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. He strongly resented having to 'play along' with claims that he had survived violent underground gang fights while also wearing glamorized outfits. After surviving a suicide attempt by drug overdose when his mainstream fame evaporated, Van Winkle was inspired to change his musical style and lifestyle. Further albums by Van Winkle, including 'Hard to Swallow', 'Bi-Polar', and 'Platinum Underground', featured a less mainstream-oriented sound inspired by alternative metal. His latest album is 'Wisdom, Tenacity & Focus' (better known as just 'WTF'), which he released in 2011, which feature Ice's return to the more electronic and classic hip-hop sound that was present in some of his past classics.
As stated before, Van Winkle signed a contract with SBK Records in 1990, who reissued 'Hooked' under the title 'To the Extreme'. The reissue contained new artwork and music. According to Van Winkle, SBK paid him to adopt a more commercial, conventional appearance. Getting a break touring with MC Hammer, Van Winkle largely copied that artist's large stage shows, oversize pants, flamboyant hairstyles, and more. Van Winkle is quoted as saying that: {"They told me, we want you to wear these baggy pants because the young kids like it and it's all glittery and polished and everything, and I said, 'Fuck no, I'm not wearin' this gay-ass shit.' And they said, 'Well here's a million dollars, man, will you do it?' And I said, 'Fuck yes.' And anybody would have done the same thing if they were given the same chance."}
The distribution of fabricated biographical information (such as that he was from Miami rather than Texas and that he had a long gang history) also helped quickly erode his street credibility. Though confident in his rhyming abilities and flow, Van Winkle soon regretted his business agreements with SBK and even expressed reservations when his fame grew. 'To the Extreme' became the fastest selling hip hop album of all time, peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200. The album spent 16 weeks on the charts, and it sold eleven million copies before long. For many years, it remained the best selling hip hop album of all time.
Single "Ice Ice Baby" has been credited for helping diversify rap music by introducing it to a mainstream, white audience. Still, critical reviews of 'To the Extreme' have been 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. Robert Christgau gave the album a Cโ rating, writing that Van Winkle's "suave sexism, fashionably male supremacist rather than dangerously obscene, is no worse than his suave beats".
Criticizing the technique and style shown, 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."}
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. Van Winkle has often recounted the following story. 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'?" 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. 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.
Van Winkle has changed his accounting of said story over the years, which is still controversial years on. At any rate, by late 1990, Van Winkle began an eight-month relationship with Madonna, and appeared in photographs for her book 'Sex' while living a lavish lifestyle as a commercial superstar. 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. According to Van Winkle: {"I was paid to have this label on it, 'authorized,' because there was like 6 or 7 books out before that says unauthorized right on the cover, meaning that it's bullshit right away. And so they paid me, I believe it was like $850,000 just to have that label and they printed the book. And it's full of shit. I read the book myself and I'm like, 'God, how could you fucking do that to me?'"}
After hiring investigators to find out who was involved in the book's publication, he found out that Quon and promoter Elaine Shock had been involved in publishing and promoting the fabricated biographical elements. Although he later greatly rejects being subject to such commercial exposure, Van Winkle found himself caught up in his 'sex, drugs, and rock n roll' lifestyle at the time. Buying motorcycles, mansions, and more, it was all a great change from his working-class upbringing.
Van Winkle's second major release was the live album 'Extremely Live', released in March 1991. It peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200. Reviews of the album were particularly negative, 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."
Van Winkle branched out into the film industry, making an appearance in the film 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze' and performing the tune "Ninja Rap". Beginning to film his own personal project, 'Cool as Ice', in April 1991, he found himself soon embroiled in more controversy. 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. Van Winkle and his bodyguard were charged with three weapons offenses. Van Winkle pleaded no contest.
'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. However, it soon became a 'box office bomb' that severely weakened his career. Reviews of the film were widely negative. Film website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from a wide range of critics, gives the film a score of 8%, and Van Winkle received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star.
During this period, Van Winkle received criticism from other hip hop musicians. In 1991, 3rd Bass released a single called "Pop Goes the Weasel", 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. 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 (titled 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here').
By 1994, Van Winkle became isolated from the public spotlight, and had grown dreadlocks and began smoking cannabis. 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". 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." 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." 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."
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, "That was in my binge days. I didn't even realize how many I was getting". Van Winkle attempted suicide with a heroin overdose. 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.
