Vanilla Ice

Vanilla Ice
Background information
Birth name Robert Matthew Van Winkle
Born October 31, 1967 (1967-10-31) (age 43)
Dallas, Texas, United States
Genres Hip hop, rap rock
Occupations Rapper, actor, record producer, singer
Instruments Bass, drum kit, guitar, keyboard
Years active 1988–present
Labels Ichiban, SBK, Cleopatra
Website www.vanillaice.com

Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1967), best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper. Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Texas and South Florida, Van Winkle released his debut album, Hooked, in 1989 through Ichiban Records, before signing a contract with SBK Records, which released a reformatted version of the album under the title To the Extreme. Van Winkle's single "Ice Ice Baby" was the first hip hop single to top the Billboard charts.

Although Van Winkle was successful, he later regretted his business arrangements with SBK, which had paid him to adopt a more commercial appearance and had published fabricated biographical information without his knowledge. After surviving a suicide attempt by drug overdose, Van Winkle was inspired to change his musical style and lifestyle. Later albums by Van Winkle, including Hard to Swallow, Bi-Polar and Platinum Underground, had a less mainstream rock-oriented sound, and did not chart.

Contents

Biography

Early life and career

Robert Matthew Van Winkle was born on October 31, 1967 in Dallas, Texas.[1] Van Winkle never knew his real father, and was given the name of the man his mother was married to at the time of his birth.[2] Because of his parents' divorce, he grew up moving between Dallas, where he lived with his mother and stepfather, and Miami with his father.[3] Van Winkle's stepfather was a car salesman.[2] Between the ages of 13 and 14, Van Winkle practiced breakdancing, which led to his African American friends calling him "Vanilla Ice."[4][5] Although he disliked the nickname, it stuck, and he began to rap as Vanilla Ice.[4] Van Winkle wrote "Ice Ice Baby" at the age of 16, basing its lyrics upon his experiences in South Florida.[6] The lyrics describe a drive-by shooting and praise Van Winkle's rhyming skills.[7]

In 1987, Van Winkle met Tommy Quon at his Dallas night club City Lights.[8] Upon seeing Van Winkle's performance, Quon saw commercial potential in his rapping and dancing skills, and offered him a contract with his management company, Ultrax.[3][9] Van Winkle signed a contract with Ichiban Records in 1989, and released his debut album, Hooked."[10] Play That Funky Music" was released as the album's first single, with "Ice Ice Baby" appearing as the B-side.[11][12] When a disc jockey played "Ice Ice Baby" instead of the single's A-side, the song was more popular than "Play That Funky Music".[11] Quon financed $8000 for the production of a music video for "Ice Ice Baby",[13][14] which received heavy airplay by The Box, increasing public interest in the song.[15] Van Winkle later opened for EPMD, Ice-T, Stetsasonic and Sir Mix-A-Lot on the Stop the Violence Tour.[16]

Mainstream success (1990–1991)

In 1990, Van Winkle signed a contract with SBK Records, who reissued Hooked under the title To the Extreme. The reissue contained new artwork and music.[17] According to Van Winkle, SBK paid him to adopt a more commercial, conventional appearance. This led Van Winkle to later regret his business agreements with SBK.[18]

To the Extreme became the fastest selling hip hop album of all time,[19] peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200.[20] The album spent 16 weeks on the charts, and sold eleven million copies.[21] Reviews of To the Extreme were mixed. Entertainment Weekly reviewer Mim Udovitch gave the album a B, citing "Ice Ice Baby", "Play That Funky Music", "Dancin'" and "It's a Party" as the album's highlights.[22] Robert Christgau gave the album a C− rating, writing that Van Winkle's "suave sexism, fashionably male supremacist rather than dangerously obscene, is no worse than his suave beats".[23] Criticizing the technique and style of Vanilla Ice, Allmusic reviewer Steve Huey wrote:

Ice's mic technique is actually stronger and more nimble than MC Hammer's, and he really tries earnestly to show off the skills he does have. Unfortunately, even if he can keep a mid-tempo pace, his flow is rhythmically stiff, and his voice has an odd timbre; plus, he never seems sure of the proper accent to adopt. He's able to overcome those flaws somewhat in isolated moments, but they become all too apparent over the course of an entire album.[17]

