While in high school, Ice-T hung out with the Crips (a notorious L.A. street gang), dealing drugs, pimping, stealing, and living the gang-banging lifestyle which later informed much of his work.

When he found fame and bought a house years later, several decorating magazines ran features on his surprising interior decorating skills. Where, he was asked, had he picked them up? "Yo," he replied, "I done broke into enough houses to know what kind of s--- I wanted when I got a f---in' house."

[His remarks were not published.]