2-time Grammy winner, TV star Ice T to headline Tri-Cities fair

Rap pioneer Ice T will perform as part of The Art of Rap concert during the 2026 Benton Franklin Fair in Kennewick this summer.

Ice T, an entertainment icon known for his multifaceted career, including a long-running role on Law & Order Special Victims Unit, will perform with DJ Evil E and DJ KevieKev Rockwell, hosted by Mick Benzo, during the summer concert series.

They will be the headliners on Friday, Aug. 28.

Tickets go on sale May 22 and will be available at bentonfranklinfair.com.

A pioneer of gangster rap, Ice T shaped the genre with groundbreaking albums and songs in the ‘80s and ‘90s. He is a force in film and television as well.

He won a Grammy in 2021 for Best Metal Performance for “Bum-Rush” and shared a Grammy win in 1991 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for Back for a collaboration with Quincy Jones and others for “Back on the Block.”

The 2026 concert series also includes performances by Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Skillet. Fair organizers plan one more announcement for the final night of the annual event.

The fair runs Aug. 25-29 at the county fairgrounds in east Kennewick.

This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 12:11 PM.