In terms of artistic advancement, many rap fans would probably not consider Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” a genre-shifting single. However, regarding popular appeal, they probably would, as it was the first-ever rap song to peak at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That wasn’t the only chart it peaked at No. 1 on, because on this day, December 1, 1990, Vanilla Ice’s hit single peaked at No. 1 on the charts in the United Kingdom.
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Like it or not, Vanilla Ice’s 1990 single was instrumental in the growth of rap music. Prior to the single’s release, the genre was indeed popular, but it wasn’t the heavy-hitting cultural force it is today. On this day, December 1, 1990, Vanilla Ice began the upward trend in rap music. A trend that would make the genre one of the most popular genres of the 21st century. However, his tactics led him to pay both a literal and figurative price.
Unjust Song Sampling and the Tainted Legacy of Vanilla Ice’s Hit Single
Unless you were born post-2010, you have certainly heard Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby”. It’s incredibly catchy, somewhat humorous, and also very, very familiar. Many would argue that the reason it is so catchy is that it is so familiar. And well, it is so familiar because Vanilla Ice unlawfully used the bassline to Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure”.
If you read this site frequently or are just a general music nut like us, then you know this case of copyright infringement is arguably the most famous in music industry history. Like “Ice Ice Baby”, Queen and Bowie’s single also peaked at No. 1 on the UK singles chart. So, given that a part of their song was back on the top of the charts, they were going to make sure they got paid and received credit where credit was due. As you already might know, or expected, they did.
Following the successful release of “Ice Ice Baby”, Bowie and Queen sued Ice Ice Baby for copyright infringement. The case was settled outside of court, and Vanilla Ice’s punishment was to pay a sum of money and give credits to David Bowie and Queen. Reportedly, Vanilla Ice had to pay $4 million to both parties.
Vanilla Ice’s single has a two-faced legacy. On one side, it is arguably the song that propelled rap music into the mainstream. On the other side is a fraudulent face that articulates the notion that Ice couldn’t create a hit single on his own. Regardless, “Ice Ice Baby” will likely go down as one of the most influential hip-hop songs in the history of the genre.
Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./Getty Images
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