Following the success of "Ice Ice Baby", California rapper Mario "Chocolate" Johnson, an associate of record producer Suge Knight, claimed that he had written and produced the song, but had not received credit or royalties for the song.[24] Knight and two bodyguards arrived at The Palm in West Hollywood, where Van Winkle was eating. After shoving Van Winkle's bodyguards aside, Knight and his own bodyguards sat down in front of Van Winkle, staring at him before finally asking "How you doin'?"[24] Similar incidents were repeated on several occasions. Eventually, Knight showed up at Van Winkle's hotel suite on the fifteenth floor of the Bel Age Hotel, accompanied by Johnson and a member of the Oakland Raiders.[24] According to Van Winkle, Knight took him out on the balcony by himself, and implied that he would throw him off the balcony unless he signed the rights to the song over to Knight.[25]

Van Winkle branched out into the film industry with an appearance in the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, which he later called "one of the coolest experiences" of his career.[3] In late 1990, Van Winkle began an eight-month relationship with Madonna, and appeared in photographs for her book, Sex.[26][27] While on tour in 1991, Van Winkle found out that SBK had instigated the publication of a book, Ice by Ice: The Vanilla Ice Story in His Own Words, written by Quon and attributed to Van Winkle, which detailed false biographical information, including claims that he had attended school with Luther Campbell, and that Van Winkle had grown up in the ghettos of Miami.[28]

Van Winkle's second major release was the live album Extremely Live, released in March 1991. Peaking at #30 on the Billboard 200,[29] it received mainly negative reviews, with Entertainment Weekly reviewer David Browne calling it "one of the most ridiculous albums ever released", comparing it to The Best of Marcel Marceau, an album which consisted of two sides of silence opened by brief applause. According to Browne, Extremely Live "affords you the chance to hear inane stage patter [...] and unaccompanied drumming, during which, one assumes, Ice and his posse are onstage dancing."[30] In April 1991, Van Winkle began to film Cool as Ice, in which he played a leading role.[31]

On June 3, 1991, Van Winkle was arrested in Los Angeles on firearm charges, after threatening a homeless man, James N. Gregory, with a pistol. Gregory had approached Van Winkle's car outside of a supermarket and attempted to sell him a silver chain.[32][33] Van Winkle and his bodyguard were charged with three weapons offenses.[34] Van Winkle pleaded no contest.[35] Cool as Ice opened on October 18, 1991 in 393 theaters in the United States, grossing $638,000, ranking at #14 among the week's new releases.[36] Reviews of the film were negative. Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 8%.[37] Van Winkle received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star.[38]

Stylistic changes (1994–1999)

By 1994, Van Winkle, who had received less publicity and become removed from the public spotlight, grew dreadlocks and began smoking cannabis.[39] On March 22, 1994, Van Winkle released his second studio album, Mind Blowin. Reviews were unfavorable. Entertainment Weekly reviewer James Bernard called the album "more clunky than funky".[40] Rolling Stone reviewer Danyel Smith praised the song "Get Loose" as "snappy", writing that although the lyrics are "inane", "the song is a thumping party, one of the few places where Ice loosens up. He sounds solid at the beginning of 'The Wrath' as well [...] In 'Now and Forever,' a wet dream kind of song, Ice goes back to goofy lyrics."[41] Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that "There isn't a single moment that establishes a distinct musical identity, and the whole thing is rather embarrassing."[42] Primus bassist Les Claypool stated in response to Van Winkle's cannabis-oriented lyrics: "That's all fine and dandy and cute, but it could be misconstrued and manipulated by the wrong people."[43]

Van Winkle began using ecstasy, cocaine and heroin. During periods of heavy drug use, Van Winkle received many tattoos from artist acquaintances. According to Van Winkle, he "was in [his] binge days. [He] didn't even realize how many [he] was getting".[44] Van Winkle attempted suicide with a heroin overdose.[45] After being revived, Van Winkle decided that it was time to change his lifestyle. As a symbol of his attempt to begin anew, he got a tattoo of a leaf on his stomach.[44]

