Vanilla Ice is all about sharing his patriotism with his fans.
During an interview with Fox News Digital, the 58-year-old rapper once again defended his decision to perform at America 250’s Great American State Fair, explaining “it’s kinda shocking to me that we can’t celebrate the birthday of our country” without backlash, saying he is “honored” to have been asked to perform and that “it’s not about politics.”
“Man, I raise the flag at every concert I go to. You know that. And I’m proud because I know what we’ve gone through for 250 years to be where we are. And I am proud because I’m friends with so many soldiers,” he said. “All the guys on the Vanilla Ice Project that do construction with me, they’re all Marines. They teach me the code of ethics. They teach how, what it’s like to be a real American. They teach what it is like to understand that the veterans that have lost their lives and everybody that has fought for this country, what it means.”
He went on to say that the celebrations are “part of our freedom” as well as “part of the fun that we are allowed to do these things and enjoy our freedom, and come together.”
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When it comes to the backlash he received for agreeing to perform at the President Trump-backed events, the rapper said he is “just an entertainer” and that it isn’t fair for him or any other entertainer “to be dragged into politics and stuff.”
WATCH: Vanilla Ice has the American Flag waving at all of his concerts
“I think people are taking everything too serious, and you should enjoy this concert, this celebration of our country, and we should all come together. That’s what music’s for anyway, to bring people together,” he said. “Music brings people together, and that’s what it’s all about.”
While other artists announced they were dropping out of the lineup, Vanilla Ice received backlash for not backing away, telling Fox News Digital that the critics only “reinforced” his resolve to perform.
After the lineup was announced on May 29, several performers, including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Young MC, the Commodores, Morris Day and others announced they were dropping out.
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“I don’t think it’s fair for all the other musicians. I respect them all too, that pulled out even, because they’re still on tour with me, and they have their own reasons, and they live in different places, and it’s different,” he said. “They have to feel that heat. So for them, it’s not fair and they just kind of like, ‘Hey man, I don’t need all this heat. I’m just here to play and enjoy.’ But for me, I’m gonna celebrate my country and I don’t think anybody should tell me I shouldn’t, and I’m honored to be on this.”
WATCH: Vanilla Ice is ‘shocked; that people were upset about entertainers celebrating America’s birthday
While he understands why the other artists chose to back out, he told Martha MacCallum on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” in June, that he chose not back out of the performance, because “I don’t like anybody telling me I can’t be proud of my country.”
“I’m born here. I’m raised here. I’m proud of it. I represent it everywhere I go. I wear the American Flag everywhere I go. It’s just a shame that it’s going down like this. I really don’t think it’s fair on us as musicians to have the pressure put on us like this, but it’s a shame. It’s a shame that we can’t be proud.”
The rapper first shared his excitement over performing at the celebration, in an Instagram video posted in May, in which he said he was “honored” to be performing at the event, promising to “bring back the 90s.”
WATCH: Vanilla Ice doesn’t blame the other artists for dropping out of the concert
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In the caption, he promised that the concert will “bring us all together” in addition to being “an epic party,” adding, “We are all one. This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America’s birthday.”
