As Other Artists Bail, Vanilla ICE Explains Why He’s Still “Proud” to Perform at Freedom 250 Concert * 100PercentFedUp.com * by Kaley

After over half of the artists originally scheduled to perform at this summer’s Great American State Fair concert dropped out, one musician is standing strong.

During an appearance on CNN, rapper Vanilla ICE was asked why he still plans to perform at the concert, which is intended to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday.

His answer was incredibly perfect and patriotic.

“I’m proud to be an American,” Vanilla ICE said, “I was born and raised here. This is my country, and I don’t like anyone telling me I can’t be proud of it.

He went on to call the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity a “huge honor” and shot down the leftists trying to make the concert a political issue.

Watch his full response here:

CNN: Tell us why you’re still planning on performing at Freedom 250 even as so many others are cancelling.

Vanilla Ice: “I’m proud to be an American. I was born and raised here. This is my country, and I don’t like anyone telling me I can’t be proud of it.” pic.twitter.com/v7P2caTgRN

— johnny maga (@johnnymaga) June 1, 2026

Vanilla ICE doubled down on his explanation in an interview with CBS News:

The rapper, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, told CBS News, “It’s simple as a pimple for me, there’s nothing to it. It’s the birthday of America.”

“Two hundred and fifty years. It’s not anything to do with politics. I don’t know why they’re turning it into politics,” Van Winkle said, adding he’s “never voted in my life…”

Van Winkle said he understood why other artists would back out if they feel the event is too political and are “scared” of social media backlash, but added, “For me, I’m just here to celebrate the country I was born in.”

Van Winkle also brushed aside other artists’ accusations that they were misled.

“When I play events, I never ask about them,” he told CBS News. “I just go, ‘Where am I going?’ I don’t even know and I don’t even care, because I have fans and they have booked me to play a show.”

Asked if he felt it was possible to separate art from politics, Van Winkle said, “Heck yeah. They should never be in there.”

“You should do whatever you feel like doing and express yourself. That’s what music is,” he said.

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Very well said!

Originally, this concert event was planned as a time for everyone — regardless of political affiliation — to come together and celebrate the birth of our country as Americans. It’s supposed to be about unification, not division.

But, unfortunately, the left cannot see past the partisan divide in our country and has been billing the celebration as a purely MAGA event.

As a result of so many artists calling it quits, President Trump has floated the idea of canceling the concert altogether and having a rally instead.

We covered that idea further here:

President Trump Makes HUGE Announcement About America 250 Concert

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So far, the concert has not been officially canceled.

But, the lineup has been slashed in half.

As it stands, here are the performers still planning to play at the concert:

Vanilla Ice (strongly committed and vocal about it)

Flo Rida

Fab Morvan (of Milli Vanilli) — performing as part of the ’90s-themed show

C+C Music Factory (via Freedom Williams) — still slated, though he has been outspoken and noncommittal at times; the act remains on organizer lists