Ice-T reflects on how he went from robbing banks as troubled youth to starring on 'Law & Order: SVU'

NBC/Virginia Sherwood(NEW YORK) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Ice-T just marked his 22nd year playing NYPD Sergeant Finn on the NBC drama Law & Order: SVU. The actor says he still counts his blessings, saying he was a troubled youth who used to run from police who now plays a respected officer on screen.

Speaking Monday on Straight Up Steve Austin, Ice-T exclaimed, “Playing a police! How the f***?”

“I went on the show to do four episodes, man. Here it is, we’re starting the 22nd season. I can’t really explain it,” the rapper furthered, who says he loves what he does. “It’s fun because of the work environment.”

Ice T, whose real name is Tracy Lauren Marrow, shared a story about how he bonded with the cast and crew — admitting that he had a rough time fitting in at first.

“When I first got on the show I was with Richard Belzer. And I was there for about three months and they were like, ‘Well, Ice, you’re not bonding with the group.’ Meaning I guess they didn’t think I was gonna go out to lunch with them and all that. I was just saying my lines,” he reminisced.

Ice-T, 62, explained how he changed his dynamic with stars Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Dann Florek and Belzer, revealing, “I said ‘I used to rob banks. I don’t need to like you guys.'”

“‘I just need to know you know how to drive, you know how to control the room, you know how to go in the safe, you know how to listen to the radio. Guess what? After we rob some banks, we’ll be the best f****** friends in the world,'” the Grammy winner recalled telling them, which was a breakthrough conversation because “We’ve been robbing the bank for 22 years!”