Ice Spice has quickly risen to become one of the hottest new voices in rap. But long before she was slaying sold-out shows and racking up hundreds of millions of streams, she was just a little girl from the Bronx being raised by her loving mom Charina Almanzar.
As Ice Spice continues her meteoric rise to fame, her unbreakable bond with her mother remains at the heart of her success story.
Early Life with Mom in the Bronx
Ice Spice, whose real name is Isis Naia Gaston, was born on January 1, 2000 and grew up in the Fordham Road neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. She was raised by her mother Charina Almanzar and father Joseph Gaston.
Even after her parents split when she was young, both continued to live close by in the Bronx. So Ice Spice was able to grow up seeing both her mom and dad regularly.
She split time between both households, finding comfort in having her caring mother Charina’s home just down the block. Despite the challenges of her parents separating, Ice Spice has spoken about the stability her mother provided by ensuring she was always nearby.
Having her loving mom so physically close during her childhood, even after the split, provided Ice Spice with a sense of connection and consistency. She’s able to look back fondly on memories of growing up shuttling between both parents’ homes on the same street.
Embracing Her Latina Roots
Charina Almanzar is of Dominican descent and passed down a fierce Latina spirit to her daughter. As Ice Spice famously told Billboard, “My mom’s a bad b—- and she raised me to be just like her. You already know Latina girls have that sass.”
Ice Spice paints a vivid picture of her glamorous mother, recalling how she always made sure to have her nails flawlessly done. She taught her daughter from a young age the importance of bold self-presentation and projecting confidence.
In Ice Spice’s words, “She was just always looking so good. I was that kid in the class who had the good-looking mom.”
Charina empowered Ice Spice to fully embrace her Dominican heritage and nurtured the young girl’s flair for music, fashion, and self-expression. She showered her daughter with unconditional love and support to grow into a strong Latina woman.
Supporting Her Daughter’s Dreams
Long before Ice Spice amassed millions of social media followers and rocketed up the charts, her proud mom recognized a star in the making. Charina documented Ice Spice’s singing talents as early as age four, carefully keeping precious home videos over the years.
In fact, after Ice Spice exploded on TikTok in 2021 and went viral online, her surprised and stunned mother sent her a heartwarming clip of tiny four year-old Ice Spice singing beautifully.
Seeing that long-forgotten childhood footage helped the rising rapper truly appreciate just how far back her mom’s belief in her artistic abilities reached.
As Ice Spice told Billboard when recalling the emotional moment, “She sent me a video the other day – and I don’t even remember this of course, because I was like four. But I’m singing in the video.”
Knowing her mom cherished that clip of her singing all those years meant the world. It was a touching example of how Charina always valued her daughter’s talents, even when Ice Spice was far too young to understand her own potential.
Remaining a Grounding Force
While launching into fame has been a wild rollercoaster ride, Charina continues to be a grounding force for Ice Spice through all the highs and lows.
When Ice Spice first went viral online and her music started taking off, it was an emotional and shocking time for both the young artist and her loved ones. Her mother stood firmly by Ice Spice’s side, helping anchor her through the chaotic early days in the spotlight.
As Ice Spice explained in a Cosmopolitan interview, when her TikTok videos first went viral, “My mom and all my siblings, they were all just so shocked.” But her mother’s calm and nurturing perspective helped Ice Spice stay focused during the dizzying experience.
Despite the media attention, touring demands, and other trappings of fame, Charina’s constant love and belief in her daughter never waver. She remains Ice Spice’s number one supporter.
Staying Connected to Her Roots
Now that she has moved from her childhood home in the Bronx to a new life in New Jersey, Ice Spice makes sure to stay closely connected to her mother and Dominican heritage.
She often brings Charina as her date to major music events like the American Music Awards, proudly posing together on the red carpet. And when Ice Spice took the AMAs stage last November for a showstopping performance of her hit “Munch (Feelin’ U),” she purposefully wore the iconic blue, red, and white colors of the Dominican flag as a subtle nod to her mother.
In interviews, Ice Spice frequently expresses her gratitude for the opportunities her music career has provided, especially the ability to give back and support her family. She purchased her mother a brand new Mercedes-Benz as a gift and has plans to buy Charina a house one day too.
After all these years, Charina remains the foundation that keeps Ice Spice firmly grounded in her roots and sense of identity. Their unbreakable mother-daughter bond shone brightly during Ice Spice’s recent Grammy acceptance speech, where she movingly emphasized the sacrifices mothers make for their children.
Ice Spice’s Success Connects Back to Her Mother
Ultimately, Ice Spice recognizes that her meteoric success story connects back to the strong woman who raised her. Her work ethic, confidence, vibrant Latino heritage, and artistic talents all stem back to her mom Charina.
Ice Spice may have rocketed to global fame seemingly overnight off the strength of smash hits like “Munch (Feelin’ U)” and “Bali.” But her poised, grateful, and humble nature in the spotlight reflects a lifetime of love and support from her doting mother.
Despite now performing to packed arenas full of screaming fans, Ice Spice stays true to herself and her Bronx roots. The guidance and wisdom Charina instilled in her from a young age keeps Ice Spice grounded at her core as her star continues to rapidly ascend.
When Ice Spice took the Grammy stage earlier this month to accept the momentous Best New Artist award, she thanked God first and then fought back tears as she spoke directly to the mothers in the audience.
She spoke passionately about the deep sacrifices mothers make for their children, choking up as she reflected on her own mom giving up her bed as a child. Ice Spice vowed to one day buy her mother a house big enough to give her own luxurious bedroom.
The entire speech emphasized how Charina’s love and nurturing made Ice Spice who she is today, both as a person and artist. Even on one of the biggest nights of her career, Ice Spice’s heartfelt words spotlighted the special woman who means the most – her mom.
So while the music world swoons over Ice Spice’s unique sound and signature cheeky attitude, much of the credit belongs to the strong maternal bonds built over a lifetime in the Bronx. Her mother Charina Almanzar always recognized the potential and beauty in her daughter that the whole globe now gets to enjoy.
Ice Spice has arrived as rap’s most exciting new voice thanks to both her prodigious talents and the unyielding support of her biggest fan – her loving mom.