In 1995, Van Winkle set up a recording studio in Miami, and joined a grunge band, Picking Scabs.[16] Van Winkle expressed an interest in performing hip hop-influenced rock music, but found that the band was unable to produce the sound he was looking for.[16] In 1997, Van Winkle married Laura, whom he had met at a party.[45] Van Winkle later developed a friendship with producer Ross Robinson, who had become known for producing music by Deftones, Korn, Limp Bizkit and Sepultura. Robinson and Van Winkle shared an interest in motocross racing.[16] According to Robinson, others had attempted to discourage him from working with Van Winkle, saying it might hurt his reputation. Rather than being dissuaded, their fear encouraged Robinson who agreed to work with Van Winkle. In an interview, Robinson stated "It's the most punk-rock thing you could do."[46]

Van Winkle's third studio album, Hard to Swallow, featured a darker sound and lyrics than Van Winkle's previous work.[47] Reviews of the album were generally negative. Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote that "If history is any guide, Vanilla Ice's adoption of rap-metal means that hard rock is about to move on."[48] Richard Torres of Rolling Stone gave the album two out of five stars, writing that while "nothing, however, can redeem Ice's wack boasting," the album "isn't half-bad."[49] In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Rob Kemp gave the album three out of five stars, writing that it contained Van Winkle's "most convincing music".[50] In promotion of Hard to Swallow, Van Winkle toured with a seven-piece live band which included bassist Scott Shriner.[51] The band opened with rock-oriented material from Hard to Swallow and concluded with older hip hop songs.[52] The setlist also included "Power", based upon Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song".[53][54] In 1999, the music video for "Ice Ice Baby" was "retired" on the MTV special 25 Lame, in which Van Winkle himself was asked to destroy the video's master tape. When Van Winkle was given a baseball bat, he ended up destroying not only the film but the show's entire set as well.[27][55]

Independent releases (2000 onward)

Vanilla Ice appearing at the Tex-Mex Grill in Baltimore, Maryland.

Having attracted a following outside of his former mainstream audience, Van Winkle began recording independently.[5] In May 2000, Van Winkle wrestled in a match promoted by Juggalo Championship Wrestling, then known as Juggalo Championshit Wrestling, filling in for Insane Clown Posse member Joseph Utsler, who had been injured during a match.[56] MTV News reported that Insane Clown Posse would make an appearance on Van Winkle's next album, tentatively titled Bomb Tha System.[56] In October 2000, Van Winkle announced that his next album would be titled Skabz, and that Chuck D was confirmed to appear on the album.[57] It was initially planned as a double album featuring a disc containing rock-oriented material and a disc of hip hop songs.[58]

In January 2001, Van Winkle was arrested by police in Davie, Florida for assaulting his wife, Laura. According to the criminal complaint, Van Winkle and his wife argued as they drove on Interstate 595. Van Winkle admitted to pulling hair from her head to prevent her from jumping out of the truck's window.[59] He pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly conduct four months later, and was sentenced to probation and ordered to attend family therapy sessions.[60] In July 2001, Van Winkle performed at the second Gathering of the Juggalos.[61] On October 23, 2001, Skabz and Bomb Tha System were released as a single album, Bi-Polar.[58] Bradley Torreano of Allmusic disliked the album, criticizing it as "wildly uneven and at times hilariously bad".[62] In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Rob Kemp gave the album one out of five stars, calling the album "utterly listless".[50]

In 2003, Van Winkle contributed vocals to "Off the Chain" by 7x70, a side project of Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain and Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz. A demo of the song was leaked in June.[63][64] From January to February 2004, Van Winkle appeared on the reality television series The Surreal Life.[5] Although much of the series was staged, Van Winkle found the experience to be therapeutic, stating that a comment made by Tammy Faye Messner during filming helped him accept his past.[28] On August 2, 2005, Van Winkle released his fifth studio album, Platinum Underground. Van Winkle stated that the title of the album reflected the fact that he could maintain a fanbase without mainstream airplay.[5] Allmusic reviewer Rob Theakston panned the album, writing that it "has more bad spots in it than most".[65]

On April 10, 2008, Van Winkle was arrested in Palm Beach County on a battery charge for allegedly kicking and hitting his wife.[66] He was released the following day after she declared that her husband had only pushed her. In court, the couple's neighbor, Frank Morales, stated that it was merely a verbal argument.[66] Van Winkle was ordered by a Florida court to stay away from his wife following his arrest, and to communicate with his children only if Morales accompanied him. The judge told Van Winkle that he could only contact his wife via telephone.[66] On April 29, 2008, Van Winkle's lawyers, Bradford Cohen and Joseph LoRusso, were able to get the case dropped after providing the state attorney with evidence that conflicted with what was originally reported.[67]

