (Part Two).[3] "Actin a Smoochie" is "Jersey club rendition" of Tierra Whack's "Cutting Onions" with Ice Spice "bringing colloquial phrases from the Bronx to the front of pop culture".[6] "Deli" is filled with one liners while "How High" features synth-pop sounds.[7]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic69/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [9]
And It Don't StopA−[10]
HipHopDX4.1/5[6]
NME     [5]
Pitchfork7.6/10[11]

Like..? received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received a weighted average score of 69, based on six reviews.[8]

Writing for AllMusic, TiVo Staff states that the "combination of hard drill beats, larger-than-life bravado, and just enough hooks to keep things in the realm of pop all clicked perfectly." He continued his review by noting that the EP "takes steps in the right direction, giving fans something to latch onto." He concluded his review criticizing the weaknesses of the project, writing that "while fun at times, the 13 minutes of music here sounds largely like it's trying to recapture the excitement and effortless appeal of the biggest hit," noting that the project "becomes harder to pay attention to," however stating that it "presents a new artist finding their voice, showing promise in some moments, and losing traction in others."[9] Rebecca Barglowski of HipHopDX wrote that "Ice Spice proves the extent to which she influences pop culture." NME's Thomas Smith describes the project as "such a sharp listen" and states that "longevity feels attainable."[5] Writing for Pitchfork, Heven Haile wrote that "in just six songs, [Ice Spice and RiotUSA] experiments with the past, present, and future of drill." She concluded her review by noting that "Spice;s chilled and cutesy demeanor stands out" and that "her often rudimentary lyrics reflect the brief time she’s had to develop her craft", finishing as she writes that Ice Spice will "give you a nickname that'll require decades of therapy." Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone wrote that "she has a smooth, deep voice that glides over RIOTUSA’s beats, and her chopping delivery feels effortless."[12]

Andrew Sacher of BrooklynVegan found the new songs of the deluxe edition "instantly-satisfying as the original EP".[7] Armon Sadler of Vibe wrote that "they are quality offerings that feed her listeners and continue a run of simply good music."[13]

Year-end lists

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Select year-end rankings of Like..?
Publication List Rank Ref.
Los Angeles Times The 20 Best Albums of 2023
6
The New York Times (Jon Caramanica) Listening Widely, Feeling Deeply
3
Billboard The 50 Best Albums of 2023: Staff List
18
Slant The 50 Best Albums of 2023
21
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2023
32
Rolling Stone The 100 Best Albums of 2023
52

Accolades

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Like..? has won one award.

Award Year Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Gold Derby Music Awards 2024 Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album Ice Spice, RiotUSA, Mario Winans Won [20]

Commercial performance

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Like..? debuted at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 with 15,000 album-equivalent units.[21] The EP later reached a new peak of number 15, as well as at number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart following the release of the "Princess Diana" remix. As of October 9, 2023, Like..? has sold 500,000 units in the United States.

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Ice Spice and RiotUSA, except where noted

Like..? track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."In Ha Mood" RiotUSA2:09
2."Princess Diana" RiotUSA2:34
3."Gangsta Boo" (with Lil Tjay)
  • RiotUSA
  • Winans[a]
2:39
4."Actin a Smoochie" RiotUSA2:13
5."Bikini Bottom" 
  • RiotUSA
  • Ice Spice[c]
1:46
6."Munch (Feelin' U)" 
  • RiotUSA
  • Ice Spice[c]
1:44
Total length:13:08
Like..? – April 2023 re-release
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
3."Princess Diana" (with Nicki Minaj)
RiotUSA2:52
4."Gangsta Boo" (with Lil Tjay)
  • Gaston
  • Merritt
  • Lopez
  • Winans
  • Combs
  • Shropshire
  • Hawkins
  • Romano
  • Jones
  • RiotUSA
  • Winans[a]
2:39
5."Actin a Smoochie" RiotUSA2:13
6."Bikini Bottom" 
  • RiotUSA
  • Ice Spice[c]
1:46
7."Munch (Feelin' U)" 
  • RiotUSA
  • Ice Spice[c]
1:44
Total length:16:01
Like..? – Deluxe edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."How High?" RiotUSA2:10
2."Butterfly Ku" RiotUSA1:52
3."Deli" RiotUSA2:07
4."In Ha Mood" RiotUSA2:09
5."Princess Diana" (with Nicki Minaj)
  • Gaston
  • Maraj
  • RiotUSA
RiotUSA2:52
6."Princess Diana" RiotUSA2:34
7."Gangsta Boo" (with Lil Tjay)
  • Gaston
  • Merritt
  • Lopez
  • Winans
  • Combs
  • Shropshire
  • Hawkins
  • Romano
  • Jones
  • RiotUSA
  • Winans[a]
2:39
8."Actin a Smoochie" RiotUSA2:13
9."Bikini Bottom" 
  • RiotUSA
  • Ice Spice[c]
1:46
10."Munch (Feelin' U)" 
  • RiotUSA
  • Ice Spice[c]
1:44
11."On the Radar"  2:05
Total length:24:15

