AllHipHop went inside Ice-T’s house to discuss his new company, a joint venture with Big Court that aims to put control back into the hands of culture.
In a sitdown with AllHipHop at Ice-T’s secluded New Jersey residence, rap legend and media entrepreneur Big Court pulled back the curtain on the launch of OG Network, a creator-owned streaming platform designed to empower storytellers with infrastructure rather than algorithms, and longevity rather than viral moments.
AllHipHop’s own Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur stopped by Ice-T’s crib to get the scoop from the two long-running HipHop personalities.
Big Court, a longtime member of the Master P No Limit family, sees the venture as a response to years of observing Black creativity fuel platforms that are not owned by the creators.
“We make everything cool, we set all the trends, we make Instagram popular, we make TikTok [hot]we made Tubi popular… but we had nothing,” he said. “So I thought, man, we’ve got to figure this out. “
The idea for the OG Network grew out of Big Court’s evolution from artist management to media during the COVID-19 pandemic, starting with his Holdin Court podcast.
His goal, he says, is balance.
“With all the lewd and derogatory comments we received, I wanted to make something that humanized and provided a safe place for the culture,” he explained, noting that difficult conversations are still deserved, but with context and responsibility.
This approach caught Ice-T’s attention long before the business entered the market. The veteran host said he rarely accepts podcast invitations anymore because many podcasts focus on conflict rather than technique. He always points out that AllHipHop is different from the current iteration of the media, and the OG Network is a reflection of that mentality.
“I started in the era when you were doing interviews and we were talking about music,” Ice-T said. “We don’t talk about who you had an argument with.”
After appearing at Holdin Court and establishing a good personal relationship, Big Court promoted Ice-T online.
Ice-T was skeptical at first because he knew how expensive traditional TV infrastructure was. The turning point came when the Big Court outlined the FAST Channels (Free Advertising-Supported Streaming TV) model, which avoids reliance on platforms that could be “red flagged” or removed.
“I don’t want to do YouTube, I don’t want to do Twitch,” Ice-T said. “I wanted to do something we could control.”
Equally important to Ice-T is ownership. OG Network launched without outside investors, making Ice-T and Big Court equal partners. “Just me and you, two masters, no one else,” Ice-T said. “If I’m going to be behind, I want to win.”
For Big Court, the pressure of working with one of the biggest influences in his life became motivation.
He recalls first hearing Ice-T’s “Squeeze the Trigger” when he was 11 years old, and sees albums like Ice’s 1988 effort “Power” as a blueprint for success.
“It’s like a road map,” he said. “If I think like him and follow what he says, s###, I can get to his level.”
Now in the soft launch phase, OG Network is still in beta, growing with its audience and refining its product.
But our mission has been clear: ownership, sustainability and storytelling in a cultural way. As Ice-T says, this isn’t just another idea sitting on his desk.
“I saw something bigger than me,” he concluded.
Click here to learn more about OG Network.
Courthouse photo credit. Courtney Richardson
Ice-T Photo Credit: Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur
