Ice T Is Mourning The Loss Of His Beloved Dog

Over the years, Ice T has undergone several reinventions. He has become as well-known for acting on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" as he was for being a trailblazing gangster rapper. After Ice T and wife Coco Austin gave birth to their daughter Chanel in 2015, the "Cop Killer" rapper said that fatherhood excited him more than the prospect of "another hit record," as revealed on his "Final Level" podcast (via People). Coco fawned over how great of a dad her husband was to their daughter. "When I listened to ice's podcast on Chanel I actually teared up to hear him talk about her. He is such a proud father," she tweeted at the time. Fans had even noticed that little Chanel bore an uncanny resemblance to her father.

Ice T had a daughter and son before, but the two were adults by the time Chanel was born. "Honestly, this is the best one because I'm very focused," he told the New York Post in 2019 about fathering his daughter with Coco. The rap icon's priorities had shifted. "I'm healthier than I was at 40 because your brain tells you, 'I have to be around for this kid,'" he added. Being a new father had lifted Ice T's spirits, and even the COVID-19 pandemic could not bring him down. "It's been great. I would have never been able to spend as much time with Chanel," he told Hollywood Life in April.

Although fatherhood has been wonderful, Ice T has some heartbreaking family news to share with fans.

On December 3, Ice T informed fans that his family had lost a loved one. Their beloved bulldog, King Maximus, had died after a decade with the family. "Awful news.. King Maximus past away today.. He'd been sick for a year with cancer.. He was 10yrs old.. Dog's lives are far to short... Sad day," he tweeted. The "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star included an adorable photo of his daughter, Chanel, wearing a Christmas sweater while wrapping her arms around King Maximus. Ice T's four-legged friend was well-known to fans through a popular Twitter account that followed their dogs King Maximus and Princess Alexus, plus their pups Titan and Sparty.

The post was flooded with an outpouring of condolences from fans. "So sorry for your loss! Yes, they do live incredibly too short of lives!" one follower replied. "I'm so incredibly sorry for your loss. I know you gave him the most magnificent 10 years," another added. While several Twitter users used the opportunity to commiserate about their deceased doggos. "Dogs truly are a blessing; thinking of your family today! We lost our Jenny to cancer in 2020 and we all miss her so much," a fan wrote.

Sadly, this was not the first time the family had lost a furry family member. In 2016, Coco shared that their pooch Sparty passed. "My heart is hurting tremendously," she wrote in a touching Instagram post. "He was my 1st baby with Ice," Coco added.