Vanilla Ice Biography: Net Worth, Real Name, Wife, Daughter



Known for movies



Robert Matthew Van Winkle, better known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, actor, and television host. Born in South Dallas, and raised in Texas and South Florida, Ice released his debut album, Hooked, in 1989 on Ichiban Records, before signing a contract with SBK Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records. He is known for his 1990 single “Ice Ice Baby”, which was the first hip hop single to top the Billboard charts.

After enjoying initial success with Hooked, Ice’s career took a downturn when his second album, To the Extreme, was released in 1991. It was not as successful as his debut, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard 200 chart. Ice subsequently parted ways with SBK, and his third album, Mind Blowin’, was released in 1994 on Ultrax Records. The album failed to achieve commercial success, and Ice subsequently left the music industry and focused on his television career.

In the early 2000s, Ice made a return to music and released two albums on his own label, Vanilla Ice Records: Hard to Swallow in 1998 and Bi-Polar in 2001. In 2009, he appeared on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, where he was eliminated in the fifth week. In 2018, he appeared on the British reality television series Celebrity Big Brother.

Ice has been married twice and has four children. He has been involved in several legal disputes throughout his career.

Vanilla Ice was born Robert Matthew Van Winkle on October 31, 1967, in Dallas, Texas. His mother, Diane (née Kennedy), was a schoolteacher, and his father, Donald Van Winkle, was an airline pilot. Ice has three siblings: two sisters named Debra and Donna, and a brother named Daniel. Ice’s parents divorced when he was four years old, and he was raised by his mother in Dallas.

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Ice began skating at the age of five and quickly developed a passion for the sport. He would often spend hours practicing at the local rink. When he was nine years old, his family moved to Miami Beach, Florida. It was there that he began surfing and developed a love for the ocean.

Ice began rapping in the early 1980s while still in high school. He would often freestyle with friends at parties or at the local roller skating rink. In 1984, he made his first recording, “Ice Ice Baby”, which was inspired by the film Breakin’. The song was initially meant only for local consumption, but it eventually found its way to a local radio station where it became a hit.

In 1987, Ice moved to Los Angeles to pursue a rap career. He soon caught the attention of major labels and was signed by SBK Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records. His debut album, Hooked, was released in 1989 and featured the hit single “Ice Ice Baby”. The song became a worldwide sensation and made Vanilla Ice an overnight star.

In 1991, Ice released his second album, To the Extreme. The album was not as successful as his debut, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard 200 chart. It did however spawn the hit single “Play That Funky Music”, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 1994, Ice released his third album, Mind Blowin’. The album failed to achieve commercial success and Ice subsequently left the music industry to focus on his television career.

In the early 2000s, Ice made a return to music with two albums on his own label, Vanilla Ice Records: Hard to Swallow in 1998 and Bi-Polar in 2001.

In 2009, Ice appeared on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, where he was eliminated in the fifth week.

In 2018, Ice appeared on the British reality television series Celebrity Big Brother.

Ice has been married twice. His first marriage was to Laura Giaritta from 1987 to 1992. The couple had two daughters: Dusti Rain (born 1988) and Keelee Breeze (born 1991). His second marriage was to Emily Donahue from 1996 to 2016. The couple had two sons: Robert (born 1997) and Danny (born 1998).

Ice has been involved in several legal disputes throughout his career. In 1991, he was sued by David Bowie and Queen for sampling their song “Under Pressure” without permission on his song “Ice Ice Baby”. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. In 2001, Ice was sued by Universal Music Group for unpaid royalties from his second album To the Extreme. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. In 2007, Ice was sued by a former business partner for fraud and breach of contract. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia