Vanilla Ice has broken his silence after several artists pulled out of a concert organised by President Donald Trump's Freedom 250 partnership, part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The rapper, real name Robert Van Winkle, told TMZ he was not going to be 'dragged into' political controversy and was simply there to 'party with America'.
The 58-year-old dismissed the political nature of the event, saying he does not vote and would perform for any leader, including Putin, if asked. 'Music is not political, man. It's universal, it just brings people together,' he said. He urged other entertainers not to take the event too seriously, adding: 'We're just entertainers.'
At least six acts have withdrawn from the Great American State Fair, scheduled for June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Among them are Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC and Morris Day. Young MC said he was never told about political involvement, while Morris Day simply stated: 'It's a no for me.'
Vanilla Ice, best known for his 1990 hit 'Ice Ice Baby', said he was performing to celebrate America's birthday, not to endorse any political figure. In an Instagram post, he called the event 'an epic party' and said he was tired of news channels dividing the country. 'This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America's birthday,' he wrote.
