Ice-T is keeping his cool when it comes to parenting.
The Law & Order: SVU star said he didn't break a sweat when his and longtime wife Coco Austin's daughter Chanel went back to school this year. In fact, his reaction to the 7-year-old, who he described as a "spark plug," crushing on one of her classmates was as cold as ice.
"We've already discussed boys and stuff," he told E! News' Francesca Amiker, joking, "I've already shown her the graves I've dug in the backyard for the little boys who make her cry, so she already knows what's happening."
And since his little girl knows her "daddy is a gangster," Ice-T—who has partnered with Sanofi to spread awareness about the flu vaccine—admitted that Chanel "doesn't want to talk to me about boys."
"She had a little crush in the first grade," the 65-year-old shared. "We teased back and forth. It's not serious yet."
But whether Ice-T likes it or not, Chanel is growing up fast. The second grader recently made her runway debut at 13th Annual Rookie USA Fashion Show in New York City, and it was an emotional occasion for the family.
"Coco cried," the rapper recalled. "This was her first time being on stage by herself—and it was big!"
Sharing that Chanel "had a blast" at the New York Fashion Week event, Ice-T said he's proud his daughter is forging her own path. "Everybody needs their own accolades," he said. "It doesn't matter how many accolades I got—Coco needs hers, Chanel's getting hers now."
The Grammy winner added that Chanel—who's slated to star in a new reality series with her mom titled Coco Loves Chanel—will "stay involved" in the spotlight "as long as long as it's fun" for her.
"We'll never push her into anything," he said. "As a kid, it should all be fun at this point."
As for Ice-T, he's having his own fun lending his voice to Sanofi's new flu vaccine campaign, which is inspired by a horror movie trailer. "A potential threat coming this fall," he narrates in the four-minute PSA. "It's not a wolf or a vampire—it's the flu."
To see Ice-T and Coco's cutest moments with Chanel, keep reading.
"Arrived," Coco wrote from The Guitar Hotel in Florida in June 2023 while giving Chanel a piggy-back ride in front of some rainbow angel wings.
"First day on vacation!" Coco wrote in June 2023. "Thank you @sugardollllz for always coming through, keeping Chanel and mines matching flow going!"
Chanel and Coco Austin supported Ice-T during his Walk of Fame ceremony in February 2023.
The family of three posed in front of his newly minted star in Los Angeles.
Baby Chanel enjoyed a shopping outing with her mom in Prague and showed that she's not too young to share in the fun.
"Every moment with daddy is super cool..Even Cheeto time!! Late night snack on bus," mom captioned this picture of quality father-daughter time while the rapper is on tour.
The model and her little one soaked up the sun at their house in Arizona.
"Someone caught me in mom's shoe closest again...So I guess I'll strike some of my poses," Coco captioned the shot of the cute tot showing off her modeling abilities.
The then 2-year-old child showed off her enviable collection of toys in this adorable post.
The famous family visited the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas and sat upon a gold throne.
Starting young! Chanel threw money in this hilarious imagine which was captioned, "Baby Hustler."
While celebrating music's biggest weekend, the mother-daughter duo visits the WowWee table featuring crystal-studded Fingerlings at the GRAMMY Gift Lounge.
At 13 months, Chanel is growing up to be a big star!
It's family day at iPic Theaters as Ice-T and Coco bring Chanel to see The Girl on the Train.
Little Chanel dresses up for New York Fashion Week with a pair of custom, crystal-embellished sneakers because she's just cool like that.
So adorable! Chanel is always ready for her close-up.
What's a baby girl to do with so many headbands and bows? Look cute, of course!
Coco better watch out because Chanel's got her eyes on mama's heels!
Aww! Chanel is having the time of her life playing peek-a-boo with dad.
"Don't hate on my pink flamingo outfit!" her mom wrote.
Baby Chanel is held by her mother in between her besties, Spartacus and Maximus.
Baby Chanel hitches a ride with Spartacus.
The mother-daughter duo are all smiles in their matching striped swimsuits.
Chanel looked quite happy to be spending the day with her mama on a photo shoot!
The baby watches her dad perform with the band Body Count in Arizona.
Chanel appears with her big brothers Spartacus and Maximus.
The baby appears with her father in a photo posted on her (yes her) Instagram page.
The baby tries solid food for the first time.
Well, obviously... She is a superstar.
Chanel's style is effortlessly cute--just look at those sunflowers!