22 Comments Monday, October 20th, 2008
Body Count
Twenty years ago, Darlene Ortiz made Ice-T’s Power album cover legendary. For its anniversary, she’s reloaded her firearms.
Strapped with a Mausberg and a barely there, one-piece swimsuit, an arresting Darlene Ortiz stole men’s hearts at gunpoint in 1988. The scene of the crime: the cover art for Power, her then-hubby Ice-T’s second album. For one moment, the hip-hop community collectively considered joining the NRA, as Ice’s better half cemented her place in rap history books, leaving liner notes sticky in the process.
Two decades later, Ortiz’s ice-cold curves could still leave eyes frozen. In fact, the 41-year-old fitness instructor feels better than ever. “I couldn’t wait to do this,” Ortiz says of recreating Power’s iconic pose. “Now it’s up to me to try to encourage other women to take care of themselves.” Having been tight-lipped since her baby-daddy went cuckoo for Coco’s puffs seven years ago, Ortiz is back and ready to create a whole new set of lasting impressions. Needless to say, she’s still packing major heat.
Story Adell Henderson Photography Zach Cordner
Not only was Ice-T’s Power cover brilliant, but it has remained one of hip-hop’s most memorable images 20 years later. Take a bow.
I can’t believe it. At that point, he was already semi-successful, but that album was the one that really set it off. He’d already released Rhyme Pays [in 1987, but] nobody really paid too much attention to the cover, which I was on as well. It was a totally different look, but we were more polished when we got ready for the Power cover.
Who suggested your wardrobe…or lack thereof?
When it was time to do the album cover, he already had the idea, but when it came to what to wear, he was like, “D, whatever you want.” I could have said, “Jeans and a T-shirt,” but I was like, “Look, we’re here in Cali and I’m feeling good about myself.”
And how could you not, really?
At that point I was probably running around in some hot pants, because that was the way I dressed. We were already doing the guns and the power thing, so a woman being sexual, I figured, why not? I grabbed the suit. I’m always wearing pumps, so let’s go, and we did it.
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This entry was posted on Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 10:14 am and is filed under Girls, Features, KING Magazine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
22 Responses to “Body Count”
10.22.08 at 12:48 pm
Dmoore says:
Body bangin for forty year old….
10.22.08 at 1:37 pm
MICHAEL says:
I was in college when this album came out…She set the standard for all this video chicks, album cover girls. We thought Ice-T was the luckiest dude on planet earth. She is still bangin and that album cover, as well as the album, is a hip-hop classic.
10.22.08 at 1:52 pm
jojochicago says:
Bangin! I won’t even call her classic! She’s right now! I’ll take her over Co Co anyday!
10.22.08 at 2:23 pm
Mr MoCCa says:
Darlene Ortiz, the original that help start the hip honey stampede. This woman looks just as good as she did back in the day. Case in point, how many of these new honey wanna be’s will be able do the same. Plus like she (Darlene) said, she did her thing back then without the internet. And lets us not 4get, she’s all natuarl compared 2 these new breed chicks with there “fake” boob jobs & booty incerts. Do ya thing Ms. Ortiz.
