Christopher Wong Won, known as Fresh Kid Ice, holds the distinction of being the first Asian American rapper, a pioneer of the Miami Bass genre, and a music producer. He was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, and relocated to New York at the age of 12 with his family. Following his high school graduation, he served in the U.S. Air Force for four years. In 1984, while stationed in Riverside, California, he collaborated with fellow rapper Amazing Vee and DJ Mr. Mixx to establish the rap group 2 Live Crew. Their debut single, "Revelation," was released that same year, gaining popularity in Florida and leading local promoter Luther Campbell to invite them to perform. After Amazing Vee's departure, Fresh Kid Ice became the sole MC on their subsequent singles, "What I Like" and "Throw the D," the latter of which, released in 1986, is regarded as a foundational track in the Miami Bass movement.
With the addition of Luther Campbell and Brother Marquis, the group solidified its most recognized lineup. Their 1986 debut album, "2 Live Crew is What We Are," achieved Gold certification, followed by their 1987 album, "Move Somethin'," which also went Gold. In 1989, 2 Live Crew released "As Nasty As They Wanna Be," which became their most commercially successful album, largely due to the single "Me So Horny." The album achieved Platinum status and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The American Family Association (AFA) criticized the album, arguing that the "Parental Advisory" sticker was insufficient to warn listeners of its explicit content. Lawyer Jack Thompson, associated with the AFA, persuaded Florida Governor Bob Martinez to investigate the album for potential obscenity. This led to local legal action, with Broward County Sheriff Nick Navarro warning record store owners that selling the album could result in prosecution. The ensuing controversy contributed to "As Nasty As They Wanna Be" selling over two million copies. The original lineup continued to produce successful albums, including "Banned in the U.S.A." (1990) and "Sports Weekend: As Nasty as They Wanna Be, Pt. 2" (1991).
In 1992, Fresh Kid Ice released his first solo album, "The Chinaman," which sold over 200,000 copies and peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard charts, remaining on the Heatseekers Albums chart for two weeks and on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for ten weeks, reaching No. 56. In 1994, he formed The New 2 Live Crew with Luther Campbell and new member Verb, resulting in the album "Back at Your Ass for the Nine-4," which peaked at #52 on the Billboard 200 and #9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In 1996, he reunited with Mr. Mixx and Brother Marquis for "Shake a 'Lil' Somethin'," which reached #145 on the Billboard 200 and #33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The final 2 Live Crew album, "The Real One," was released in 1998 and peaked at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
In 2000, Fresh Kid Ice launched his second solo album, "Still Nasty," under his label Chinaman Records, followed by "Stop Playin'" in 2003. During his tours, he enlisted a then-unknown Flo Rida as a hype man, who also featured on Fresh Kid Ice's fourth solo album, "Freaky Chinese," in 2004. In 2008, he reunited with Brother Marquis, touring under the 2 Live Crew name once more. The group announced a new album, "Turn Me On," in 2014, featuring guest stars such as Trick Daddy, Trina, Too Short, Insane Clown Posse, E-40, and Mannie Fresh, although the album was never released. Wong Won continued to tour with 2 Live Crew until 2016.
In addition to his music career, Wong Won authored his memoirs, "My Rise 2 Fame," published in 2015. After departing from the group, he released the compilation "Breaking Glass Ceilings Volume 1." He passed away in 2017 due to complications from health issues. Notably, he is the only member of 2 Live Crew to appear on all of their releases and is recognized as a significant figure in hip-hop, being the first Miami Bass rapper and a prominent Asian presence in the genre.
