How SCYTHE GANG 666 just joined a rare group of artists with their new music video “ICE CREAM SONG”
Welcome back to ROX-TV. Tonight we will be briefly discussing the new video by Scythe Gang 666. The banger is called “ICE CREAM SONG” and although some people might not be aware of it, they have joined an interesting group of artists with the release of their latest and greatest video. The new video by the wicked gang from Seattle just dropped on April 9th, featuring a rad Ice Cream Truck. The legacy of Ice Cream Trucks in videos oddly enough is often flanked by success. The trucks have shown up in music from different genres, but no matter where they appear, its usually followed by a streak of good fortune. Are these Ice Cream Trucks lucky? Do they contain some extra magic that gets people excited? Maybe. Lets take a look at some of the most memorable Ice Cream Truck moments in recent music video history. Oh yeah and if anyone asks…MAEZI plays LEAD GUITAR. I made the mistake of putting Maezi down for “just guitar” and it technically was not accurate. My bad. They are a rad bunch of cats. I wish them well with their new video.
#1 “Today” by Smashing Pumpkins, off the “Siamese Dream” release (September 30th, 1993)
I was thirteen when this album dropped. I do remember the video specifically for the use of an Ice Cream Truck. It was a weird thing at the time and the Smashing Pumpkins were drifting into heavy space, where they were about to explode. Billy Corgan, the lead singer of the band had been going through a “suicidal” phase, after the release of their first studio album “Gish” in 1991. Some people believed that the Smashing Pumpkins would become the next big answer to Nirvana, but trouble was on the rise. The drummer was struggling with addiction issues, and the other two members of the band, who had been romantically linked broke up (James I’ha and D’arcy Wretzky). During the midst of these issues, the band forged on and went to the studio. The song “Today” was the first track that Billy wrote for Siamese Dream.
After the album was recorded, they shot a video for the song “Today”. Billy Corgan apparently had recalled an incident in which an ice cream truck driver had quit in his old neighborhood as a kid. After quitting the disgruntled Ice Cream dealer gave all the gear away. Whatever the motivations, the video became a hit on MTV and shot the band into the mainstream conversation. In the video Corgan drives around in an Ice Cream truck, before picking up James I’ha, and eventually gets booted from the truck after mucking about. To date there is almost forty two million views on YouTube.
#2 “Ice Cream Man” by Dru Down featuring the Luniz off the “Explicit Game” album (1994)
This was an underground hit for the Oakland California rapper Dru Down, who was making moves in the early nineties. Born on September 14th, 1969 Danyel Robinson would take on the performing name of “Dru Down”. He had a string of minor league hits and worked with some very big names in the nineties including 2Pac, E-40, The Luniz, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Spice-1. The Ice Cream truck is featured throughout the video and is sitting on some fine rims. This video has around four hundred thousand views on YouTube currently.
#3 “Ice Cream” by Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan featuring Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Cappadonna (Only Built 4 Cuban Linx released August 1st, 1995)
I was fifteen when this album dropped. It was at a time when Wu-Tang Clan was on fire all around the country. This was Raekwon’s first solo album and it was one that I purchased. It was a great album and I remember seeing the Ice Cream video on BET Rap City after school on channel 41. The Wu-Tang guys were dropping hits left and right, and their success was almost unbelievable. I remember “Can it be all so simple” being a banger as well, among other tracks off this album. “Incarcerated Scarfaces” is my favorite though. The “Ice Cream” song by Raekwon clocks in at 18 million views on YouTube.
The video for “Ice Cream” featured a fly ass Ice Cream truck with a shit load of lovely ladies wearing the famous “flavors” Wu-shirts that females were buying back then. I believe I brought my girlfriend one. Wu-Tang and the members were conquering the country during this time.
#4 “Bangarang” by Skrillex featuring Sirah (released in 2011)
The Ice Cream Truck plays a big part of this video and is a precursor to hitting an armored truck down the road. This song is fucking insane and the world has responded in a big way. To date there is almost a billion views on YouTube. Is that possible? Like one in every seven people in the world have checked it out? Maybe. Perhaps its like a million people that keep coming back. Who knows? But the Ice Cream Truck does bring a smile to my face. The hapless driver reminds me of a fat cop that used to chase me around my old neighborhood. Rolling Stone would name this album #14, on the all time greatest EDM (Electric Dance Music) releases. I think its hard to argue against that, with the numbers it has put up.
#5 Montana Of 300 “Ice Cream Truck” (dropped in 2014)
Although the only actual visual of an “Ice Cream Truck” appears at three minutes and fifty seconds, and only as a still shot, it still counts as a video with an Ice Cream Truck as far as I’m concerned. Montana of 300’s real name is Walter Anthony “Tony” Bradford and he hails from Chicago. His debut album “Fire in the church” was released on May 20th, 2016. This is another example of the luck of the truck. The YouTube count on this video is right around 45 million views.
#6 “Mr. Ice Cream Man” by Master P (released in 1996 on No Limit Records)
Although the Ice Cream Truck may have looked a little unconventional, the fact of the matter is that Master P was pushing cones out of the ride. I don’t believe there is a universal definition for “Ice Cream Truck” other than a truck that sells Ice Cream. At least that’s how I understand it. Master P is seen moving his gear 39 seconds into the song and a fly chick is working on a cone at 1 minute and 58 seconds in, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s an Ice Cream Truck.
I tried to see Master P in 1998 at the Pontiac Silverdome, and when I attended the show, I got caught in a full scale riot about fifteen minutes into the show. I was on the main floor when the a very large and volatile fight exploded a few rows in front of me. We were pretty close to the stage and almost got crushed as people stampeded to safety. The Pontiac Police marched into the event in full riot gear and started shoving people to the exits with billy clubs. It was a pretty interesting concert and although it cost almost $55 dollars a ticket, I only saw a few minutes. Refunds were offered but only if you gave up your ticket stub, that proved you were there. I saved mine, because I wanted proof that I was there on that crazy day. Rap concerts were banned at the Pontiac Silverdome shortly after and eventually made national news. MTV ran a few stories on it. Whatever. I was there and although it wasn’t the last riot I would be in, it certainly left an impression. (I was also in the Juggalo riot at the first Gathering in Novi. I was in another riot at the 666 festival on 6/6/2006 in Hell Michigan, where ten thousand people got out of hand. By 11pm, three thousand people were left and the fires and bottle throwing began, which nearly resulted in the burning down of the church and Damned Site Inn bar nearby, but that is for another time)
Thanks for tuning into the the Ice Cream Song/Ice Cream Truck saga. Please keep coming back to the ROX-TV website for different perspectives on things we find interesting. Shout out to Scythe Gang 666. Congrats again for the new video. Until next time….
Signing Off,
Mike Shepard
ROX-TV Head Writer
shepard2909@hotmail.com
kidvicious810 on IG
Check out the ROX-TV Exclusive Interview with Scythe Gang 666
