In a cover story interview with ‘Rolling Stone,’ Swift said she admired how Ice Spice was the “driver” of her career

Ice Spice and Taylor Swift in Newark, New Jersey in September 2023. Photo:John Shearer/Getty I

Don’t mess with Ice Spice and Taylor Swift’s friendship.

In a cover story interview with Rolling Stone on Thursday, June 25, the “Deli” rapper (real name Isis Gaston) opened up about how “rude” it is that people think her friendship — and team-up on the “Karma” remix — with the pop megastar was for clout.

“Why would she not want to be my friend?” Ice told the outlet. “Taylor f—s with me. She’s so funny. I think our personalities mesh really well.”

Taylor Swift and Ice Spice performing in New Jersey in May 2023.Kevin Mazur/TAS23/Getty

Ice Spice Plays Coy When Asked if Taylor Swift Will Appear on Her Debut Album: ‘Let’s See’

In the story, the 24-year-old hip-hop star recalled finding out that the “Maroon” singer wanted her to work on the “Karma” remix when she was living in her first apartment in New Jersey.

At the time, Ice’s producer, RiotUSA, was recording her and she received a call from her manager, which she thought would be “bad news” since “he usually texts.”

“He’s like, ‘Taylor Swift has a record for you to get on from her album.’ I’m playing it cool on the phone. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. Super cool.’ And then I hang up the phone and I’m hysterically crying,” the “In Ha Mood.”

Ice continued: “I’m in my walk-in closet, and I’m like, ‘Bro, this is not real life.’ Riot definitely filmed it. That’ll probably be in a documentary one day.”

Ice Spice for ‘Rolling Stone’.Tom Kneller/Rolling Stone

Swift also opened up about what she admired about the rising hip-hop star in the cover story.

“I love when I meet a new artist who takes a keen interest in not just the music, but the music industry and how it works,” she said. “I’ve seen how our industry tries to convince artists that they’re better off just being creative and making music and letting the labels and the management do the rest.”

Swift continued: “Seeing Ice lean into the strategic, financial, and business aspects of her career is really exciting for me. The more artists learn about the inner workings of the music industry, the more power they can have in their creative world. I knew based on the questions she asked and the observations she made that she didn’t just want to be a passenger in her own career. She wanted to be the driver of it.”

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Ice Spice on the cover of ‘Rolling Stone’.Tom Kneller/Rolling Stone

Ice Spice Claps Back at Festival Audience for Booing Taylor Swift Song

In late June, Ice spoke with Entertainment Tonight at the 2024 BET Awards about her debut album, Y2K!, saying there were “a couple” of collaborations on the record.

When asked if the 14-time Grammy winner will “return the favor” of the “Barbie World” performer hopping on her “Karma” remix back in May 2023, Ice played coy about a potential upcoming collaboration.

“I think she did me the favor,” she said of Swift. “But I don’t know. Let’s see, let’s see, let’s see.”