In 1995, Van Winkle set up a recording studio in Miami, and joined a grunge band, Picking Scabs. Van Winkle expressed an interest in performing hip hop-influenced rock music, but found that the band was unable to produce the sound which he was looking for. In 1997, Van Winkle married Laura, whom he had met at a party. 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. According to Robinson, others had attempted to persuade him not to work with Van Winkle, feeling that it might hurt his reputation. Encouraged by this fear, Robinson agreed to work with Van Winkle. In an interview, Robinson stated "It's the most punk-rock thing you could do."
Van Winkle's third studio album, Hard to Swallow, featured a darker sound and lyrics than Van Winkle's previous work. 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." 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." 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". In 1999, the music video for "Ice Ice Baby" was "retired" on the MTV special 25 Lame, in which Van Winkle himself appeared to destroy the video's master tape. When Van Winkle was given a baseball bat, he ended up destroying the show's set.
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. In May 2000, Van Winkle made an appearance at a wrestling 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. It was reported that Insane Clown Posse would make an appearance on Van Winkle's next album, tentatively titled Bomb Tha System. In October 2000, it was announced that Van Winkle's next album would be titled Skabz, and that Chuck D was confirmed to appear on the album. It was initially planned as a double album featuring a disc containing rock-oriented material and a disc of hip hop songs.
In January 2001, Van Winkle was arrested by police in Davie, Florida for assaulting 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. He pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly conduct four months later, and was sentenced to probation and ordered to attend family therapy sessions. In July 2001, Van Winkle performed at the second Gathering of the Juggalos. On October 23, 2001, Skabz and Bomb Tha System were released as a single album, Bi-Polar. Bradley Torreano of Allmusic disliked the album, criticizing it as "wildly uneven and at times hilariously bad". In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Rob Kemp gave the album one out of five stars, calling the album "utterly listless".
From January to February 2004, Van Winkle appeared on the reality television series The Surreal Life. In November 2004, Van Winkle's pet wallaroo, Bucky, and pet goat, Pancho, escaped from his Port St. Lucie, Florida home. After wandering around local streets for over a week, the animals were caught and returned to Van Winkle. He had to pay a $220 fine for expired pet tags and an undisclosed fine for the escape of the animals. 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. Allmusic reviewer Rob Theakston panned the album, writing that it "has more bad spots in it than most".
On April 10, 2008, Van Winkle was arrested in Palm Beach County on a battery charge for allegedly kicking and hitting Laura. 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. 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. 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.
Van Winkle began following a vegetarian diet. In September 2008, Van Winkle signed a contract with Cleopatra Records, recording the cover album Vanilla Ice Is Back! at the label's request. 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)." On February 27, 2009, Van Winkle performed as part of a joint performance with MC Hammer in Orem, Utah. In March 2009, Van Winkle participated in a Virgin Mobile advertising campaign titled "Right Music Wrongs", apologizing for his 1990s image. As part of the campaign, Van Winkle was placed on "trial", and was voted innocent by users of the campaign website. 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, Yesterday Is History, Tomorrow Is A Mystery.
Style and influences
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. Van Winkle performs with a live drummer and DJ, and sometimes sprays his audience with bottled water. Describing his performances, Van Winkle stated "It's high energy, stage diving, pyrotechnics, girls showing their breasts. It's crazy party atmosphere." In promotion of Hard to Swallow, Van Winkle toured with a seven-piece live band which included bassist Scott Shriner. The band opened with rock-oriented material from Hard to Swallow and concluded with older hip hop songs.
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. Van Winkle also stated that he enjoys Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot and System of a Down. Van Winkle sometimes plays bass, drums and keyboards on studio recordings. 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. After meeting Van Winkle in 2000, G-Child performed freestyle raps at six of Van Winkle's performances, and opened for him four times.
