What Is a Munch? Ice Spice’s "Munch (Feelin' U)," Explained

So, what’s the deal with this munch business the youths are so excited about? Redman and Wiz Khalifa and Devin the Dude have been on this for years.

No, that’s munchies, but you’re on the right track, good sir. This updated term is derived from Ice Spice’s viral record “Munch (Feelin’ U).” Yes, munchies are an intense craving for snacks after many hits of the blunt, but, you see, Ice Spice has flipped the term into a more suggestive—

I’ma stop you right there, playa. Who the hell is Ice Spice? Is that the one from America's Got Talent or the one who married David Beckham?

Sir. Those are Spice Girls, and they haven't recorded any new music together in two decades. Ice Spice is a 22-year-old drill rapper out of the Bronx, born Isis Gatson. She began seriously rapping when she met RiotUSA, son of DJEnuff, at SUNY Purchase. As you would expect, she was inspired by Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. While we’re on the subject, go listen to “Tomorrow 2” when you’re done reading this. Cardi‘s got one of the best verses of the year on that thing, and she utilizes the term “munch,” too.

OK, drill I do know. Anyone need some curtains hung? Haha. That was a joke. All seriousness though, isn’t drill music a Chicago thing?

Relax, big fella. Drill rap originated in Chicago but has since branched out to New York (R.I.P. Pop Smoke) and the UK, which take the Chi’s drill’s production and themes and give them their own twist inspired by music that’s historically native to the region. I’m partial to the sound of UK drill because it takes cues from grime and garage music.

Look, this shouldn’t be too difficult to understand if you’ve heard Ice Spice’s record, “Munch (Feelin’ U).” Go do that now and if you’ve still got questions, come back and I’ll explain further. I’ll wait here...

Ah, you’re back. Bless your heart. School may have been a long time ago, but how have you been moving in this world without the skill of decoding context clues and innuendos? Anyway. Cambridge Dictionary defines munch as to eat something—especially noisily. You see where I’m going with this? You don’t? Okay.

Ice Spice defines munch as someone, primarily a man, whose only purpose in her life is cunnilingus. Her M.O. is to use him and kick him to the curb. On the song, she rhymes: “You thought I was feelin you?/That nigga a munch, nigga a eater he ate it for lunch/Bitch, I'm a baddie I get what I want.” Hip-hop has far too many terms like this that are directed at women (see: “bobblehead”) but times are changing, thank God.

I get it. So to be a munch is a term of endearment, yes?

Here’s where it gets tricky. If you are a sexually active straight man and aren’t going downtown on women, grow up and get busy with some oral sex. But in this context, a munch serves his purpose and then is sent home in an Uber Pool, presumably with his own sexual needs unfulfilled. I’m not here to judge anyone’s kinks, but unless that’s what you’re into, it’s probably not what one would aspire to be. There’s a connotation—again, context clues—that a munch is a loser who is not worth having around. She’s not feeling dude at all.

This has been highly educational. But is Ice Spice any good? I’ve been looking to add some music to my treadmill playlist.

Eh. She’s been rapping seriously for less than two years. As far as I can tell, she doesn’t have a full-length project out. Her bars are aight merely alright. There’s a video that circulated of her performing at Rolling Loud that’s awful. Some people are saying that since she blew up so quickly, she should be given a little grace and space to grow into an MC. This is sort of true in that it takes time to get good at anything, but she’s in the big leagues now, and that sort of performance is unacceptable. It’s one of the pitfalls of hyperspeed internet fame, some people are thrust into the limelight before they’re ready. Let’s just pray that one day she’ll stop rapping over her own vocals.