After a number of artists dropped out of a Washington, D.C., live performance collection organized by Freedom 250, rapper Vanilla Ice stated he’ll nonetheless be on the invoice, telling CBS Information on Monday he would carry out for anybody, together with Russian President Vladimir Putin or Iran.
The rapper, whose actual title is Robert Van Winkle, instructed CBS Information, “It is easy as a pimple for me, there’s nothing to it. It is the birthday of America.”
“2 hundred and fifty years. It isn’t something to do with politics. I do not know why they’re turning it into politics,” Van Winkle stated, including he is “by no means voted in my life.”
After the lineup was introduced Wednesday, a number of artists — together with Morris Day and the Time, Younger MC and The Commadores — stated they have been backing out. Bret Michaels and Martina McBride additionally introduced they might not be performing within the following days.
A number of artists stated they have been misled in regards to the organizers of the occasion, with Younger MC writing: “Regardless of the claims by the organizers that the occasion is non-partisan, SPIN journal describes it as Trump-backed.”
Freedom 250 — a corporation launched final yr following an government order from President Trump to offer “a grand celebration worthy of the momentous event of the 250th anniversary of American Independence” — maintains that it and the occasions it’s organizing are nonpartisan, saying in a earlier assertion it’s “devoted to uniting People across the nation’s 250th anniversary.” In accordance with the manager order, Mr. Trump serves because the chair of the duty pressure created to arrange the celebrations. Freedom 250 and Activity Drive 250 are separate from a 2016 bipartisan fee created to assist plan celebrations for the 250th anniversary.
The Nice American State Truthful, in response to Freedom 250, will run from June 25 to July 10 on the Nationwide Mall, and can embrace “state and territory pavilions celebrating all 56 states and territories, specialty displays, stay performances, interactive experiences, and basic truthful points of interest.”
Van Winkle stated he understood why different artists would again out in the event that they really feel the occasion is just too political and are “scared” of social media backlash, however added, “For me, I am simply right here to have a good time the nation I used to be born in.”
Van Winkle additionally brushed apart different artists’ accusations that they have been misled.
“After I play occasions, I by no means ask about them,” he instructed CBS Information. “I simply go, ‘The place am I going?’ I do not even know and I do not even care, as a result of I’ve followers they usually have booked me to play a present.”
Requested if he felt it was attainable to separate artwork from politics, Van Winkle stated, “Heck yeah. They need to by no means be in there.”
“It is best to do no matter you’re feeling like doing and specific your self. That is what music is,” he stated.
Van Winkle, who has beforehand carried out at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago membership, stated he’d play for Democratic politicians as effectively.
“I might go play for anyone,” he stated. “Putin. Whoever. You need — I might go to Iran. Do not matter.”
“You’ll be able to’t decide your followers. They decide you,” Van Winkle added. “You are simply an entertainer. Do not ever attempt to suppose you are something past that.”