In September 2008, Van Winkle signed a contract with Cleopatra Records, recording the cover album Vanilla Ice Is Back! at the label's request.[68] The album was released on November 4, 2008, and contained covers of songs by Public Enemy, House of Pain, Bob Marley and Cypress Hill. IGN reviewer Spence D. called the album "an embarrassing endeavor that sounds like it should have stayed locked inside Ice's studio (or at the very least leaked on YouTube and passed off as a piss take)."[69] On February 27, 2009, Van Winkle performed as part of a joint performance with MC Hammer in Orem, Utah.[70] In August 2009, Van Winkle announced on his official Twitter account that he had signed a contract with StandBy Records, who will release his sixth studio album.[71] Van Winkle is also filming a reality television series[3] in which he calls the shots in home makeovers.[72]

Style, influences and legacy

Van Winkle performing in Massachusetts on February 16, 2007

Van Winkle's current live performances feature a mix of newer, rock-influenced material and old school hip hop.[5] Van Winkle performs with a live drummer and DJ,[73] and sometimes sprays his audience with bottled water.[74] Van Winkle's performances often feature an inflatable grim reaper balloon, a dancer in a clown mask, and confetti thrown into the audience.[3] Describing his performances, Van Winkle stated "It's high energy, stage diving, pyrotechnics, girls showing their breasts. It's crazy party atmosphere."[5]

Van Winkle stated that his musical style was influenced by underground music, rather than mainstream music, and that his influences included hip hop and funk artists such as Funkadelic, Rick James and Parliament.[5] Van Winkle also stated that he enjoys Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot and System of a Down.[5] Van Winkle sometimes plays bass, drums and keyboards on studio recordings.[4] Rapper G-Child, best known for her appearance on ego trip's The (White) Rapper Show, has credited Van Winkle as being a major influence on her work.[75] After meeting Van Winkle in 2000, G-Child performed freestyle raps at six of Van Winkle's performances, and opened for him four times.[75]

Along with Beastie Boys, 3rd Bass and House of Pain, Van Winkle was one of the earliest white rappers to attain major success.[76] Chuck D has credited Van Winkle as a regional breakthrough, stating "He broke through in the mid-south, in a southern area in Texas, in something that was kind of indigenous to that hip-hop culture down there. He just doesn’t get credit for it."[77] As a result of his success, Van Winkle was the subject of criticism from other hip hop musicians. In 1991, 3rd Bass released a single called "Pop Goes the Weasel", and in the lyrics comparing Van Winkle unfavorably to Elvis Presley. The song's music video featured Henry Rollins as Van Winkle, who is depicted as being assaulted by 3rd Bass.[78] Del tha Funkee Homosapien referred to Van Winkle as mocking hip hop in the lyrics of "Pissin' on Your Steps", which appeared on his 1991 debut album I Wish My Brother George Was Here.[79]

In March 2009, Van Winkle participated in a Virgin Mobile advertising campaign titled "Right Music Wrongs", apologizing for his 1990s image.[80] As part of the campaign, Van Winkle was placed on "trial", and was voted innocent by users of the campaign website.[81] He also appeared in a commercial for the South African light beer Castle Lite.[3] In 2010, Vanilla Ice was featured on the debut single of the Irish duo John & Edward, a mashup of "Under Pressure" and "Ice Ice Baby".[82] "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)" was released in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2010 via download and as a physical single on February 15, 2010.[83]

Band members

Current
Former

Discography

Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1991 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Himself Film debut
Cool as Ice John 'Johnny' Van Owen Won Golden Raspberry for "Worst New Star"
2000 Da Hip Hop Witch Himself
2002 The New Guy Music Store Employee
2005 The Helix...Loaded Theo
2006 The Bros. Himself
2010 Big Money Rustlas

