Ice Baby and Buggy are two brothers from Staten Island, New York, and are better known as the G4 Boyz. Their journey into music began with the release of their debut single, "Bricks," back in 2013. Establishing their sound of 'scam rap', the two Drill artists entered the scene with their unique style to the genre.
Since their arrival, they've had success with songs such as "Patek Phillipe", which was the first hit the duo had and helped establish their presence on the NY Drill scene. As well as "Local Scammer which saw them team up with the UK's G4 Choppa.
The duo's journey into music was always bound to happen, given their heritage from Ghana and Nigeria, which came from both their parents. The two spent time on the continent, gaining an appreciation and knowledge of the musical sounds that originated from West Africa. As brothers, they spent their time creating content online, not really thinking much about their musical careers. The encouragement from others around them led them to experiment, and they began filming videos and sharing their content online, which eventually became a way for them to express themselves and share their experiences as African Americans growing up in their particular environment.
A decade after arriving on the scene, their entire ethos is rooted in authenticity and not trying to be something they are not. "When it comes to drill, it tends to be heavily rooted in the violence of it all, but for us, that wasn't what we wanted it to be about. We want to discuss what's truly happening in the real world, in our culture." Ice Baby shares with me what defines 'scam rap' and how it is recognised as its distinct sound.
Speaking to both Ice Baby and Buggy with the successes they have had in their music and other creative endevoers that have included fashion and film, the two are all about lifting their culture and empowering what it means to who they are and how they have been able to navigate their careers and still maintain their authenticity as players in the New York Drill scene.
So first of all, how did you guys start making music together, and what was the initial idea that sparked this music project?
Ice Baby: So, we've always been into music because of our Nigerian and Ghanaian culture. My mom, dad, uncle and our older brother are playing music around us. It was just something that naturally came to us, allowing us to do music. What we always wanted to represent when we were making music was to incorporate what was happening in our lives and what we were hearing at the time. So, when we came, we always came as the representative of being Africans born in America and the experience of being Africans raised in America and not being accepted. So, music was our comfort, allowing us to express how we felt during difficult times.
How did the process of making music together begin for the two of you, and did it become something you wanted to do together?
Buggy: For us, we've always been multi-talented. Even though we were born in New York, my mother sent us to Africa when we were very young because she wanted us to learn about our culture and roots and have that grounding. We first started vlogging together and were sharing what we had going on; then, people started telling us we should try our hand at music. So naturally, we started doing our thing.
With coining your sound as 'scam rap', how did you come to develop and create what that would be?
Ice Baby: When it comes from us, it stems from our culture; it comes from hearing Fela and other legendary artists we grew up with. It's the vibe, the energy, and being competitive. As Nigerians and Ghanaians, we have always been competitive, whether in sports, academics, or fashion. We don't follow other people's movements; we are trendsetters, setting the tone for what we want to do. When it comes to drill, it tends to be heavily rooted in the violence of it all, but for us, that wasn't what we wanted it to be about. We want to discuss what's truly happening in the real world, in our culture, and in American culture. What we do is speak about empowering our people; it stems from our experiences, and that's why we've developed this new sound.
Getting from that point to where you are now, what does that look like for the two of you, and how has your sound grown from the first single up until now?
Ice Baby: Our music is still a fresh sound that the industry is not yet accustomed to. Therefore, it's challenging to put us in certain situations because they're accustomed to presenting themselves in a certain way and discussing specific topics. So, when we start speaking about what we speak about, it sounds so different to what people expect. And the reality is that the content we discuss, when compared to the current content out there, as we grow, we're working with new sounds and new energy. As you can see, there is a distinct difference between "Patek Philippe" and a "Local Scammer". One thing about my brother is that we have always found ways to make our sound fresh and new every single time we're about to roll out something new, which is what's coming next.
Having released your last album, Glitch Boyz, last year, what would you say has changed in that time, and what can you tell us about the music you're making now?
Buggy: So, with our sounds, what happens is that a lot of people on the internet start to steal them and take from them. We're always finding new ways to deliver the music in different ways. Right now, I can't tell you what that sounds like because if I tell you the source, people will be ready for the taking. So you have to wait and see how we do it. But know that we're cooking up a brand-new sound, and people will enjoy and have fun with it. We strive to create music that people can relate to while also having fun with it because life is hard. We aim to create something that brings people joy and makes them feel good. We have just returned from Nigeria and Ghana, so we worked with many new people. We can't say who yet, but know that the sounds are sounding, and the vibe is vibing.
Without revealing too much or saying too much, where do you feel your particular sound is going?
Our sound? It's evolving — but it's still G4 to the core. Drill, trap, afro-fusion — we blend it all. We possess that lifestyle energy, but we also bring substance. Expect more cultural flavour, more global sounds, and more melodies, but still raw. We are not chasing trends. We are setting them. Expect the unexpected, as we have some spiritual tracks coming too—same flex, but with deeper layers. Chop life, praise God, and count blessings. Simple.
You also have creative interests that you pursue outside of music, and fashion is a significant part of how you represent yourselves. So, how does that come to be a part of your creative identity?
Buddy: As my brother said before, we don't follow trends because, because of our trauma of coming from a culture where people make fun of us, we don't want to be like everybody else. Growing up, Prada was a brand that always felt like it represented what it meant to have wealth and status. There was a time when everyone was wearing Prada, but then it was phased out, and people transitioned to newer brands. We just started wearing Prada all over again, and there was a silhouette called American Cups that they no longer make. However, we started wearing it again, and we began to go viral on the internet for doing so, to the point that Prada brought it back. And so, for us, it wasn't even about the fact that we were wearing Prada again. Still, more importantly, we were able to establish that we could afford it. We were able to express ourselves in that way; we take that very seriously when it comes to how we dress and how we look; because of our personal PTSD of people making fun of Africans, we always tell ourselves we're going to dress nicely no matter what that's and why we so into fashion now.
Ice Baby: As far as fashion and style, we take fashion very seriously. For me, with Prada, it was more about the cut, the look, and the silhouette; it was different from everybody else because it puts you in elite status. I always wanted to be represented because of the trauma of being disrespected, and we had to fight back. For us, fashion and how we dressed were ways we could express ourselves and move past some of the things we went through. We have to do everything differently, and that helps us in our music because we represent a whole type of way. People do Dior, they do Gucci, but Prada makes us feel something. I feel connected to it.
What is next for you both?
Buggy: Currently, we're focusing on expanding this movement globally. G4ChopLife season never stops — we have new heat loading, more anthems, and more sauce. We've been cooking up heavy, stacking unreleased tracks and lining up collaborations with some big names from the UK to Lagos. We're looking to shake up the summer with some international bangers. You already know the vibes — more money talk, more inspiration talk, but still.
