Shotguns and Stances: The Legacy of Ice-T’s Power Cover in Hip-Hop Visuals
Darlene will forver be THAT girl! Definition of DOWN
Hip-hop visuals aren’t just decoration—they’re statements, moments that can stop you in your tracks and make you think. Ice-T’s Power album cover (1988) is one of those moments.
Darlene Ortiz: Redefining Power
Darlene Ortiz, gracing the cover of Ice-T's Power in 1988, wasn’t just a model in a photoshoot—she was a statement. Holding a shotgun with an unapologetic gaze, her presence exuded a raw, unfiltered confidence that challenged norms and redefined roles for women in hip-hop imagery.
Far from being relegated to the background, Ortiz stood as an equal, embodying the grit and power the album represented. Her pose wasn’t just revolutionary for its time; it became iconic, reflecting a shift where women demanded to be seen, heard, and respected in spaces dominated by male narratives. Ortiz didn’t just hold her own—she helped set a new standard.
Darlene wasn’t just striking a pose; she was flipping the script. At a time when women in hip-hop visuals were often sidelined, she redefined what it meant to be present, visible, and unapologetically bold in a hyper-masculine space.
Kendrick’s Homage: A Bridge Between Eras
Fast-forward to Kendrick Lamar’s Squabble Up video, and you can feel the echo of Power. The green walls, the stances, the intentionality in every detail—it’s not just a nod to Ice-T, it’s Kendrick doing what he always does: reaching back to carry the past into the present.
But what really hit me was how Squabble Up also feels like a callback to The Roots’ The Next Movement video. (Sidebar: this is my absolute favorite Roots song, so I’m biased.) That same clean, stripped-down energy. The way the space feels alive, amplifying everything without needing to overdo it. Both videos have this understated power—like every detail was chosen for a reason, and you feel it.
In Squabble Up, Kendrick manages to connect two iconic moments in hip-hop visual storytelling, tying together Ice-T’s bold declaration and The Roots’ effortless cool. He doesn’t just imitate; he reimagines, creating a conversation across decades. It’s a reminder that the legacy of hip-hop isn’t static—it’s fluid, continuously evolving while honoring its roots (ha!! lightbulb moment!!). And through Kendrick’s lens, these moments feel less like distant history and more like threads in the same tapestry, showing how the energy of Power and The Next Movement lives on.
The Culture is Women
And at the heart of it all, there’s Darlene. What she did on the Power cover wasn’t just iconic for the time—it still holds weight today. She wasn’t just holding a gun; she was holding space, claiming it for women in a genre that often treated them as afterthoughts. Kendrick’s homage pulls that energy into 2024, reminding us that women have always been essential to hip-hop’s story.
Purchase Darlene Ortiz’s Book
From Darlene to The Next Movement to Kendrick, these visuals aren’t just connected—they’re part of the same conversation. Hip-hop keeps evolving, but the legacy stays intact. And with every new chapter, it’s worth asking: are we giving the women who built the culture the respect they deserve?
Because let’s be real—women aren’t just supporting the culture. They are the culture.
Until next time,
Stay bold, stay brilliant, and remember, as Jay-Z says, You could be anywhere in the world, but you're here with me. I appreciate that!
-Shadé