10.22.08 at 4:37 pm
BlackHart says:
I’ll replace the shotgun with sumthin just as big. *evil grin*
10.22.08 at 5:31 pm
CBRAP » Quick Links says:
[…] 20 years later, King talks Power with cover girl Darlene. […]
10.22.08 at 11:15 pm
Tendaz & Pieces: Aged Like Fine Wine « What Eye Thought… says:
[…] Good Lawd!!! The sexy, fly and original gangsta’s (ex) wifey, Darlene Ortiz did it up for KING this month. Still lookin oh so right. But enough of the wolf howls for me, just enjoy this fine ass woman. When you gon let me fuuuuuuuuuck Ms. Ortiz? Sorry, I couldnt resist. Inarguably, you’re the original video vixen. Is that a distinction you wear proudly on your G-string? If you think about it, that was pretty special, because [back] then we didn’t have the Internet. I didn’t get that major exposure. It was just the sales of the album, touring and people constantly seeing us. We’d go places and people would be calling out both of our names. I couldn’t even fathom if we’d had Internet back then, what would’ve happened. […]
10.22.08 at 11:59 pm
Blac Renderings » Blog Archive » Chick of the Week-Darlene 20 years later says:
[…] Can you believe it’s 20 years since Ice-T’s former wife posed for his album power. Still Looking Good!… for the rest of the story click pic(King Magazine Interview) We’re not done yet, we have to represent the Persian and Latin Sistas. First up the former star of Showtime’s The L word and currently starring in the NBC Show Life, Actress Sarah Shahi( Click Pic for her Esquire Photo Shoot) Last but not but least, actress Catalina Sandino Moreno who starred in the highly acclaimed film Maria Full of Grace. She’s all Grown Up! […]
10.23.08 at 4:06 am
MZEE.com Blog » Blog Archive » Darlene - The Syndicate Queen. 20 Jahre spter! says:
[…] Na? Erinnert ihr euch? ICE-T´s “The Power” Cover? 1988? Darlene Ortiz? Seine damalige Frau mit der Pump Gun? Das King Magazine hat die Dame ausfindig gemacht und sie in fast derselben Pose fotografiert. Sorry Leute, aber die Frau ist immer noch gut dabei. Wenn ich mir Coco Chanel ansehe, die aktuelle Frau von ICE-T, dann verstehe ich nicht warum er die hat gehen lassen,.. Egal! Hier gibt es noch das Interview mit ihr und mehr Bilder! […]
10.23.08 at 4:00 pm
» Body Count - KING-mag.com says:
[…] PREV 1 2 var staf_confirmtext = ‘email sent’ #stafBlock { position: absolute !important; z-index: 100000; display: none; width: 200px; } #stafForm { background-color: #cc9900; border: 1px solid #993366; padding: 5px; margin:0; } #stafForm h2 { margin: 0; } #stafForm input, #stafForm label, #stafForm h2 { font-family: ‘Lucida Grande’, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; font-size: 1em; color: #222222; } #stafForm input { width: 90px; height: 15px; margin-top: 5px; border: 1px solid #ccc; } #stafForm label { float: left; display: block; width: 90px; line-height: 16px; } #stafClose { float: right; margin-right: 5px; } x […]
10.24.08 at 9:07 am
greg says:
You credit your photographer for re-creating the work of the original photographer GLEN E. FRIEDMAN giving your photographer a chance to suck off his originality, but you do not credit the originator of the shot GLEN E. FRIEDMAN?
10.25.08 at 11:58 am
frky says:
This is the broken mold, people!
10.28.08 at 7:00 pm
ACE says:
I don’t know about ya’ll but I’ll take both of dem
11.1.08 at 12:05 pm
Mcdaddee says:
i have a 56 year old sweetheart whose body is still bangin’. She takes care of herself. Exercise, sex, good diet and rest; and above all praise to the Creator.
11.4.08 at 9:26 am
beatrice robinson says:
She looks damn good at 41. I am 19 and I don’t have abs like that! I guess I need to hit the gym!! Seriously. She just inspired me!
11.11.08 at 10:56 am
I Got It says:
She is right… I’m all for women empowerment… And yes Beatrice, hit the gym just to show that you can do it too… I did and it makes you feel better, although my husband is upset sometimes… lol!
11.12.08 at 2:50 pm
SbuJah says:
WOW! She still looks amazing after all these years.
12.8.08 at 8:15 am
20 Jahre später . Mixed pickles Blog . Great White Ark . Viral Marketing Agentur, München Deutschland says:
[…] Darlene Ortiz aka The Syndicate Queen zierte vor 20 Jahren das Cover von Ice T’s Album Power). Jetzt hat sich sich für das King Magazin erneut in spärliche Schale geworfen. […]
12.20.08 at 2:42 am
Diamond The Show Stopper says:
DAMN! she is 41 her body is WOW
01.2.09 at 7:29 am
Violent Femme « NAGGEN.DE says:
[…] Darauf ist Darlene Ortiz als die ultimative “Syndicate Ghetto Bitch Queen” zu sehen. Die Fitnesstrainerin und damalige Freundin von Ice-T’ ließ sich von Glen E. Friedman für das Cover seines maßstabsetzenden Hip-Hop-Albums fotografieren. Im letzten Jahr, sprich 20 Jahre später, hat sie das Shooting für das KING Magazine wiederholt. Ich werde den Retroshoot mit keinem anderen Wort kommentieren, als: “Respekt”! […]
05.28.10 at 3:10 am
Gabrielle Whaley says:
If only more than 74 people would read about this..
05.30.10 at 3:26 am
Mattie Holden says:
Haha am I really the only reply to your awesome read?!