Ice-T says he's much more deeply connected to his youngest daughter than he was with his other children when they were young, even to the point that the 7-year-old co-sleeps with him and his wife, Coco Austin.
In a May 10 interview on the “That Moment with Daymond John” podcast, the “Law & Order: SVU” actor weighed the differences between his relationship with his older children and Chanel, who is his youngest.
“I think the difference with Chanel and my other kids is I’m very conscious of this baby,” he admitted, noting that he first started having children when he was still in high school and before his career took off. “I was ripping and running, so it was presents over presence. I wasn’t there.”
The rapper, whose legal name is Tracy Lauren Marrow, has three children. In addition to 7-year-old Chanel, he is also the father to LeTesha Marrow, 47, and 31-year-old Tracy Marrow Jr. — known professionally as Ice. Both are from previous relationships.
“My son, Ice, happened right when I was becoming Ice T. I’d never been famous before,” he said, adding that his growing career in entertainment caused him to be “distracted” from parenting during this period.
Eventually, Ice-T hit a stride in his career, which translated into him being able to shower Chanel with a level of attention that he was unable to provide his older children.
“I’m comfortable. I’m in a cruise pattern. I was there when Coco was pregnant. I went to the hospital, and (Chanel) now still sleeps in the bed with us,” he added. “I’m so much more connected to her than my other kids ... it’s been a beautiful thing.”
The actor also echoed his own previous remarks about boxer Muhammad Ali’s take on having children in the second half of his life, saying Chanel’s birth allowed him to “reset” in a way that made him “want to live forever.”
“It made me create new goals,” he added. “It’s the best gift I could ever get.”
It’s not the first time the rapper has gushed over his daughter and look-alike Chanel. Earlier this year, he spoke about his connection with his daughter after he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Towards the end of the ceremony and while delivering his speech, the actor thanked his family, including Chanel.
“Let me shout out my family,” the rapper “My son, my daughter, Coco, my wife. (Chanel), who obviously is in the position to stand behind one of these podiums one day. She has no fear of the stage.”