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lego, Ray (May 1994). "The Iceman Cometh Back". Spin 10 (2): 50; 52. ISSN 08863032. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Mooney, Michael J. (November 24, 2009). "Wellington Resident Vanilla Ice Talks About Madonna, Wallaroos, and What's Next". New Times Broward-Palm Beach: pp. 2–3, 5–6. http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2009-11-26/news/wellington-resident-vanilla-ice-talks-about-madonna-wallaroos-and-what-s-next/2. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Vontz, Andrew (January 3, 2002). Ice capades. Salon.com. http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/music/feature/2002/01/03/ice/index.html. Retrieved 2007-11-10. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 "Catching Up With... Vanilla Ice". The Washington Post. February 17, 2006. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/02/16/DI2006021601769.html. Retrieved February 13, 2009. 
  6. ↑ Rayner, Alex (November 3, 2007). "Is this it?". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/nov/03/popandrock.exhibition. Retrieved 2009-02-13. 
  7. ↑ Perullo, Alex; Fenn, John (2003). "Ideologies, Choices, and Practicies in Eastern African Hip Hop". In Harris M., Berger; Michael Thomas, Carroll. Global Pop, Local Language. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 25. ISBN 1-57806-536-4. 
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  9. ↑ McVea, Denise (September 5, 1996). "The Hip-Hop Hustle". Dallas Observer. p. 2. http://www.dallasobserver.com/1996-09-05/news/the-hip-hop-hustle/2. Retrieved March 13, 2009. 
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  30. ↑ Browne, David (July 26, 1991). "Review of Extremely Live". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,314929,00.html. Retrieved 2009-03-07. 
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  33. ↑ Braxton, Greg (June 22, 1991). "Vanilla Ice, Bodyguard Are Charged With Carrying Guns". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61329994.xml?dids=61329994:61329994&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+22%2C+1991&author=GREG+BRAXTON&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Vanilla+Ice%2C+Bodyguard+Are+Charged+With+Carrying+Guns&pqatl=google. Retrieved March 11, 2009. 
  34. ↑ "L.A. charges Vanilla Ice, bodyguard". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 22, 1991. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2A206CD44C20C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved March 11, 2009. 
  35. ↑ Quinn, James (September 28, 1991). "Singer Takes Rap for Gun Charges; Must Make a Video". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61500324.xml?dids=61500324:61500324&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+28%2C+1991&author=JAMES+QUINN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Singer+Takes+Rap+for+Gun+Charges%3B+Must+Make+a+Video&pqatl=google. Retrieved March 11, 2009. 
  36. ↑ "Nirvana Meet World, Vanilla Ice Tanks, Kid 'N Play Party: This Week In 1991". MTV News. October 28, 2002. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458336/20021025/index.jhtml?headlines=true. Retrieved 2009-03-07. 
  37. ↑ "Tomatometer for Cool as Ice". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cool_as_ice/. Retrieved 2007-01-09. 
  38. ↑ Sierra, Helen (February 18, 1992). "Jackson tour notes Razzie contenders Sleek camels live longer He'll buy American". Chicago Tribune. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24441424.html?dids=24441424:24441424&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+18%2C+1992&author=Helen+Sierra.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Jackson+tour+notes+Razzie+contenders+Sleek+camels+live+longer+He%27ll+buy+American&pqatl=google. Retrieved March 11, 2009. 
  39. ↑ Pearlman, Jeff (May 12, 2003). "Ice Shift". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/siadventure/27/ice_shift/. 
  40. ↑ Bernard, James (March 25, 1994). "Review of Mind Blowin'". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,301550,00.html. Retrieved 2009-03-07. 
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External links

Vanilla Ice
Main albums
To the Extreme · Extremely Live · Mind Blowin · Hard to Swallow · Bi-Polar · Platinum Underground · WTF
Other albums
Back 2 Back Hits · The Best of Vanilla Ice · Vanilla Ice Is Back!
Singles
"Play That Funky Music" · "Ice Ice Baby" · "I Love You" · "Rollin' in My 5.0" · "Satisfaction" · "Road to My Riches" · "Roll 'Em Up" · "The Wrath" · "Get Loose" · "Too Cold" · "S.N.A.F.U." · "Ice Ice Baby 2001" · "Nothing is Real" · "Get Your Ass Up"  · "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)"
Related articles
Cool as Ice · Cool as Ice (soundtrack) · Vanilla Ice discography