“Ice Ice Baby” was released on August 22, 1990. This song is one of Vanilla Ice’s most popular songs and has been credited with diversifying the rap and hip-hop genres by bringing the music to a wider audience.
Fun Facts:
- Vanilla Ice was born Robert Matthew Van Winkle in Dallas, Texas. His stage name came from his nickname Vanilla and his popular dance move, The Ice.
- “Ice Ice Baby” was written in just 30 minutes and is based on Van Winkle’s life in Florida. In the song, Vanilla describes a shooting. The chorus “Ice Ice Baby” stems from the signature chant of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
- “Ice Ice Baby” was Vanilla’s first song to hit No. 1 in the U.S.
- It was the B-Side to Vanilla Ice’s cover of “Play That Funky Music.”
- Vanilla Ice heavily sampled the song “Under Pressure” by Queen and Bowie without their consent. Initially, Vanilla Ice denied any use of the song but later retracted the statement. Queen and Bowie threatened copyright infringement lawsuits, but Van Winkle settled out of court.
- “Ice Ice Baby” was nominated for the Grammy Awards but did not win any prize in the Best Rap Performance category.
- It was the first hip-hop single to top the Billboard Hot 100.
- Vanilla Ice signed a record deal with SBK record when DJ Darrell J played the song.
- On the 1999 game show MTV Rock N’ Jock, Vanilla Ice joined the softball team The Hip Hop Stars with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Method Man.
- Later that year, he was asked to join MTV as they retired the song’s music video on the special 25 Lame. Vanilla Ice was given a baseball bat and destroyed the video’s master tape and the entire set.
Lyrics
Yo VIP, let’s kick it
Ice, ice, baby
Ice, ice, baby
Alright stop, collaborate and listen
Ice is back with the brand new invention
Something grabs a hold of me tightly
Flow like a harpoon daily and nightly
“Will it ever stop?” Yo, I don’t know
Turn off the lights, huh, and I’ll glow
To the extreme,
I rock a mic like a vandal
Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle
Dance, rush the speaker that booms
I’m killing your brain like a poisonous mushroom
Deadly when I play a dope melody
Anything less than the best is a felony
Love it or leave it, you better gangway
You better hit the bullseye, the kid don’t play
And if there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it
Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Vanilla Ice, ice, baby
Now that the party is jumpin’
With the bass kicked in and the Vegas are pumpin’
Quick to the point, to the point, no fakin’
Cookin’ MCs like a pound of bacon
Burnin’ ’em if you’re not quick and nimble
I go crazy when I hear a cymbal
And a hi-hat with a souped up tempo
I’m on a roll, it’s time to go solo
Rollin’ in my 5.0
With the ragtop down so my hair can blow
The girlies on standby, wavin’ just to say hi
“Did you stop?” No, I just drove by
Kept on, pursuin’ to the next stop
I busted a left and I’m headin’ to the next stop
The block was dead, yo, so I continued to
A1A Beachfront Avenue
Girls were hot wearing less than bikinis
Rockman lovers driving Lamborghinis
Jealous, ’cause I’m out getting mine
Shay with a gauge and Vanilla with a 9
Ready for the chumps on the wall
The chumps acting ill because they’re full of eight ball
Gunshots raged out like a bell
I grabbed my 9, all I heard were shells
Falling on the concrete real fast
Jumped in my car, slammed on the gas
Bumper to bumper, the avenue’s packed
I’m trying to get away before the jackers jack
Police on the scene, you know what I mean?
They passed me up, confronted all the dope fiends
If there was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it
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