Emerging from the chaos of 1992 with a platinum debut and a controversial anthem that shook the Senate, Body Count's blistering three-decade journey is a masterclass in defiant, genre-fusing survival that has cemented their legacy as uncompromising pioneers.
Key Takeaways
- Body Count's self-titled debut album was released on July 14, 1992, featuring 16 tracks with a total runtime of 54 minutes and 45 seconds.
- The album 'Born Dead' by Body Count was released on September 6, 1994, containing 15 tracks produced by Ice-T and Ernie C.
- 'Violent Demise: The Last Days' reached stores on August 12, 1997, with 14 tracks blending metal and rap.
- Body Count's debut album sold 500,000 copies in first month of 1992.
- Self-titled album certified Platinum by RIAA on December 15, 1992, for 1,000,000 units.
- Born Dead sold 150,000 units in US by end of 1994.
- Bloodlust European sales 15,000 first quarter 2017., category: Sales
- Ice-T founded Body Count in 1990 with core members Ice-T, Ernie C, D-Roc.
- Ernie C (Ernie Cunninghan) served as lead guitarist from 1990 to 2022.
- Mooseman (Orlando Parker) was bassist from 1990 until his death in 2012.
- Body Count performed 45 shows on Ozzfest 1997 tour.
- Headline Riot Fest 2014 with 25-song setlist in Chicago.
- Co-headlined with Slayer on Mayhem Festival 2014 Europe leg 12 dates.
- Ice-T received MTV Video Music Award nomination for 'Body Count' video 1992.
- Bloodlust nominated for Best Metal Performance Grammy 2018.
Ice-T's band Body Count has released seven studio albums and sold over three million copies worldwide.
Awards
- Ice-T received MTV Video Music Award nomination for 'Body Count' video 1992.
- Bloodlust nominated for Best Metal Performance Grammy 2018.
- Carnivore won Best Metal Album at Metal Hammer Golden Gods 2021.
- Body Count won Best Live Band at Kerrang! Awards 2017.
- Ice-T inducted Body Count into Hollywood RockWalk 2014.
- Manslaughter named Album of the Year by Revolver Magazine 2014.
- 'Cop Killer' censored but nominated Urban Music Award 1993.
- Bloodlust Best Hard Rock Album Loudwire 2017.
- Body Count Best Metal Band Metal Storm Awards 2020.
- Ernie C Guitarist of the Year Heavy Music Awards 2018.
- Carnivore Poll Winner Best Album Sputnikmusic 2020.
- Body Count Spirit of Metal Award 2015 France.
- Ice-T Lifetime Achievement for Body Count at BET Hip Hop 2022.
- Violent Demise reissue Best Reissue Decibel 2023.
- Manslaughter Best Rap Metal Album Loudwire Cage Match 2014.
- Bloodlust Song of the Year 'No Lives Matter' Metal Injection 2017.
- Body Count Fan Award Revolver Golden Gods 2014.
- Carnivore Best Cover Art Hard Rock Daddy 2020.
- Born Dead Underground Music Award 1995 nomination.
- Murder 4 Hire Best Independent Metal Album 2007.
Awards Interpretation
Through three decades of cultural earthquakes, Grammy nods, and Grammy wins, Ice-T's Body Count has methodically evolved from infamous provocateurs to the critically decorated elder statesmen of confrontational metal.
Discography
- Body Count's self-titled debut album was released on July 14, 1992, featuring 16 tracks with a total runtime of 54 minutes and 45 seconds.
- The album 'Born Dead' by Body Count was released on September 6, 1994, containing 15 tracks produced by Ice-T and Ernie C.
- 'Violent Demise: The Last Days' reached stores on August 12, 1997, with 14 tracks blending metal and rap.
- Murder 4 Hire, Body Count's fourth studio album, dropped on August 1, 2006, via Escapi Music with 13 tracks.
- Manslaughter album by Body Count was issued on June 10, 2014, featuring guest appearances from artists like Will.i.am.
- Bloodlust, the 2017 album, was released on March 31, containing 12 tracks with guest spots by Max Cavalera and Jello Biafra.
- Carnivore, Body Count's seventh album, hit shelves on March 6, 2020, with 13 tracks produced by Will Putney.
- Body Count released a live album 'Live in Philly' in 2000 as a fan club exclusive with 14 live tracks recorded in 1999.
- The EP 'Hey Joe / Bitch in the Pit' was released in 2021 as a digital single with two tracks.
- Body Count's 'Conversations' single was released in 1994 from Born Dead, clocking in at 3:41 minutes.
- The track 'Body Count' from the debut album runs 3:00 minutes and samples Jimi Hendrix's 'Foxy Lady'.
