PEMBROKE — When his No. 1 single “Ice, Ice Baby” was released, it was one of the biggest songs of the 1990s, and now Vanilla Ice is coming to Givens Performing Arts Center to welcome back UNC Pembroke alumni for its annual homecoming.
Vanilla Ice will perform on Friday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $45 for adults and $15 for children.
“I’m sure that once upon a time, ‘Ice, Ice Baby’ was playing loud and clear on the UNCP campus,” said James Bass, executive director of GPAC. “This concert is just one part of the festivities making up UNCP Homecoming this year, and it’s one way to make our alumni feel like they never left.”
While the concert is part of UNCP’s Homecoming festivities, the show is open to the public, said Bass.
Born Robert Matthew Van Winkle, in South Dallas, he became an overnight success in 1990 when his debut record, “To The Extreme,” produced the unforgettable song “Ice, Ice, Baby,” featuring the Queen and David Bowie sample from “Under Pressure.” The album spent 16 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 11 million copies.
In addition to his signature song, Vanilla Ice also performed “Ninja Rap” for the soundtrack to the film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II,” as well as a cover of “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry. In 2008, he released a covers album with his versions of songs by Public Enemy, House of Pain, Bob Marley, and Cypress Hill.
During the 2000s, Vanilla Ice appeared on several reality TV shows, including “Celebrity Boxing,” “The Surreal Life,” and his own do-it-yourself home renovation show “The Vanilla Ice Project.” He also appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2016. He still performs concerts and festivals around the country.
In 2019, a Vanilla Ice biopic was announced with actor Dave Franco set to portray the rapper.
For information about tickets and the entire season lineup, visit www.uncp.edu/gpac or call 910-521-6361.