Robert Matthew Van Winkle, more known to the world as the rapper Vanilla Ice, has found his second chance at life at what he thought is the most unlikeliest profession.
In an interview with Miami New Times, the man who rose to fame as the voice behind the catchy song "Ice Ice Baby" during the early 1990s said that flipping houses gave him a sense of purpose when his musical career didn't pan out.
At age 16, Vanilla Ice was catapulted to stardom as the white boy who can rap. However, his songs after "Ice Ice Baby" failed to impress and didn't register as solid hits, making Vanilla Ice a strong one-hit wonder candidate. "Ice Ice Baby" and the album generated 15 million sales worldwide, but the success didn't transition when he moved forward to other musical endeavors. He dabbled into acting, but that didn't work out quite well too.
The meteoric rise and fall of his career as an artist as well as the negative reviews he received from people reportedly made Vanilla Ice contemplate suicide. In July 1994, he attempted killing himself via drug overdose, according to Biography.com. His near-death experience prompted him to find other outlets and endeavors. He then discovered the benefits of flipping houses.
"If you would have asked me what I was going to be doing another 16 to 20 years down the line, I would have never guessed construction - but it goes to show you: Expect the unexpected; get in where you fit in. I found another passion, and I haven't stopped since," he said.
Vanilla Ice found success in the real estate scene as a renovation and home improvement expert before wading into flipping houses for huge profits. His work soon ushered him into the realm of reality TV, where his star shone some more.
First aired in 2010, Vanilla Ice's reality TV show 'The Vanilla Ice Project' showcases the rapper and his crew of contractors renovating and improving homes with state-of-the-art installations and enhancements. The show, which has been positively received by viewers and nabbed some awards, is now entering its sixth season.
"I believe that yesterday's history and tomorrow's a mystery," he says. "You don't take life too serious, and you don't take yourself too serious. You can't go back and change anything negative that's happened to you, and you can't go worrying about tomorrow because it hasn't happened yet."
Vanilla Ice still performs as a music artist, although his songs are not mainstream and receive little radio exposure. But being a pop icon in the 1990s, he has garnered a small but consistent following.
