Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle, known by his stage name, Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, actor and television host. Born in South Dallas, and raised in Texas and South Florida, Ice released his debut album, Hooked, in 1989 on Ichiban Records, before signing a contract with SBK Records, a record label of the EMI Group which released a reformatted version of the album under the title To the Extreme. Ice's 1990 single "Ice Ice Baby" was the first hip hop...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRapper
Date of Birth31 October 1967
CityDallas, TX
CountryUnited States of America
For three years, between 16 and 19, I was the opening-act-for-the-opening-act-for-the-opening-act, you know? And then I was on tour with Ice-T, Stetsasonic, EPMD, Sir Mix-a-Lot - legends - and went on to sell 160 million records. It still baffles me.
A lot of people think I was an overnight success, but I was an opening act for three or four years, and then I signed my contract with EMI. Then it kind of blew up overnight.
All my friends were black and Mexican. I was the only white kid in our group and had to work hard to be accepted. Year after year, we'd breakdance and we all became close and they labeled me "Vanilla" - like "Hey, Vanilla" and they knew I hated it, so of course they kept calling me it.
I've been playing concerts for many years, and it's still as exciting as it was the first time. I hope that shows when I'm performing.
My breakdancing crew used to go to the mall and squat a piece of cardboard there; we had our jam box, and I'd spin on my head and make about forty bucks a day, which was pretty good back then. I was only 14 years old, so I would chase the girls around the mall and eat some pizza and have some change left over.
I have been known to hang out and party back in the day. I had a weekend that lasted a few years.
I do freestyle jumping. Been doing since I was eight years old and can't quit. I'm addicted. I've broken many bones, but I ride with confidence. It's my thing - there's no high on earth like it. It's my hobby and I really enjoy it.
I got caught up on drugs for a few years, I'm off it, I'm very happy, got two kids and a family and everything. And like I said I'm making the underground music, and keeping it real.
I had millions of dollars, all of the material things that anybody could want, but I just couldn't find happiness. And I would have gave it all back, if I could go back in time and sign that thirty thousand dollar contract with Def Jam, just to have my credibility and to not be the butt end of a lot of jokes.
I listen to the rock stuff, I like Bush and stuff like that. Pop-wise, no I don't listen to boy bands and stuff like that at all, ever. Never have, I know that's mostly what they play over here is pop music. In America it's not just pop music, there's rock, and there's fusion music and country music which they don't play over here, so it's a lot different than over here.
With radio limitations as far as length of songs and content, sometimes if you are being conscious of that then that effects the outcome of a song.
People don't understand it's really a hard thing, because I was here in the early '90s and... basically I was gone from over here. I've been doing my thing over in the States, but it's more underground than pop-ish, mainstream-ish, radio-friendly stuff, it's more underground. People have no clue what the hell Vanilla Ice has been up to.
I don't hate on any artist actually, not on boy bands, on nothing, it's just music and if you enjoy it then enjoy it. I just have my own opinion of what I like and so should everybody else. I don't try and make everybody else believe in my opinion, everybody's born differently you know, God created us all different.
One thing I didn't understand in life was that I had $100,000,000 in the bank and I couldn't buy happiness. I had everything: mansions, yachts, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, but I was depressed. I didn't know where I fitted in. But then I found family and friends and I learned the value of life.