Ice Spice has every reason to be proud of what she’s accomplished early in her career. With a string of hit singles, major collaborations, and sold-out tours, she’s become one of the standout names of the 2020s. Still, her journey hasn’t been without its share of challenges and criticism. The New York drill rapper has had to deal with plenty of negativity along the way.
A lot of that noise has unfortunately been centered around her body, which is disappointing to see. For quite some time, fans expressed sadness and even frustration after noticing her weight loss. Before she focused on fitness and dieting, her supporters — and many admirers online — were captivated by her thick thighs and curvy figure.
Many begged her to return to her previous shape, while others unfairly accused her of taking Ozempic. Watching those conversations unfold online was disheartening, as it clearly showed how inconsistent people can be when it comes to body positivity.
Despite all of that, Ice Spice held her head high and stayed committed to her fitness goals. She deserves a lot of respect for standing by her choices and not letting the criticism get to her.
That said, those who preferred her fuller look were thrilled when she appeared to have regained some of her curves around March of this year.
While addressing those who criticized her changing figure, Ice also admitted she’s happy to have her curves back. In a clip shared by No Jumper, the “Baddie Baddie” rapper posted an Instagram video of herself twerking and wrote, “so happy to be thick asf again.”
The comment section was full of supportive reactions. One person wrote, “I think we are all happy to see you again,” while another added, “My girl had to go back to factory settings [praying hands emoji].”
More than anything, it’s great to see that Ice feels confident, comfortable, and healthy in her own body again.
She even revealed in September that she’s been eating more meat to achieve her current look. “Protein is great for you. I love protein. I try to get a lot of protein in, to be honest. That’s the key to being thick. You can’t be thick without mad protein. I swear.”
In other updates, Ice has been busy in the studio. She recently released “Pretty Privilege” as she gears up for her next album. The track sparked plenty of discussion, especially because some listeners believe it includes a subtle dig at her rival Cardi B. The two have rekindled their feud since the release of AM I THE DRAMA? “She might talk sh*t on the ‘Gram, but she won’t talk it to my face,” Ice raps on the single.
Sharleen Spiteri joined BBC Radio 2’s The Sara Cox Breakfast Show ahead of Texas taking the stage to launch the main live music programme at Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling.
Checking in from rehearsals, the Texas frontwoman spoke about getting ready for the band’s opening performance at City Park. Radio 2’s annual flagship festival takes place there from 11 to 13 September 2026. "I’m match fit because I’ve had a couple of days’ rehearsals," Spiteri said. "We’re kicking the whole weekend off, which we’re very much looking forward to, so everybody’s got to get ready to party."
Before the live acts take over, Friday’s DJ Pre-Party gets the weekend started with Radio 2 favourites Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage, and Rylan behind the decks.
Jo Whiley helped set the mood with a special programme from Stirling’s Tolbooth venue. Working with BBC Introducing Scotland, the broadcast put the spotlight on Scotland’s emerging music scene through performances and conversations with Fright Years, Alice Faye, and James Emmanuel.
Fright Years, a four member band from Edinburgh, played "Never Been Wrong" and offered their take on Simple Minds’ "Waterfront." Glasgow singer and songwriter Alice Faye, the BBC Introducing in Scotland 2026 winner, paired "Some Brief Encounter" with a rendition of Lulu’s arrangement of "I Started a Joke." James Emmanuel, who was born in Nigeria and now lives in Edinburgh, sang "Brothers & Sisters" before taking on Chaka Khan’s "I’m Every Woman."
"We’re all about celebrating BBC Introducing and all the music that’s come out of Scotland," Whiley told listeners. "It's about celebrating the local music scene and the incredibly important work that BBC Introducing does to support independent, up-and-coming artists."
Joining the conversation were Stephanie Cheape, presenter of BBC Introducing in Scotland, Tara McLoughlin, venue manager for Stirling Council, and student radio presenters representing the University of Stirling’s Air3 Radio.
Listeners can catch the complete interviews and live performances from the weekend’s programmes on BBC Sounds.