Band members
Current
* DJ Dirty Chopstix โ turntables and background vocals
* Keith Reber โ drums
* DJ DP - turntables and background vocals
Former
* D-Shay โ disc jockey
* Clint Barlow - drums
* Earthquake โ disc jockey
* Rod J โ disc jockey
* Zero โ disc jockey
* Scott Shriner โ bass
Discography
Main article: Vanilla Ice discography
* To the Extreme (1990)
* Extremely Live (1991)
* Mind Blowin (1994)
* Hard to Swallow (1998)
* Bi-Polar (2001)
* Platinum Underground (2005)
* Yesterday Is History, Tomorrow Is A Mystery (2009)
* WTF (2011)
Hit
Vanilla Ice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here comes the lyrical breakdown
Move out the way punk, and take a seat clown
It's the Ice Man slicin', Dicin'
Hittin' like Tyson
So listen to the rhythm I givin' 'em
My lyrics got the impact of a Mac truck when I'm sendin' 'em
Yo, My funky rhymes flow
And I'm exploding like nitro-glis
Coming like a hurricane bliss
Straight sacking the track like a quarterback
My man Zero is back with a killer slice
I'm blowin' up the mic
Ya damn right, Vanilla Ice
With twice the punch
I put the crunch on Marky
And take the funky out of his bunch
I hit the home run
You got to third base, son
I'm in first place
Take a seat clown for the beatdown
[Verse 2]
Uh, tonight's the night of the big fight
With the mic in my hand I got the grip tights
Ready to swing it like a Louisville slugger
Right at the head of a sucka
Crack home run
How did it feel to have the mic hit ya dome, Son? Uh!
I tried to make your head ring like a church bell
I put it on ya hard
I'll make ya hurt well
'cause you fell into my booby traps
No more good vibrations
I'm tired of your boots raps
So I eat ya like scooby snacks
An maybe roll you like a zig zag
Or smoke you like a hootie mac
You did what I did
So you're gonna lose kid
Cause to me you're still a new kid on the block
Get off my jock, Get off my diznok
Before you get dropped for the beatdown
[Verse 3]
Yeah, this is the last verse
Should I say the last round
And its time I knock out another class clown
Sit down and take notes
As Vanilla kicks ballistics with dope lyrics
Oh what a pity, though
Cause ya had to spend three million dollars on your video
It was video and I can admit that
All that money's wasted cause your song's wack
I make stuff to make the people gather
An' let 'em see us in a pit
I want to slam dance with ya, Hammer
Now can I kick it, of course I can
yo, you will get burned out, then turned out
I'm gonna keep comin strong, song after song
Ya thought I'd fade, well ya did wrong
I'm the imperial threat for this sound fools
Ha Ha, here comes the lyrical beatdown
The song "Hit 'Em Hard" by Vanilla Ice is a high-energy track that showcases the rapper's lyrical prowess and confident attitude. The song features three verses, each containing clever rhymes and metaphors that describe his dominance over the competition. In the first verse, Vanilla Ice compares himself to heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, emphasizing the power and impact of his lyrics. He also brags about his abilities to flow and rhymes, likening himself to a psycho and a hurricane.
In the second verse, Vanilla Ice continues his attack on his opponents, comparing his rapping skills to a Louisville Slugger baseball bat swing. He taunts his rivals by asking how it feels to be hit in the head by his microphone and asserts his dominance by saying he'll make them hurt well. He also references their lack of creativity, with their "boots raps" and vows to take them down with ease.
Finally, in the last verse, Vanilla Ice takes aim at the music industry, criticising the tendency to spend large amounts of money on music videos that don't have good songs accompanying them. He contrasts this with his own approach to music, which is focused on creating an engaging live show where he can connect with his fans. Overall, the lyrics to "Hit 'Em Hard" are a testament to Vanilla Ice's confidence, creativity, and ability to deliver hard-hitting rhymes.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the lyrical breakdown
Vanilla Ice is about to break down his rhyme for the audience
Move out the way punk, and take a seat clown
He's asking the people who aren't ready for him to leave and let him do his thing
It's the Ice Man slicin', Dicin'
Vanilla Ice is delivering his rhymes with precision
Hittin' like Tyson
His rhymes hit as hard as Mike Tyson's punches
So listen to the rhythm I givin' 'em
He wants people to pay attention to his rhyming flow
My lyrics got the impact of a Mac truck when I'm sendin' 'em
His rhymes have so much impact, they feel like being hit by a truck
Yo, My funky rhymes flow
He's proud of his funky rhyming style
Kickin it like psycho
His rhymes are aggressive and intense
And I'm exploding like nitro-glis
His rhymes are explosive like nitroglycerin
Coming like a hurricane bliss
He's coming hard and fast like a hurricane
Straight sacking the track like a quarterback
He's taking control of the beat like a quarterback leading his team to victory
My man Zero is back with a killer slice
His friend Zero is back with a great verse
I'm blowin' up the mic
Vanilla Ice is killing it on the microphone
Ya damn right, Vanilla Ice
He's confident in his rhyming abilities
With twice the punch
His rhymes hit twice as hard as his competition's
I put the crunch on Marky
He's calling out fellow rapper Marky Mark for a lyrical battle
And take the funky out of his bunch
He wants to outdo Marky Mark and his Funky Bunch
I hit the home run
His rhymes hit a home run, or a big success
You got to third base, son
His competition only made it to third base, meaning they fell short
I'm in first place
Vanilla Ice is the best in the game
Take a seat clown for the beatdown
He's telling his competition to sit down and get ready to be dismantled by his rhymes
Uh, tonight's the night of the big fight
Vanilla Ice is ready for a lyrical battle tonight
With the mic in my hand I got the grip tights
He's got a strong grip on the microphone, ready to deliver his rhymes
Ready to swing it like a Louisville slugger
He's ready to hit his competition hard with his rhymes, like swinging a baseball bat
Right at the head of a sucka
He's aiming his rhymes directly at his competition
Crack home run
He's delivering a big blow with his rhymes
How did it feel to have the mic hit ya dome, Son? Uh!
