In this essay, writer Madusa Sidibay offers cultural criticism on the Bimbocore subculture embraced by Gen Z on social media, and argues that rapper Ice Spice has crafted her brand, aesthetic, and sound with Bimbocore as the foundation — and experienced more success because of it.
Ice Spice is irrefutably one of the biggest breakout stars in contemporary music, with her hike in popularity being almost instant following the success of her viral hit "Munch.” Now with a Met Gala appearance, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj collaborations, and three Top 10 records under her belt, it is very clear there is something tantalizingly alluring about her.
The Bronx superstar’s organic rise to stardom is largely due to the affection of Gen Z. They warmly refer to her as “Princess Diana,” as she exudes the same charm, charisma, and cult-like following as the late Princess of Wales. The 23-year-old emcee’s swift ascension speaks to the universal thirst for unwaveringly feminine and girly music with infectious hooks, hypnotizing beats, and fun, sassy lyrics in Hip-Hop.
With the growth of the bimbo subculture on TikTok (also known as #bimbotok), Ice's hyper-feminine aesthetic and “girly” rap bars instantaneously aligned with an untapped realm suitable for Gen Z’s fondness of Bimbocore. This, along with the long-form hiatus of many top female rappers in the game like Minaj, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion, makes Ice Spice the perfect contender for Gen Z’s next It Girl.
Related: June 2023 Cover Story: In Every Universe, Ice Spice Is a Star
Chrissy Chlapecka, a 22-year-old Chicagoan, has amassed over 5 million TikTok followers via her musings on Bimbocore since 2019, and explained to Glamour that a bimbo is a person who wants to “celebrate and appreciate their own hyper-femininity, which they express in their own, special way – not allowing misogynistic standpoints of femininity [to] get in the way of you being f*cking amazing and incredible." The hashtag #bimbo on TikTok has amassed nearly 2 billion views, while #bimbofication has garnered over 87 million views.
For Gen Z, the modern-day bimbo is a fresh approach to intersectional feminism and challenges the #girlboss feminism that previously permeated contemporary media, instead opting to promote more bubblegum pink, ultra-feminine optics while still being inclusive, anti-capitalist, and radically left-leaning. As the movement penetrated Gen Z through TikTok, it has created a market for determinedly feminine music with matching optics “for the girls.” In comes Ice Spice with the perfect formula, combining her danceable, sample-heavy Bronx drill sound with the bimbo aesthetic.
As the term bimbo suggests, this niche relies on the use of weaponized incompetence and embracing being hot, challenging the notion that caring too much about your looks minimizes your intelligence. Partly satirical in nature, Bimbocore sartorially relies heavily on the contemporary Y2K resurgence.
Colleen Hill, the curator of Costume and Accessories at the Museum of FIT, told beauty and style website Byrdie: “A broad description of the era includes a lot of accessories: statement hats, bags, belts, boots, etc., often all in one outfit; the use of bright colors, especially pastels; and embellishments of all kinds, including rhinestones and feathers. There was also a lot of experimentation with silhouettes and layering, such as wearing skirts or dresses over jeans, or pairing low-slung jeans and a crop top with a long cardigan."
A quick scroll through the #bimbo hashtag will exhibit just this: young women in pastel pink outfits, matching velour tracksuits, and low-waisted jeans. Gone are the days when young women felt the need to mask anything that would be perceived as “too girly” to be taken seriously; instead women like Ice Spice are embracing hyper-femininity and all that comes with it. The rapper’s music and aesthetic accentuates these tenants. She oozes a sort of playfulness and confidence in her exploration of femininity that brings to life the modern-day bimbo, and makes music for those who are also looking to embrace those aspects of themselves.
On her track “Bikini Bottom,” Ice spits exceedingly cocky and exuberant bars, proclaiming ”How can I lose if I’m already chose, like..?” Her memorable “like..?” adlib, which she named her debut EP after, further enhances the hyper-femininity of it all. People often consider the use of such filler words to be a sign of lesser intellect, and women in particular who frequently punctuate their speech with "like" are thought to be air-headed. Ice Spice, however, uses “like..?” with such conviction, it’s hard not to believe her credo or trust her judgment. By flipping this inflection that women are stereotyped as being featherbrained for, using it as an adlib to emphasize her self-indulgent rhymes, Ice impressively positions herself as a bimbo priestess.
