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ThuOct 31

Vanilla Ice

Vanilla Ice, born Robert Matthew Van Winkle on October 31, 1967, became a household name in the 1990s with his breakout song ‘Ice Ice Baby’ which has remained a party playlist staple to date. Before he began rapping, Van Winkle was a DJ, breakdancer, and Motocross rider. After he began recording music, he branched out into film and acting. During a brief music hiatus, he started jet-skiing competitively and even studied real estate. He even had a DIY reality TV show and released a book on the subject! Celebrate the multi-talented performer and athlete on his birthday today.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Robert Matthew Van Winkle

Nickname:

Vanilla Ice

Birth date:

October 31, 1967

Age:

56

Zodiac Sign:

Scorpio

Height:

6' 0"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$12 million

Robert's Social Media:

Background

Vanilla Ice is a pop culture icon best known for his 1990s rap. Born, Robert Matthew Van Winkle on October 31, 1967, in Dallas, Texas, Ice took his stepfather’s surname at the time of his birth. He developed a love for hip hop at an early age and began breakdancing with a troupe in his early teens. Later, he began participating in informal rap battles at parties. Ice is an avid motorcycle enthusiast winning several Motocross championships before he became a professional rapper.

In 1987, he opened for rap legend Sir Mix-a-Lot at his shows on the Stop the Violence tour, catapulting him into the big league of rap. In 1989, Ice recorded his most iconic single ‘Ice Ice Baby.’ He released his first studio album “To The Extreme” that same year and it became the fastest-selling hip hop album of all time. In 1991, he appeared in the movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.” In 1993, he took a sabbatical from music. Ice resumed Motocross racing and started to compete in jet-skiing. He then resumed his career in music in the late 1990s, releasing his third studio album.

In the early 2000s, Ice collaborated with American rap rock duo Insane Clown Posse and appeared on several reality TV shows. He became increasingly involved in real estate projects in the early 2010s, starting his home renovation show in 2009. In 2011, he published a book about succeeding in the real estate business. He continued his acting career, starring in Adlam Sandler’s “That’s My Boy” (2011) and appeared in a live theater pantomime production of “Peter Pan.” In 2019, it was announced that actor Dave Franco would star in a biopic about the rapper.

Career timeline

1987
The First Record Deal Label

Ice signs a record deal with Ultrax.

1989
The Release of His Biggest Hit

‘Ice Ice Baby’ is released along with several other tracks.

1990
The Departure from Ultrax

Ice moves to SBK Records.

1990
The Debut Studio Album

Ice’s album “To The Extreme” becomes an instant hit and the fastest-selling hip-hop album.

1991
He Joins the Silver Screen

Ice makes a cameo appearance in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.”

2011
An Author and Award-Winning Artist

Van Winkle releases a book titled “Get Rich Flipping Houses” about how to be successful in the real estate business; he is also honored as Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist by the American Music Awards.

Why We Love Vanilla Ice

  1. He respects his family’s privacy

    Van Winkle prefers to keep mum about his family life. One of the primary reasons, he says, is that he wants to protect his mother.

  2. He beat addiction

    Van Winkle became addicted to various drugs in the early 1990s. After a failed suicide attempt, he decided to get clean.

  3. He takes accountability for his mistakes

    Van Winkle once claimed to have Native American ancestry. After it was discovered this was not true, he made a public apology. He says he believes First Nations people are “like royalty.”

5 Surprising Facts

  1. He’s a vegetarian

    Ice eliminated meat from his diet in 2006.

  2. He got his stage name while breakdancing

    Because Ice was the only white member of his breakdancing group, his friends nicknamed him “Vanilla.”

  3. He wrote his hit song at 16

    Van Winkle was only 16 when he wrote the lyrics of his hit song ‘Ice Ice Baby.’

  4. He started rapping professionally after an injury

    Van Winkle broke his ankle during a Motocross race and used the recovery time to work on his beatboxing skills which set him up for a rap career.

  5. He was stabbed

    Van Winkle was assaulted with a knife outside of City Lights, the club where he worked as a DJ before he started rapping professionally.

Vanilla Ice FAQs

Where did Vanilla Ice get his nickname?

It’s a combination of his nickname “Vanilla” and one of his breakdance moves called “The Ice.”

What other books has he authored?

He published his official biography titled “Ice by Ice” in 1991 and “Vanilla Ice Project – Real Estate Guide” in 2011.

Did Freddie Mercury hear ‘Ice Ice Baby’?

Reports say that when Queen’s lead singer first heard Ice’s song, he thought he was listening to the original Queen song.

Vanilla Ice’s birthday dates

Year Date Day
2024 October 31 Thursday
2025 October 31 Friday
2026 October 31 Saturday
2027 October 31 Sunday
2028 October 31 Tuesday