Palm Beach rapper back with second season of Vanilla Ice Project

Vanilla Ice doesn’t have idle hands. The local erstwhile rapper, 44, is coming back for season 2 of DIY Network’s The Vanilla Ice Project, which shows him getting down to the business of remodeling a home room by room in Palm Beach County. Knockout features include a helicopter landing pad, an island getaway in the backyard and a bathroom that looks like a spa at a five-star hotel. We caught up with Ice (real name Robert Van Winkle) in the midst of renovations:

What can viewers expect this season?

Thisseason is going to be the most amazing showcase of the most modern high technology in a house that you’ve ever seen. The whole house is a smart house, which means everything from the curtains to the pool to the lights to the thermostat to the movie projector to the game room, the locks, gates and cameras are all controlled from a smart phone or iPad.

What are you proudest of in your new career?

People appreciate what I’m doing to these houses and appreciate my vision and that I get to showcase all of these new modern, high-tech features and homes. I can see it first and foremost, but I get to show everybody. That’s what’s cool about it. And the greatest thing from the show is it inspires people, gives people hope in the housing market and the inspiration to enjoy their homes.

Do you watch a lot of makeover shows on TV?

I watch all the home improvement shows. Lately I’ve been liking Bath Crashers. I’m addicted to all of them. I constantly watch HGTV and DIY Network. I was watching them before I even had a show.

How do you like living in Florida as opposed to the West Coast?

I grew up in Florida and I love Florida. It’s paradise. Everywhere it’s cold around the world, and we’re sitting there drinking our piña coladas in the sunshine. It’s palm trees, beach, ocean, an hour from the Keys, a couple hours from Disney. You can’t beat it. It’s tropical paradise, and the people make it great as well.

How is your music coming along?

Fantastic. I just released a record called WTF, which stands for wisdom, tenacity, focus. There are no explicit lyrics. It’s like a new adventure for me musically: dance, hip hop, techno. I never left the music behind even though I found another passion with the homes.

This story was originally published January 20, 2012 at 1:01 AM with the headline "Palm Beach rapper back with second season of Vanilla Ice Project."