X content
Take Ice's feature on the smash bubblegum-pop hit “Boy’s a Liar Pt 2” with PinkPantheress — the artists vocalize vulnerable feelings of insecurity that surface after experiencing heartbreak, a universally relatable subject. PinkPantheress, another artist whose success was bolstered by TikTok and Gen Z, often speaks of the experience of girlhood in her music, notably discussing feelings of pure unrequited love and desire on her viral hits “Just For Me” and “Break It Off” that was mirrored in early aughts pop stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. North West, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s 9-year-old daughter, and her friends' fondness for Ice Spice personifies this idea of the rapper as a patron for young girls stepping into their girlhood with confidence.
TikTok content
It is comforting for young girls coming into womanhood to hear music that opens a space where they don’t have to suppress stereotypically “girly” aesthetics in substitution for a cool girl persona, who can only be taken seriously if she is “not like other girls”; the type of girl who considers herself “one of the guys,” participating in stereotypical masculine hobbies solely for the male gaze. Ice is the opposite of this trope, although she still invites Bimbocore into the hypermasculine world of Bronx drill; a playful, feminine version of the genre that was previously untapped. Her biggest critics often cite the lack of “substance” and redundancy in her music as an issue, but the substance is confidence in hyper-femininity and embracing the softest sides of a femme identity. They simply wouldn’t get it. In case it wasn’t crystal clear, Ice herself clapped back at a critic on Twitter who called her “the worst female rapper in history,” by simply writing “eww ur not the target audience i promise.” In a follow-up tweet, she further clarified along with a heart emoji: “target audience: baddies (confident ppl).”
In addition to her braggadocious lyricism, Ice's visuals always paint a scene of girls having fun. She incorporates aspects of Y2K style into her persona, which contributes to her lure. In the “In Ha Mood” video, Ice rocks a glamorous retro 2000s-style look of low-waisted jeans styled with multiple bedazzled belts, a fitted tank top with a peek-a-boo cleavage moment, and a mini fur jacket to complete the look. The flashy, form-fitting look epitomizes the comfort in her womanhood she’s become known for.
Moreover, it is worth noting that her first big splurge after fame was her lookalike chain, custom-made by New York’s Benny the Jeweler, an accessory she wears with nearly every ensemble. Instead of an iced-out statement piece emblazoned with her moniker, Ice meticulously chose to go with a more vanity-based piece, one designed after her own face. The chain also seems to render the likeness of Betty Boop, the iconic animated sex symbol, only adding to the overall overt egotism of Ice's bimbo archetype.
In the “Boys a Liar Pt 2” visual, she sports a Juicy Couture velour tracksuit, a look reminiscent of all the It Girls of the beginning of the millennium; in her Genius lyric breakdown of “Munch,” she dons a “Hot Person at Work” baby tee that can best be described as an ode to bimbo culture. This aesthetic decisively sets Ice apart from her peers. Many members of the current rising class of female rappers have experienced a similar ascension via TikTok post-2021, but have not embraced Bimbocore to the extent Ice Spice has. Flo Milli, Monaleo, Baby Tate, and Maiya the Don — who came directly from the world of beauty content creation — have still seen major success by embracing their femininity and traditionally “girly” aesthetics.
Yet, it is Ice who conquers the niche of the bimbo with the consistency of her brand. Much of her allure comes from her cutesy, silly, sexy “for the girls” persona. She even sticks to a handful of “emotes,” poses and expressions she’s now become known for: the subtle licking of her top lip, the peace-sign-duck-face-side-eye combo, and the suggestive, bent-over pose that eventually became the album art for her debut EP.
Instagram content
The reclamation of the bimbo undeniably created a market for Ice Spice to vanquish the industry and be embraced by popular culture. In the absence of Bimbocore, Ice's ascension would look completely different. In fact, one could argue her rise was strategic and intentional, from an aesthetic and sonic approach. It is important to note that there is no doubt that her lighter complexion aided in her rise to stardom, which speaks to the larger issue of colorism that affects Hip-Hop — and the entertainment industry — overall.
Ultimately, Ice Spice has proved there’s nothing wrong with embracing the most playful side of femininity while celebrating beauty, youth, and self. All things considered, it makes perfect sense why Ice's star power is so absolute and she only continues to ascend. Though respectfully dubbed the Princess of Rap by Nicki Minaj herself, the longevity of her career will be determined by how well she can keep her core audience engaged with Bimbocore. While there is always room for evolution, something every artist should consider, it is critical that she never strays too far from what established her cult-like following. If she avoids alienating her fanbase, the Bronx superstar will be here to stay.
