In this series of articles I will randomly pick a cd or DVD out of my collection and write a little story about it. My collection has been in storage for some time but I love to go through it now that it is on display once again. The collection holds about 300+ cd’s and the same amount of DVD’s.
For today I picked a cd: To the Extreme by Vanilla Ice
Artist info:
Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1967), known professionally as Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, actor, and television host. Born in South Dallas, and raised in Texas and South Florida, Ice released his debut album, Hooked, in 1989 on Ichiban Records, before signing a contract with SBK Records, a record label of the EMI Group, which released a reformatted version of the album in 1990 under the title To the Extreme, which contained Ice's best-known hits: "Ice Ice Baby" and a cover of "Play That Funky Music". "Ice Ice Baby" was the first hip hop single to top the Billboard charts.
Although he was successful, Ice later regretted his business arrangements with SBK, which had paid him to adopt a more commercial appearance to appeal to a mass audience and published fabricated biographical information without his knowledge. After surviving a suicide attempt, Ice changed his musical style and lifestyle. While his later, less mainstream albums failed to chart or receive much radio airplay, Ice has had an underground following. In 2009, Ice began hosting The Vanilla Ice Project on DIY Network. His latest album, WTF – Wisdom, Tenacity & Focus, was released in August 2011. After that, Ice signed to Psychopathic Records. (source Wikipedia)
Album info:
To the Extreme is the major label debut studio album of American rapper Vanilla Ice. The album was initially released in 1989 by independent record label Ichiban Records under the title Hooked. Vanilla Ice signed to SBK Records, who reissued the album under its current title. The album contains Vanilla Ice's most successful singles, "Ice Ice Baby" and a cover of "Play That Funky Music". Although reviews of the album were mixed, To the Extreme spent 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, and sold 15 million copies worldwide.
"Ice Ice Baby" 4:31
"Yo Vanilla" 0:04
"Stop That Train" 4:29
"Hooked" 4:52
"Ice Is Workin' It" 4:36
"Life Is a Fantasy" 4:47
"Play That Funky Music" 4:45
"Dancin'" 5:00
"Go Ill" 4:58
"It's a Party" 4:39
"Juice to Get Loose Boy" 0:08
"Ice Cold" 4:05
"Rosta Man" 4:36
"I Love You" 5:06
"Havin' a Roni" 1:09
My story with this album:
One of my guilty pleasure albums in my collection, still you can’t really tell you got this album and ok I still like some of the somewhat corny songs on it. This was my first cd I bought at the moment I bought my first cd player, yes this album started the collection I am writing about now days.
It was a strange album as a lot of people where dissing this album as a mayor sell out and it was rubbish, on the other hand almost all the haters knew every song by heart. I am one of those people who openly said I had the album and that I listened to it quit frequently.
Back in those days it was also quite normal to copy a cd to tape for your classmates, and yes I made a total of 35 copies of this album on to cassette tapes. Said enough that everybody wanted this album.
Now that I have this album out in the open I must say that I really looking forward to listen to this album on Spotify later on today to get a bit nostalgic. I have this feeling of wanting to listen to it since the Top 2000, a very nice list on the Dutch radio where the listener can vote witch 2000 songs will be played between Christmas and new year’s, when Ice Ice Baby came along. I was a bit impressed that I still could “sing” along the whole song.
Hope you like this little post and idea of the series. If so follow me 