Vanilla Ice on Burglary Arrest: 'It's a Mess'

The '90s rapper-turned-reality-star discussed his arrest on Good Morning America

Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty

Vanilla Ice is just trying to deal.

On Feb 18, the former rapper (real name: Robert Van Winkle), 47, was arrested and charged with burglary of a foreclosed home in Florida adjacent to a property he was renovating for his DIY Network home improvement show, The Vanilla Ice Project.

After telling reporters as he left Palm Beach County Jail last Wednesday that the incident was “a misunderstanding blown out of proportion,” the “Ice Ice Baby” rapper appeared on Friday’s Good Morning America to further discuss the arrest.

“It’s just blown out of proportion,” he said. “That’s all I can say about it right now. It’s just a mess, and I’m dealing with it.”

When host Lara Spencer mentioned that he has been cooperating with police, Van Winkle agreed, but said no more than, “I wish I could elaborate.”

Van Winkle first told police he had purchased the burglarized home when they questioned him in response to reports involving squatters on the abandoned property. It was later reported that Van Winkle had not yet made the purchase but was planning on doing so.

On Feb. 18, police searched the nearby home owned by Van Winkle and recovered items listed as missing from the vacant home, including furniture, a pool heater, and artwork.

Van Winkle told police he “found several of the items next to the curb and thought they were trash.”

After discussing the Florida incident, Van Winkle and Spencer moved on to plugging the fifth season of his renovation show, sharing inexpensive do-it-yourself projects, including a self-molded mirror and antique glassed lamp.