Vanilla Ice

Vanilla Ice, born Robert Matthew Van Winkle on October 31, 1967, is an American rapper, actor, and television host who became one of the most talked-about figures in early-1990s pop culture. He shot to global fame with «Ice Ice Baby», a track built around a sampled bassline from Queen and David Bowie’s «Under Pressure», which became the first hip hop single to top the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s success made him a crossover star, bridging rap with mainstream pop and rock audiences at a time when the genre was still establishing its commercial footprint.

His musical approach blends old-school hip hop with rock and techno textures, drawing on influences such as Funkadelic, Rick James, Roger Troutman, Egyptian Lover, and Parliament. Beyond «Ice Ice Baby», he is known for «Ninja Rap», featured in the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, as well as tracks like «Play That Funky Music» and «I Love You». His early success was quickly followed by a backlash that made him something of a cautionary tale in music history, but he continued releasing music over the following decades.

After reinventing himself, Vanilla Ice found new visibility through television, including home-renovation programming, while continuing to perform and record. His later work, including the 2011 album WTF – Wisdom, Tenacity & Focus, reflected a heavier, rock-infused direction, and he has been associated with Psychopathic Records. Despite the ups and downs of his career, he remains a recognizable symbol of early hip hop’s crossover into mainstream American culture.