| Vanilla Ice | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birth name |
Robert Matthew Van Winkle |
|
Born |
31 October 1967 |
|
Origin |
Miami, Florida, United States |
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Genre |
|
|
Occupation(s) |
Rapper, record producer, rapper, television host |
|
Years active |
1987-present |
|
Label |
Ichiban (1987-1989) |
|
Associated acts |
Insane Clown Posse, Insane Poetry, MC Hammer, Rodney-O & Joe Cooley |
Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born 31 October 1967), better known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, record producer, 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 part of the EMI Group. SBK released a reformatted version of the album in 1990 under the title To the Extreme, featuring Ice's best-known hits: "Ice Ice Baby" and a cover of "Play That Funky Music". "Ice Ice Baby" was the first hip hop single to top the Billboard charts.
Although experiencing a great deal of commercial success, Ice later regretted his business arrangements with SBK, which had paid him to adopt a more commercial appearance to appeal to a mass audience and published fabricated biographical information without his knowledge. After surviving a suicide attempt in 1994, Ice changed his musical style and lifestyle. While his later, less mainstream albums failed to chart or receive much radio airplay, Ice has had an underground following. In 2009, Ice began hosting The Vanilla Ice Project on DIY Network. His latest album, W.T.F. (Wisdom, Tenacity and Focus), was released on August 2011. Ice is signed to Psychopathic Records.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1989: Hooked
- 1990: To the Extreme
- 1994: Mind Blowin'
- 1998: Hard to Swallow
- 2001: Bi-Polar
- 2005: Platinum Underground
- 2011: W.T.F. (Wisdom, Tenacity and Focus)