Rapper Vanilla Ice will perform Friday at a 2,500-person concert in Texas despite a recent surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations across the state.
The singer, known for his popular 1990 song, “Ice Ice Baby,” is kicking off the July 4 weekend celebration in Austin, with his theme rooted in nostalgia during the global pandemic.
“I can’t wait to get back to this,” the rapper wrote on Instagram on Sunday, with his post including a video of a crowd screaming in a crowded place.
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“The 90s were the best. We had no coronaviruses, no cell phones, no computers. We had 5.0’s, blockbusters, Beavis and Butthead, Wayne’s World, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. And Mortal Kombat is even better than fifteen days but We left the house. We danced, we invented house parties in the 90s. The last of the great decades. “
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered all bars in the state to be closed for the second time last Friday as the state tries to curb the resurgence of the virus after a swift reopening last month. Restaurants were also ordered to return to 50 percent of capacity.
“Right now, it is clear that the increase in cases is largely due to certain types of activities, including Texans who congregate in bars,” said Abbott. “The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to quickly contain this virus and protect public health.”
The concert, titled “The Independence Day Throwback Beach Party”, will take place at the Emerald Point Bar & Grill, a multi-level establishment on the shores of Lake Travis. The place is still open because it’s technically categorized as a restaurant, despite having a large outdoor entertainment space, according to the Austin Chronicle. At least 51 percent of their income currently comes from the sale of food.
The business may increase its capacity to 5,000 people, but according to reports, the concert will have more than 2,500, according to the Chronicle. Tickets sell for between $ 25 and $ 300 on their Eventbrite page.
“/> Rapper Vanilla Ice will perform Friday at a 2,500-person concert in Texas amid a recent surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations across the state.
(Associated Press)
Texas saw a record 8,076 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, two days before the concert is scheduled to begin, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. Hospitalizations have also skyrocketed in recent weeks. More than 6,900 people are currently hospitalized in the state as of Wednesday night, compared to just over 2,000 on June 11.
Texas has seen more than 171,929 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic, the third-highest state in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The state has reported at least 2,502 deaths from the virus.
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In the meantime, organizers of the popular Austin City Limits Music Festival announced in a statement Wednesday that they were ruling out the three-day event in October and deemed it “the only responsible solution” amid the pandemic. Austin-based entertainment company Rooster Teeth announced it last week. It canceled its flagship RTX 2020 convention, which typically draws thousands of loyal fans to the annual event and company personalities.
“Despite all our wishes and our best efforts to meet in person this year, due to citywide restrictions on large-scale events, RTX Austin 2020 has been officially canceled,” the company wrote on its website.
Even with the recent surge in cases in Texas, restrictions on large-scale events, and outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people in need of approval from local governments, Vanilla Ice’s concert with nostalgia seems set to roll back. in the time.
“Get ready to go back to the 90s, the greatest decade in history,” the rapper and Dallas native, whose real name is Robert Matthew Van Winkle, wrote on June 24, to the delight of his fans on Instagram. “Bring your dance shoes, Speedo, bikinis, neon colors and ninja turtle gear … hahaha.”
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Her 1990 album “To the Extreme” featuring “Ice Ice Baby” spent 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 record chart and sold at least 15 million copies.
Fox News Jessica Napoli and Louis Casiano contributed to this report
