Born to Raise Hell Motorhead: Ice-T’s Wild Duet
Born to raise hell Motorhead is the song that pulled a hip hop icon and a grunge era frontman into Lemmy Kilmister’s world.
Motorhead first recorded it for the 1993 album Bastards, produced by Howard Benson.
A year later the band re-recorded it as a single featuring Ice-T and Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe.
That 1994 version played over the opening credits of the film Airheads, with Lemmy himself appearing on screen.
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⚡ Key Takeaways
- Born to Raise Hell Motorhead first appeared on the 1993 album Bastards, produced by Howard Benson.
- Lemmy Kilmister originally wrote the song for the German band Skew Siskin before Motorhead recorded their own version.
- The 1994 single re-recording features guest vocals from Ice-T and Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe, plus backing vocals from Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks.
- The song plays over the opening credits of the 1994 film Airheads, in which Lemmy Kilmister has a cameo role.
- The single peaked at number 47 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1994 and later reached number 14 on the Rock and Metal Singles Chart in early 1995.
What Is Born to Raise Hell Motorhead About?
Born to Raise Hell Motorhead is about living loud, fast, and completely unapologetic.
The lyrics read like a mission statement for Lemmy’s entire outlook on life and rock and roll.
Its simple, chant like chorus made it an easy song for guest vocalists to jump into and make their own.
The track carries none of the storytelling detail of a song like Ace of Spades, leaning instead on pure attitude.
Who Wrote Born to Raise Hell Motorhead?
Lemmy Kilmister originally wrote Born to Raise Hell for the German band Skew Siskin before recording it himself.
Motorhead cut their own version for the 1993 album Bastards with producer Howard Benson.
Lemmy sang lead vocals and played bass, with Phil Campbell and Wurzel on guitars.
Mikkey Dee, by then the band’s established drummer, powered the track from behind the kit.
Who Are Ice-T and Whitfield Crane on the Track?
Ice-T, the pioneering hip hop and rock artist, joined Motorhead for the 1994 single re-recording of Born to Raise Hell.
Whitfield Crane, lead singer of Ugly Kid Joe, added his own vocals to the same version.
Michael Monroe, former frontman of Hanoi Rocks, contributed backing vocals to the single.
The pairing turned a straightforward Bastards album cut into a genre crossing rock and rap event.
Mikkey Dee drove the rhythm behind Born to Raise Hell during his long tenure as Motorhead’s drummer.
Image Credit: Photo by Kaja Konarska, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
What Album Is Born to Raise Hell Motorhead From?
Born to Raise Hell Motorhead originally comes from Bastards, released in 1993 and produced by Howard Benson.
The 1994 single version was a separate re-recording rather than a simple remix of the album track.
That single, released on the FOX label with catalogue number 74321230152, included a radio edit, a soundtrack version, and a Dust Brothers remix.
The single hit shelves in October 1994 across Europe and on 28 November 1994 in the UK.
How Did Born to Raise Hell Motorhead Chart in the UK?
Born to Raise Hell peaked at number 47 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1994.
The single spent two weeks on that chart before dropping off.
It found a second life in early 1995, climbing to number 14 on the UK Rock and Metal Singles Chart between January and April.
That extended run on the genre chart showed the song had real staying power with rock fans.
How Does the Film Airheads Connect to the Song?
Airheads, a 1994 comedy starring Brendan Fraser, opens its credits with Born to Raise Hell playing behind the titles.
Lemmy Kilmister makes a cameo appearance in the film himself, a fitting tie in for the song’s placement.
The soundtrack exposure gave the track an audience well beyond Motorhead’s usual metal fan base.
That crossover moment helped push the single back onto the UK charts months after its original release.
How Is Born to Raise Hell Motorhead Remembered Today?
Born to Raise Hell is remembered today as one of Motorhead’s boldest genre crossing experiments.
The Ice-T and Whitfield Crane pairing still stands out as an unlikely but effective creative choice.
Fans looking for the era’s other collaborations should also check out No Class and Stay Clean.
Motorhead pulled off a similar guest star coup two years earlier on I Ain’t No Nice Guy, featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Slash.
The track shows the same playful range found in The Chase Is Better Than the Catch, another guest era Motorhead song.
As of 2026, read the complete lineup history of the members of Motorhead across four decades of the band.
People Also Ask
Who sings Born to Raise Hell with Motorhead?
Ice-T and Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe sing alongside Lemmy Kilmister on the 1994 single version of Born to Raise Hell, with Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks adding backing vocals.
The song was originally released as an album track on Bastards in 1993 before this guest heavy re-recording.
What movie is Born to Raise Hell in?
Born to Raise Hell plays over the opening credits of the 1994 comedy film Airheads, which also features a cameo appearance from Lemmy Kilmister.
The soundtrack placement helped the single reach a wider, non metal audience.
Did Born to Raise Hell chart in the UK?
Born to Raise Hell peaked at number 47 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1994 and later climbed to number 14 on the UK Rock and Metal Singles Chart in early 1995.
The second chart run came months after the single’s original release, driven by continued airplay and film exposure.
Who originally wrote Born to Raise Hell?
Lemmy Kilmister originally wrote Born to Raise Hell for the German rock band Skew Siskin before recording his own version with Motorhead for the 1993 album Bastards.
Producer Howard Benson worked on that original album recording.
Watch Born to Raise Hell and Shop Motorhead Albums
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Bastards
1993, Goldencore Import
The album that introduced Born to Raise Hell.
Produced by Howard Benson.
Sacrifice
1995, Digipak
The follow up album from the same Mikkey Dee era lineup.
A heavier, more direct return to form.
Overnight Sensation
1996, Digipak
Another mid 90s record from the same guitar and drum lineup.
Shows the band’s continued genre experimentation.
March or Die
1992
The album right before Bastards in the band’s timeline.
Features guest spots from Ozzy Osbourne and Slash.
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Stone Dead Forever: Motorhead’s Deepest Bomber Cut
A deep cut favorite for fans who found Born to Raise Hell through its film soundtrack exposure.
Please Dont Touch Motorhead: Inside the Headgirl Hit
Another Motorhead collaboration track, proof the band loved teaming up with outside artists.
Born to raise hell Motorhead turned a simple Bastards album cut into a genre crossing single with Ice-T and Whitfield Crane.
Its placement in Airheads gave Lemmy Kilmister’s band an unlikely detour into mainstream film soundtracks.
As of 2026, born to raise hell Motorhead still stands as one of the band’s most unexpected and memorable collaborations.
Last updated: July 15, 2026