Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1967), best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper (rapping). Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Texas and South Florida, Van Winkle released his debut album, Hooked, in 1989 through Ichiban Records, before signing a contract with SBK Records, which released a reformatted version of the album under the title To the Extreme. Van Winkles single "Ice Ice Baby" was the first hip hop single to top the Billboard (Billboard (magazine)) charts (Billboard charts), and has been credited with helping to diversify hip hop by introducing it to a mainstream white audience.

Although Van Winkle was successful, he later regretted his business arrangements with SBK, which had paid him to adopt a more commercial appearance and had published fabricated biographical information without his knowledge. After surviving a suicide attempt by drug overdose, Van Winkle was inspired to change his musical style and lifestyle. Further albums by Van Winkle, including Hard to Swallow, Bi-Polar and Platinum Underground, featured a less mainstream rock (rock music)-oriented sound, and did not chart.