5 days ago
Vanilla Ice is opinionated by nan Freedom 250 performance celebrating America’s milestone day aft several performers pulled retired this week, saying “music is not political.”
The rapper confirmed Friday that he’ll still execute astatine nan President Trump-affiliated Freedom 250 Presents: The Great American State Fair successful Washington, D.C., arsenic Martina McBride, Bret Michaels and different artists abruptly dropped retired of nan lineup.
“I’m present to statement pinch America, man. Music is made to bring group together and that’s what we are present to do. And we’re conscionable gonna correspond nan ’90s,” nan “Ice Ice Baby” hitmaker told TMZ.
The 58-year-old, whose existent sanction is Robert Van Winkle, based on that nan arena is astir celebrating nan country’s 250th anniversary alternatively than politics.
“I don’t moreover vote, truthful I don’t moreover care. If Biden called up and said, ‘My girl is getting married, we request Vanilla Ice,’ I’d spell play. It’s not a large thing,” he said.
“You play for your fans. We don’t get a chance to prime our fans, they prime us. And I’ll spell play for Putin and I’ll play successful Iran if you want, it don’t matter. There’s fans everywhere.”
“Music is not political, it’s universal,” he added.
Vanilla Ice besides brushed disconnected disapproval surrounding nan arena and nan artists who person decided not to participate.
“Come on, bask nan dancing. Don’t return it truthful serious. We’re conscionable entertainers, man,” he said. “I don’t deliberation anybody should return this serious, including them.
“I deliberation everybody should conscionable spell dance. It’s conscionable music, what’s nan large deal, man? We’re conscionable entertainers.”
The rapper has previously performed astatine Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, taking nan shape astatine nan Palm Beach, Fla., nine during a New Year’s Eve bash astatine nan extremity of past year.
Vanilla Ice echoed nan sentiments in an Instagram video Thursday, saying he was “honored” to beryllium portion of nan celebration.
“America is turning 250. Come on, man. Let’s go,” he said. “We’re gonna bring backmost nan ’90s. Put your dancing shoes on.
“It’s each astir enjoying nan awesome times of 250 years, man. George Washington until now, each nan presidents and everybody successful between.”
He captioned nan post: “Happy day America 250 years. It’s gonna beryllium an epic party. This is to bring america each together.
“This is not a governmental platform. This is celebrating America’s birthday. Nothing excessively superior conscionable enjoying immoderate fun, dancing and awesome memories.”
His comments travel aft respective acts announced they were withdrawing from nan Freedom 250 performance pursuing this week’s lineup reveal.
Country vocalist Martina McBride exited nan arena 1 time aft being announced, calling nan promotion surrounding nan performance “misleading.” Bret Michaels, Young MC, Morris Day & The Time and The Commodores person besides backed out.
Still connected nan measure are Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida, C+C Music Factory and Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan.
Freedom 250 was launched by Trump past year and describes itself arsenic a “national, non-partisan statement starring nan ceremony of our Nation’s 250th birthday.”
The Freedom 250 performance is portion of nan Great American State Fair, a free show that will return complete nan National Mall successful Washington, D.C., from June 25 done July 10.
