Proven to be one of hip hop's most articulate and intelligent stars, Ice T is also one of the most frustrating.

At his best, the rapper has written some of the genre's best social commentary but he is also capable of revelling in gratuitous violence and misogyny.

Born Tracy Morrow in New Jersey in 1959, Ice T was raised in LA where he pimped before landing a major record deal in 1987.

He went on to gain international recognition with material such as the album Rhyme Pays and the soundtrack for the Los Angeles gangland film Colors.

His career peaked in 1992 with the controversial hit Cop Killer, which sent shockwaves throughout the United States.

Ice T, pictured left with wife Coco, has also worked as an actor, appearing in New York City opposite Wesley Snipes and Ricochet with Denzel Washington.

He is currently playing a strait-laced cop who enforces laws against sex crimes in the hit US TV series Law & Order: SVU.

His latest venture into the film business is Pimpin 101, a porn movie featuring vignettes of five professional women who he declares to be "hoes"

Ice has now joined forces with Smoothe Da Hustler and Trigger Tha Gambler to form SMG (Sex, Money and Guns), with whom he has released the album Repossession.

Starts 8.30pm, tickets £13. Call 01273 709709 for further information.