Rapper Vanilla Ice Sweetens up local audience

Rapper Vanilla Ice Sweetens up local audience

JAKARTA (JP): Robert van Winkle, better known as rapper
Vanilla Ice visited Indonesia last week. Jakarta, Bandung and
Surabaya were the towns he visited for the Indonesian leg of his
world concert tour.

For his first show at the M Club, in Blok M Plaza, South
Jakarta, he was greeted by more than 500 of his fans. Mostly
teenagers who enjoy rap and hip-hop.

He surprised many of his fans by showing up with only a DJ and
a background rapper. The fans expected him to show up with
dancers and a band, as was the case with MC Hammer, his once
nemesis in the rap world, when he came to town. But he proved
that he can entertain his fans, with his superb stage control.

In an interview with the Prambors radio station the day before
the show, he said that his concert was going to be, "freestyle,
I'm just going to perform according to the crowd. If they are not
excited, I'm going to sing a song that will hype them, or
otherwise." He did just that when he sang his very popular song,
Roll'em Up, as his second song, when he saw the crowd unfamiliar
to his opening tune.

He rapped a song about going down (meaning he's going to
leave) and he literally jumped down into the crowd and was met by
grabbing hands, trying to touch him. He sang, or more precisely
rapped, many of his hits from his two album, To The Extreme and
Mind Blowin.

Although the location of the show was relatively small for a
world class rapper, it was a wonderful place to do a show. The
usual distance between the crowd and performer was diminished.
The atmosphere of the place made both the artist and watcher
comfortable, confirmed by the many fans, who were jubilant with
the concept. Vanilla communicated with the fans freely and
although he was occasionally grabbed by his adoring fans, he
enjoyed the idea.

The concert was satisfying for many, and an experience for
others. The rap style of Vanilla, who changed from hip-hop rap to
a more conservative street rap, was a change of pace for the
crowd, who, in the past, were familiar with his energetic
dancing.

The club's laser show was also a new experience for many.
During each break, colorful lasers filled the air and entertained
the mostly adolescent crowd. Unfortunately, over-zealous security
guards dampened the atmosphere of the show slightly. Each time
Vanilla cross the ramp, hands that tried to touch him were
stopped by the guards.

When one boy tried to get on stage he was pushed roughly by
one of the guards. Vanilla, seeing this, told the guards to stop
and let the crowd enjoyed itself. After this incident, the show
continued without a hitch. (07)