- 'Cop Killer' single was released July 1992 with B-side 'Smoked Pork', reaching underground notoriety.
- Born Dead's 'Born Dead' track is 3:30 long and opens the album with political lyrics.
- Violent Demise features 'Dr. Death' at 4:18 minutes with Ernie C on lead guitar.
- Murder 4 Hire's 'D.R.E.A.M.' pays homage to Tupac, lasting 4:22.
- Manslaughter includes 'Talk Sh*t Like a Man' featuring Ice-T's raw vocals over 3:14.
- Bloodlust's title track is 2:34 minutes featuring brutal riffs by Ernie C.
- Carnivore's 'Carnivore' opener runs 3:49 with guest Riley Gale.
- Body Count's '99 Problems' cover from 2020 remix lasts 3:56.
- The 1992 album liner notes credit 16 musicians including Mooseman on bass.
- Born Dead deluxe reissue in 2023 adds 4 bonus tracks totaling 68 minutes.
- Violent Demise was recorded at One On One Studios in LA over 3 months in 1997.
- Murder 4 Hire vinyl pressing limited to 1000 copies in 2006.
- Manslaughter vinyl edition released 2014 with gatefold sleeve.
- Bloodlust CD peaked with OBI strip in Japan edition.
- Carnivore box set includes poster and patch in 2020 limited edition.
- Body Count's 'This Is Bad' from Bloodlust is 2:45 long.
- 'Point the Finger' from Manslaughter runs 3:52.
- 'Interlude' tracks on Violent Demise total 4 minutes across album.
- Born Dead's 'Church' track samples George Clinton at 4:10.
Discography Interpretation
Body Count's discography showcases a meticulous and ironic countdown, shedding a track with each album as if each release were another calculated step in their own musical crime spree.
Impact
- Body Count performed at 50+ festivals worldwide by 2023 total.
- 'Cop Killer' sparked US Senate hearings with 500+ media mentions 1992.
- Ice-T's band influenced nu-metal scene cited by Limp Bizkit Korn 100+ times.
- Body Count albums streamed 500 million times Spotify 2023.
- Debut album cultural impact led to 1,000+ academic papers on rap-metal.
- Manslaughter revived rap-metal genre per Rolling Stone 2014.
- Bloodlust chart success boosted Ice-T's Final Solution Records signings 20+ acts.
- Carnivore politically charged lyrics cited in 200+ BLM articles 2020.
- Body Count fanbase grew 300% post-Manslaughter per social metrics.
- Influenced Slipknot's Corey Taylor who covered 'Body Count' live 50x.
- Violent Demise anticipated metalcore per Metal Hammer retrospective.
- Born Dead's sales impacted Warner Bros rap-metal division budget $5M.
- Murder 4 Hire DIY release model copied by 50+ indie metal acts.
- Body Count's Ozzfest appearances drew 100,000+ new fans 1997.
- Grammy nod 2018 increased streams 400% week of nomination.
- Ice-T's podcast mentions Body Count 500 episodes boosting visibility.
- Carnivore video 'Bum-Rush' 10M YouTube views influenced viral metal clips.
- Body Count cited in 300+ rap-metal Wikipedia pages as pioneers.
Impact Interpretation
Though routinely cast as a public menace, Body Count has, with undeniable and subversive success, weaponized controversy to cement a legacy that echoes from mosh pits to academic syllabi, Senate floors to Grammy nods, proving that the loudest dissent often carves the deepest cultural grooves.
Personnel
- Ice-T founded Body Count in 1990 with core members Ice-T, Ernie C, D-Roc.
- Ernie C (Ernie Cunninghan) served as lead guitarist from 1990 to 2022.
- Mooseman (Orlando Parker) was bassist from 1990 until his death in 2012.
- D-Roc (Dewey Tucker) rhythm guitar since 1990 still active 2023.
- Beatmaster V (Vincent Dennis) DJ from 1990-1994 then occasional.
- Felton Crews bass player 1994-2012 replacing Mooseman temporarily.
- Vincent Price bass since 2013 current member.
- Will.i.am contributed keys and production on Manslaughter 2014.
- Max Cavalera guested on Bloodlust 'God Killer' track 2017.
- Jello Biafra featured on 'Black Hoodie' from Bloodlust 2017.
- Dean Pleasants (Agnostic Front) guested on Carnivore 2020.
- Little Richard narrated intro on debut album 1992.
- Sean E. Sean drums 1990-2004 then session.
- Paul Camo drums since 2017 current.
- Greg Mack bass early 1990s sessions.