He's asking his competition how it feels to be destroyed by his rhymes
I tried to make your head ring like a church bell
His rhymes are so powerful, they make his competition's head ring
I put it on ya hard
He's going all out on his competition
I'll make ya hurt well
His rhymes are going to hurt his competition
'cause you fell into my booby traps
His competition fell into his trap of lyrical destruction
No more good vibrations
He's going to ruin his competition's good vibe with his rhymes
I'm tired of your boots raps
He's fed up with his competition's weak rhymes
So I eat ya like scooby snacks
He's going to destroy his competition like Scooby-Doo eats his snacks
An maybe roll you like a zig zag
He's going to destroy his competition like rolling a joint
Or smoke you like a hootie mac
He's going to destroy his competition like smoking marijuana
You did what I did
His competition tried to do what he does but fell short
So you're gonna lose kid
His competition is going to lose the lyrical battle
Cause to me you're still a new kid on the block
His competition is still new to the game compared to him
Get off my jock, Get off my diznok
He wants his competition to get off his back and leave him alone
Before you get dropped for the beatdown
His competition will get dismantled by his rhymes if they don't stop bothering him
Yeah, this is the last verse
He's wrapping up his lyrical battle with this last verse
Should I say the last round
He's implying that this verse is the knockout punch to his competition
And its time I knock out another class clown
He's going to take out another weak competitor with his rhyming skills
Sit down and take notes
His competition should take notes on how to improve their rhyming skills
As Vanilla kicks ballistics with dope lyrics
He's delivering powerful and amazing rhymes
Oh what a pity, though
It's a shame that his competition spent so much money on their music video despite having weak rhymes
Cause ya had to spend three million dollars on your video
He's calling out his competition for their expensive but ultimately useless music video
It was video and I can admit that
He acknowledges that his competition's music video was well-made but their rhymes are still weak
All that money's wasted cause your song's wack
Despite the expensive video, his competition's song is still bad
I make stuff to make the people gather
Vanilla Ice makes music that brings people together
An' let 'em see us in a pit
He wants to perform in a mosh pit with his fans
I want to slam dance with ya, Hammer
He wants to dance and perform with his friend MC Hammer
Now can I kick it, of course I can
He can definitely rock the microphone with his rhymes
yo, you will get burned out, then turned out
His rhyming skills will tire out and ultimately defeat his competition
I'm gonna keep comin strong, song after song
He's going to continue making great music and delivering powerful rhymes
Ya thought I'd fade, well ya did wrong
His competition thought he was washed up but they were wrong
I'm the imperial threat for this sound fools
He's the biggest threat to his competition and their weak rhymes
Ha Ha, here comes the lyrical beatdown
He's delivering a big blow with his rhymes and taking down his competition
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PATRICK ROLLINS, ROBERT VAN WINKLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rtlthemusician5598
โYou can do anything you want with my music, just donโt make it boringโ -Freddie Mercury
@johndaily3698
RTL The Musician too late this song was made
@ninjawithgunz1060
Didnโt he sued this song tho?
@emilgarney6729
random gamer29 under pressure came out in 1981 and this 1989. Vanilla Ice wrote the ice ice baby song when he was 16 around 1983,1984 so this is definitely a sample.
@viperswhip
@@ninjawithgunz1060 his label did I think.
@oldnoob1
@@johndaily3698 The song is a banger
@marknorville9684
You have to give this guy credit, he was pre emeinen and made one of the biggest songs of the 90's.
@kanndy1386
True
@walkworthy
of ALL TIME.
@scottdw72
where is he now, what's he doing this very minute??