Introducing Robert Matthew Van Winkle
In addition to his love for hip-hop, he was a breakdancer and was particularly known for the move “Ice,” which would later become his nickname. He would gather a group of performers called “the Vanilla Ice Posse” and performed with them on the streets and in the nightclubs. But he had another passion, motor racing. In fact, he won three straight titles at the National Grand Championship.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
But he ultimately decided not to do it professionally after dealing with an injury. That’s when the multi-talented star dedicated all his focus to his music career. His debut album Hooked, later reissued as To the Extreme, featured the smash hit single, Ice Ice Baby which is Vanilla’s claim to fame.