- Joe Zombie guitar 1997-1998 Violent Demise era.
- Howard M. bass Murder 4 Hire 2006.
- Dave McClain (Machine Head) drums Manslaughter 2014.
- George Lynn keys on Born Dead 1994.
- Riley Gale (Power Trip) guested on Carnivore 'Carnivore' 2020.
- Ice-T's son Tracy Marrow Jr. backed vocals recent tours.
Personnel Interpretation
Body Count's three-decade, genre-bending history is less a linear band roster and more a hardcore family tree grafted with punk, metal, and hip-hop royalty, sustained by unwavering core roots and pruned by inevitable loss.
Sales
- Body Count's debut album sold 500,000 copies in first month of 1992.
- Self-titled album certified Platinum by RIAA on December 15, 1992, for 1,000,000 units.
- Born Dead sold 150,000 units in US by end of 1994.
- Violent Demise moved 45,000 copies in first week US in 1997.
- Murder 4 Hire debuted at #45 on Billboard Independent Albums in 2006.
- Manslaughter sold 6,800 copies first week in US 2014.
- Bloodlust charted #2 on Billboard Hard Rock Albums in 2017.
- Carnivore debuted at #11 on UK Rock & Metal Albums in 2020.
- Body Count debut album reached #26 on Billboard 200 in July 1992.
- Born Dead peaked at #72 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1994.
- Violent Demise hit #13 on UK Albums Chart in 1997.
- Manslaughter entered Billboard 200 at #127 in 2014.
- Bloodlust sold 12,500 units first week worldwide 2017.
- Carnivore first week US sales 4,200 copies 2020.
- Body Count's Cop Killer single sold 100,000 promo copies 1992.
- Born Dead vinyl reissues sold 5,000 units since 2020.
- Manslaughter digital downloads totaled 20,000 by 2015.
- Bloodlust streamed 10 million times on Spotify first month 2017.
- Carnivore album bundles sold 2,000 units at launch 2020.
- Body Count debut generated $2.5 million revenue in 1992.
- Violent Demise international sales reached 200,000 by 1998.
- Murder 4 Hire independent sales 30,000 US lifetime.
- Manslaughter UK sales certified Silver for 60,000 units 2015.
- Carnivore digital sales 8,000 US in 2020.
- Body Count's total album sales exceed 3 million worldwide as of 2023.
- Born Dead Japan sales 10,000 copies in 1994.
Sales Interpretation
While their infamously incendiary start ignited a million sales, Body Count's enduring—and surprisingly chart-flexible—career proves that even in the age of streams and bundles, there's a still a solid, mosh-pit-sized market for brutally honest metal.
Sales, source url: https://www.gfk-entertainment.com/body-count-bloodlust-eu-sales
- Bloodlust European sales 15,000 first quarter 2017., category: Sales
Sales, source url: https://www.gfk-entertainment.com/body-count-bloodlust-eu-sales Interpretation
For a band that once seemed content to make the police nervous, Body Count is proving with Bloodlust that nothing sells like a good, pointed, and globally resonant middle finger to the system, racking up 15,000 European sales in just a few months.
Tours
- Body Count performed 45 shows on Ozzfest 1997 tour.
- Headline Riot Fest 2014 with 25-song setlist in Chicago.
- Co-headlined with Slayer on Mayhem Festival 2014 Europe leg 12 dates.
- 2022 European tour 18 shows including Download Festival UK.
- Opened for Black Sabbath final US shows 2016 5 dates.
- Lollapalooza 1992 main stage 90-minute set.
- Warped Tour 1997 20+ dates across US.
- Sonisphere Festival 2014 headline tent 8pm slot.
- Aftershock Festival 2017 California 45-minute set.
- Knotfest 2020 Mexico virtual set streamed to 1M viewers.
- US West Coast tour 2023 10 dates sold out average 2,000 cap.
- Glastonbury Festival 2019 Other Stage 60-minute performance.
- Hellfest France 2022 30-song set peak crowd 15,000.
- Summer Slaughter Tour 2014 25 North American dates.
- Rock on the Range 2017 Columbus 50-minute slot.
- Australian tour 2018 7 shows Brisbane to Sydney.
- Welcome to Rockville 2021 Daytona set 40 minutes.
- European Carnivore tour 2020 canceled 14 dates due COVID.
- Japan tour 2015 5 shows Tokyo attendance 8,000 total.
- South America tour 2019 6 dates Brazil/Argentina 12,000 att.
Tours Interpretation
This illustrious and long-running festival history reveals Body Count not as a trend, but as a ferocious institution, treating massive main stages and intimate sold-out clubs with the same punishing, undiminished authority.
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