Bi-Polar (Vanilla Ice album)
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Bi-Polar is the fourth studio album by Vanilla Ice. Released by Liquid 8 Records, it is the rapper's second independent release, after Hooked.
Production
The album was initially planned as a double album consisting of one disc of rock music (Skabz) and one disc of hip hop music (Bomb Tha System). Before the album's release, it was decided that the two parts of the album would be released on one disc, with each part labeled.[1][2] Each side of the booklet features a different cover for each part. Skabz features appearances from heavy metal music figures such as former Slipknot guitarist Josh "Gnar" Brainard, Roy Mayorga, and Billy Milano. Bomb Tha System notably features appearances from Insane Poetry's Psycho, Chuck D (of Public Enemy fame), the Insane Clown Posse, and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate La the Darkman.[1][3] In the initial publicity for the album, Vanilla Ice claimed that the album would feature a guest appearance from Lenny Kravitz.[4] Although Vanilla Ice is credited as "V-Ice" and "Ice" on the album, there was never any intent to change his stage name. The performer is quoted as saying "people are asking me that question [...] there's no name change. I'm proud of it and I'm not trying to run from anything or hide from anything."[2]
Release and reception
Two singles were released, "Nothing is Real" and "Get Your Ass Up".[5] Bomb tha System was reissued under the title Hot Sex on July 22, 2003, with alternate artwork depicting a woman in revealing clothing alongside Van Winkle.[6][7]
According to a Sony BMG executive, sales of Bi-Polar were "not bad...for Vanilla Ice. That's pretty respectable. Seriously."[8]
Bradley Torreano of Allmusic greatly disliked the album, calling it "wildly uneven and at times hilariously bad". Torreano referred to the album's nu metal-influenced songs as being "terribly generic" and derivative of bands such as Korn and Deftones. Torreano praised the production of the hip hop songs, but described Van Winkle's lyrics as "boring and simplistic", and felt that the inclusion of the phone messages at the end of the album was not necessary. Torreano called "Elvis Killed Kennedy", "the best song on the album" and described it as "a sadly rare example of the talent that [Chuck D] still has".[9] The New Rolling Stone Album Guide gave the album one out of five stars.[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Introduction" | 0:11 | |
| 2. | "Nothing Is Real" (Ice, Train, Feat, Josh Brainard, Roy Mayorga, Jason Mendelson) | Ice | 4:26 |
| 3. | "Molton" (Ice, "T" Tim McMurtrie, Chris "Hitman" Antonopoulos) | Ice | 3:13 |
| 4. | "Mudd Munster" (Ice, Feat, Billy Milano, Josh Brainard, Roy Mayorga, Jason Mendelson) | Ice | 3:24 |
| 5. | "Exhale" (Ice, Feat, "T" Tim McMurtrie, Billy Milano) | "T" Tim McMurtrie, Steve Evetts and Ice | 2:56 |
| 6. | "Still Icein It" (Ice) | Ice | 5:24 |
| 7. | "Primal Side" (Ice, Feat, Josh Brainard, Roy Mayorga, Jason Mendelson) | Ice | 5:23 |
| 8. | "I Know" (Ice, "T" Tim McMurtrie, Rod J) | "T" Tim McMurtrie, Steve Evetts and Ice | 4:43 |
| Total length: | 29:42 | ||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Hip Hop Intro" | 0:10 | |
| 10. | "Hip Hop Rules" (Ice, Train, Feat, La Tha Darkman) | Ice | 4:32 |
| 11. | "O.K.S." (Ice, Feat, Psycho, DJ Street) | Ice | 3:40 |
| 12. | "Dirty South" (Ice, Zero, Feat, Zeno, Rod-J, Calico) | Ice and Zero | 3:42 |
| 13. | "Hot Sex" (Ice, Bob Kakaha, REM) | Ice | 4:50 |
| 14. | "Unbreakable" (Ice, Feat, La Tha Darkman) | Ice | 3:09 |
| 15. | "Detonator" (Ice, Feat, Train) | Ice | 3:38 |
| 16. | "Elvis Killed Kennedy" (Ice, Feat, Mista Chuck A.K.A. Chuck D, Rahan) | Ice | 3:40 |
| 17. | "Insane Killas" (Ice, Train, Feat, Insane Clown Posse, La Tha Darkman, Zeno) | Ice and Zeno | 5:02 |
| 18. | "Tha Weed Song" (Ice, Zeno, Blu, Feat, Rahan) | Ice | 5:15 |
| 19. | "Get Your Ass Up" (Ice, Feat, Pearla, Zeno) | Ice | 2:53 |
| 20. | "Crash And Burn" (Phone Message—Ross Robinson) | 0:47 | |
| 21. | "Vampiro" (Phone Message—ICP) | 0:13 | |
| 22. | "MC & Slasher" (Phone Message—Jeramy Mcgrath, Victor Sheldon) | 0:10 | |
| 23. | "Anthropology 101" (Phone Message—Zero) | 0:15 | |
| 24. | "White Trash" (Ice—Quote From Cape Fear) | 0:26 | |
| Total length: | 42:29 | ||
References
- ^ a b "Vanilla Ice discography - Bi-Polar". VanillaIce.com. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b Vontz, Andrew. "Ice capades". Salon.com. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Johnson, Tina (April 25, 2000). "Vanilla Ice Wrestles ICP For New Album". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Saidman, Sorelle (October 26, 2000). "Vanilla Ice Picks "Skabz" On Next LP". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Vanilla Ice discography". Ultrax Records. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- ^ "Vanilla Ice discography - Hot Sex". VanillaIce.com. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Hot Sex > Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Wilonsky, Robert. "Ice Ice Maybe". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Torreano, Bradley. "Review of Bipolar". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Kemp, Rob (2004). Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (ed.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (fourth edition ed.). Simon and Schuster. pp. 843–844. ISBN 0743201698.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters:|origmonth=,|month=,|chapterurl=,|origdate=, and|coauthors=(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
External links
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