bona fides

The brash power player has staunch Democratic bona fides: He has hosted fundraisers for the party and donated to a number of its candidates over the years.

While both metal and hip-hop audiences are quick to call out posers, Ice-T comes by his rock ‘n’ roll bona fides thanks to his teens in L.A., the city he moved to after both his parents passed away.

“I told Hairo, ‘Y’all have the bona fides and you have the trust of your community, so why don’t you do this?’”

He did have academic bona fides: a Ph.D. from Yale and experience in university administration, running the tiny Midland University in Nebraska.

Those good vibes continued — the hit-making, swoon-worthy duo never taking themselves too seriously despite serious songwriting chops and bona fides — for intimate co-headlining solo acoustic performances.