“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