Vanilla Ice's Biography

Robert Matthew Van Winkle, better known as Vanilla Ice, was born in Dallas, Texas, but was brought up in south Florida.

He came to prominence in the summer of 1990, when as a white solo rapper he had the number 1 hit Ice Ice Baby accompanied by the hit album To the Extreme.

Ice Ice Baby sold more than 40 million copies.

Famously, it was permeated with the bass line from David Bowie and Queen's track Under Pressure.

In 1992, Vanilla Ice won a Razzie Award for the "Worst New Star" when he played the lead character Johnny, opposite Naomi Campbell, in Cool as Ice.

The film and the soundtrack were not commercial successes.

Vanilla Ice's subsequent albums include Mind Blowin', Hard to Swallow and Bipolar.

Meanwhile, Vanilla Ice was reportedly having problems in his personal life with drugs, alcohol, depression and a failed suicide attempt.

Vanilla Ice appeared in season two of VH1's Surreal Life.

In 2010, he renovated a house in the reality TV show The Vanilla Ice Project, on the DIY Network.

One of his hobbies is racing motorcross.

He is a vegetarian.

In 2011 Vanilla Ice entered Dancing on Ice, partnering Katie Stainsby.

Vanilla Ice had not ice skated before he got involved with Dancing on Ice.

Nevertheless, Vanilla Ice and Katie performed very well, and arguably better than their 7th position suggested.