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Bronx rapper Ice Spice could've been living inside a pineapple in an underwater town called Bikini Bottom if her childhood crush for a fictitious character had worked out. The 24-year-old rapper indeed had a crush on the Nickelodeon animated character Spongebob Squarepants.
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In a video shared by DJ Akademiks on March 15, 2023, Ice Spice shared that Spongebob Squarepants is the only animated character she has ever had a crush on. Giggling all the way, she also explained that the character is really 'integrated' into the life of the rapper.
“The only animated character I ever had a crush on was like, SpongeBob,” she said. “He’s very integrated in my life,” shared Ice Spice (aka Isis Naija Gaston).
Created by American animator Stephen Hillenburg, Spongebob Squarepants is an animated series that revolves around the eponymous talking yellow sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. He works as a chef in Mr. Crab's burger-selling joint called Krusty Krab.
Spongebob is famous because he is the only person (sponge) who can make the world-famous Krabby Pattie and Mr. Crab makes a lot of money out of his cooking skills.
The sponge’s trademark character is his unflinching (sometimes toxic) positive attitude and childish antiques. His daily life revolves around the creatures of Bikini Bottom, a fictional town located under the sea and his best friends are Patrick Star and Squidward.
Patrick Star is the embodiment of the belief that starfishes are the dumbest sea creatures alive while Squidward is an octopus whose existential crisis knows no bounds and he has enough negativity to compete with Spongebob’s unending optimism for life.
Ice Spice also references Spongebob Squarepants in her debut EP
The DJ Akademiks post isn't the only time fans have gotten a hint of Ice Spice's love for the animated sponge. She referenced Spongebob Squarepants in a song in her debut EP, Like...? Titled Bikini Bottom, which references the town in which her childhood crush lives and works.
Released on October 28, 2022, through record label 10K Projects, the song integrated the background music of Spongebob Squarepants and Ice Sice rapped over it. A snippet of the song came out in early October and instantly went viral across all social media platforms because of its joke beat and jaunty undertone that struck the nostalgic chords of millions who had grown up watching the iconic sponge spreading positivity all around.
Bikini Bottom was loved by critics and they lauded the song for Ice Spice's lack of seriousness and her ability to take jokes and spread her love for a childhood character in such an innovative way. The song peaked at number 29 on New Zealand's Hot Singles Chart.
