Vanilla Ice has offered an unexpected explanation for why he’s still set to appear at Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 concert next month.
Several performers originally listed for the event celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary have since withdrawn, saying they didn’t realize the gathering had political ties.
The 16-day series on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is scheduled to run from June 25 through July 10. Organizers have also promoted a June 26 concert as “an evening of 90s nostalgia, iconic hits, and live performances from some of the era’s most recognizable names”.
But a number of acts—including Young MC, Morris Day, the Commodores, and Martina McBride—have pulled out after initially being announced.
Vanilla Ice, however, is remaining on the bill. Speaking to TMZ, he said he’s willing to perform for any audience and suggested he’d even play for Vladimir Putin.
“I’m not gonna get dragged into that,’ he told the outlet. “I’m here to party with America, man. Music is made to bring people together and that’s what we’re here to do.”
He added that his approach would be the same regardless of which political figure was asking.
He continued: “If Biden called up and said, ‘My daughter’s getting married, we need Vanilla Ice,’ I’d go play.
“It’s not a big thing. You play for your fans. We don’t get a chance to pick our fans, they pick us. I’ll go play for Putin and I’ll play in Iran if you want. It don’t matter. There’s fans everywhere. Music is not political, man. It’s universal.”
Vanilla Ice also argued that the current climate has made people quicker to turn entertainment into a battleground.
The singer concluded: “Everybody’s opinionated and it seems like the world is like a snow globe today, it’s all shaken up.
“I’m from the 80s and 90s. We didn’t take all this mess so serious. Come on, man, this is a celebration of America. Don’t take it so serious. We’re just entertainers. Just get out, shut up and play. That’s what I say.”
Young MC—who was the first to publicly confirm he was no longer taking part—said he still hopes to return to Washington, D.C., for another show, but one he views as less divisive.
The rapper wrote in a social media post: “I HAVE INFORMED MY AGENTS THAT I WILL NOT BE PERFORMING AT THE FREEDOM 250 EVENT,” he writes. “The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event.
“And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed. I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.”