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Who Is Vanilla Ice?
Vanilla Ice, born Robert Van Winkle, rose to fame in the early 1990s as the first white rapper to top the pop charts, with his iconic hit “Ice Ice Baby.” Though he initially enjoyed immense success, his popularity quickly waned, leading him to explore other ventures, including professional jet-skiing and reality television. While Vanilla Ice has not matched the commercial success of his early years, he continues to release new music and remain active in the entertainment industry.
Early Life
Vanilla Ice was born on October 31, 1967 (some sources cite 1968), in Miami, Florida. Raised by a music teacher, he spent his childhood in South Florida and Texas. Music was not his first love, though—his early interests included motocross racing, and by his teenage years, he had become heavily involved in breakdancing. He attended R. L. Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas, but dropped out before graduating.
In his early years, Vanilla Ice was recognized more for his dance skills than his music. Known for his impressive footwork, he gained a reputation as a skilled breakdancer. He frequently performed at City Lights, a predominantly African American nightclub in Dallas, where he caught the attention of club owner Tommy Quon, who later became his manager.
“Ice Ice Baby” and Rise to Fame
In 1989, Vanilla Ice released his debut album Hooked, which featured the breakout hit “Ice Ice Baby.” The track sampled the famous bass line from David Bowie and Queen’s “Under Pressure” and soon gained traction after a Georgia radio station began playing it. This led to a record deal with SBK Records, and in 1990, “Ice Ice Baby” was included on his major-label debut To the Extreme. Both the single and the album skyrocketed to the top of the charts, solidifying Vanilla Ice as a pop sensation.
He quickly capitalized on his newfound fame, embarking on a tour with fellow rap star M.C. Hammer and making a cameo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991). His second single, “Play That Funky Music,” also performed well, peaking at number four on the pop charts. Riding the wave of success, To the Extreme dominated the album charts for 16 weeks and sold over seven million copies.
Despite this meteoric rise, Vanilla Ice’s mainstream appeal quickly diminished, but he remains an iconic figure in pop culture history.
Career Decline
In interviews and in his official biography, Ice by Ice (1991), Vanilla Ice recounted the challenges of his youth and his experiences on the streets, while also claiming to have won numerous motocross events. However, as the media began to scrutinize these narratives, many of his assertions were found to be exaggerations or entirely fabricated. In an attempt to mitigate the fallout, Vanilla Ice attributed the inaccuracies to his manager and stated that he altered certain details to protect his family. Regardless of his explanations, the controversy significantly damaged his credibility and career.
Critics were quick to respond, with many dismissing Vanilla Ice’s lyrics as “inane” and lacking both creativity and originality. Some labeled him the “Elvis of rap,” accusing him of exploiting a genre primarily rooted in African American culture. At the time, more socially and politically conscious rap artists like Public Enemy struggled for airtime, while pop-oriented acts such as Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer dominated the charts.
Vanilla Ice’s foray into acting began with his lead role in Cool as Ice (1991), a film that was both commercially and critically unsuccessful, grossing less than $1 million at the box office. Compounding his decline in popularity, the film’s soundtrack, which included the title song, also failed to achieve significant success.
During the peak of his fame, he briefly dated pop icon Madonna and even appeared in her controversial 1992 book, Sex. However, as his career waned, he turned to hard drugs and struggled with depression.
Comeback Attempts
In 1994, Vanilla Ice attempted to reinvent his image with the album Mind Blowin, which featured a funk-influenced rap style. Unfortunately, both fans and critics were unimpressed, leading to the album’s failure to chart. In July of the same year, after receiving harsh reviews, he experienced a near-fatal overdose in a suicide attempt. This pivotal moment prompted him to step back from his Vanilla Ice persona and return to competitive jet skiing under his real name. He also opened a sporting goods store, “2 The Xtreme,” in Miami Beach in 1996.
In 1998, Vanilla Ice reemerged in the music industry with Hard to Swallow, which he described as “my much-needed therapy session.” The album included “Scars,” a track reflecting on his troubled childhood, and marked a shift towards a more hardcore rock sound, thanks to his collaboration with producer Ross Robinson, known for his work with Limp Bizkit and Korn. Although the album received lukewarm reviews, Vanilla Ice continued to pursue his music career. His subsequent albums, Bipolar (2001) and Hot Sex (2003), garnered little attention.
Nevertheless, he found a new audience through reality television, appearing on several shows. In March 2002, he faced off against Todd Bridges from Diff’rent Strokes on Celebrity Boxing, where he lost in three rounds. In 2004, he participated in the second season of The Surreal Life, living alongside other B-list celebrities, including adult film star Ron Jeremy and former televangelist Tammy Faye Messner.
During this period, Vanilla Ice also returned to motocross, auditioning for the 2002 X Games in the freestyle division and placing seventh in the 2003 Suzuki Crossover Challenge, as reported by Sports Illustrated. He expressed that the motocross track was where he felt happiest.
Recent Work
Despite being labeled “one of the most ridiculed performers of all time,” Vanilla Ice remained committed to his music. In 2005, his participation in reality television revitalized his career, particularly through his appearance on Hit Me Baby One More Time, where he performed “Ice Ice Baby” and his version of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor.”
More recently, Vanilla Ice has revisited classic songs, including his own, with his 2008 record, Ice Is Back: Hip Hop Classics, featuring covers of tracks by notable artists such as Bob Marley, Public Enemy, and Cypress Hill. In 2009, he performed alongside fellow 1990s rap-pop star MC Hammer in Salt Lake City, Utah, with plans for future collaborations.
While he has not regained the level of success he experienced in his early career, Vanilla Ice continues to produce new material and tour. Today, he emphasizes that his music is primarily for personal fulfillment, rather than for fame or wealth.
In August 2016, Vanilla Ice announced his participation in Season 23 of Dancing With the Stars.
He currently resides in Florida with his wife, Laura, and their two daughters.