Notes

Personnel

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  • Ice Spice – rap vocals
  • Dayron Hammond – mixing, engineering
  • Chris Athens – mastering (tracks 1–4, 6)
  • RiotUSA – recording (1–4, 6)
  • Harrison Holmes – mastering assistance (1–4, 6)
  • Lil Tjay – rap vocals (3)
  • Nicki Minaj – rap vocals (7)
  • Colin Leonard – mastering (5)
  • Hafeez Yussuf – recording (5)

Charts

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Release history

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Release dates and formats for Like..?
Region Date Format(s) Edition Label Ref.
Various January 20, 2023 Standard [32]
June 23, 2023 Vinyl LP [33]
July 21, 2023
  • Digital download
  • streaming
Deluxe [34]
October 27, 2023 Vinyl LP [35]

References

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  1. ^ "Ice Spice Is The Chosen One On Debut EP Like..?". Envi. Envi Formation Team. January 23, 2023. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Ice Spice's Like..? Continues Hit Making Streak, Offers Little Variation". emorywheel.com. February 1, 2023. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Zhan, Jennifer (January 20, 2023). "Ice Spice Already Chose to Release Her Debut EP, Like..?". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Mamo, Heran (July 21, 2023). "Ice Spice Drops Deluxe Version of 'Like..?' EP: Stream It Now". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Smith, Thomas (January 20, 2023). "Ice Spice – 'Like…?' review: meme-worthy, hater-baiting New York rap". NME. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Barglowski, Rebecca (January 31, 2023). "ICE SPICE 'LIKE...?' PROVES SHE'S NOT A ONE-HIT WONDER". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Sacher, Andrew (July 21, 2023). "Notable Releases of the Week (7/21)". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Like..? [EP] by Ice Spice". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Staff, TiVo. "Ice Spice – Like..?". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  10. ^ Christgau, Robert (May 10, 2023). "Consumer Guide: May, 2023". And It Don't Stop. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024 – via robertchristgau.com.
  11. ^ Haile, Heven (January 23, 2023). "Ice Spice: Like..? EP Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Reeves, Mosi (January 20, 2023). "Ice Spice Keeps Her Winning Streak Going With 'Like..?'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  13. ^ Sadler, Armon (July 22, 2023). "Nas, Travis Scott, Ice Spice, And More Hip-Hop Releases You Need To Hear!". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 23, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Wood, Mikael (December 6, 2023). "The 20 Best Albums of 2023". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  15. ^ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (November 30, 2023). "Best Albums of 2023". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Scott, Damien (December 6, 2022). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023: Staff List". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  17. ^ Slant Staff (December 7, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Slant. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  18. ^ Lindert, Hattie (December 5, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  19. ^ "The 100 Best Albums of 2023". Rolling Stone. November 30, 2023. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  20. ^ Rosen, Daniel Montgomery,Chris Beachum,Denton Davidson,Marcus James Dixon,Joyce Eng,Ray Richmond,Christopher; Montgomery, Daniel; Beachum, Chris; Davidson, Denton; Dixon, Marcus James; Eng, Joyce; Richmond, Ray; Rosen, Christopher (February 2, 2024). "2024 Gold Derby Music Awards winners: Clean sweep for Taylor Swift". GoldDerby. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Zellner, Xander (January 31, 2023). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Ice Spice Debuts With Lil Tjay Collab 'Gangsta Boo'". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  22. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. October 2, 2023. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  23. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 October 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1752. Australian Recording Industry Association. October 2, 2023. p. 25.
  24. ^ "Ice Spice Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "Lescharts.com – Ice Spice – Like..?". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  26. ^ "2023 7-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. February 17, 2023. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  27. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 31, 2023. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  28. ^ "Ice Spice Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  29. ^ "Ice Spice Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  30. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  31. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  32. ^ "Like..? - EP by Ice Spice". Apple Music. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  33. ^ "Ice Spice - Like..? [LP]". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  34. ^ "Like..? (Deluxe) by Ice Spice". Apple Music. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  35. ^ "Ice Spice - Like..? [Deluxe] [Baby Pink LP]". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.