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
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.
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.
To me, a critic is some loser who has no idea... someone with an opinion. We all have opinions. No offense, but what makes them dictate what is cool and what is not.
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.
I didn't want the public in my personal life at all - I thought that people might perceive me as too normal, and I'd lose that larger-than-life rock star persona. You've got to protect that!
With the mega-fame came the mega-downfall - you know, with the press and everything - and at a young age, it was very stressful to me.
My main thing is music; it's what I do.