Vanilla Ice has cancelled a concert set to take place Friday night in Austin, Texas.
“I’m not going,” the 52-year-old rapper said in a video message he shared on Twitter. “I listen to my fans, I hear all you people out there.”
Ice took heat for planning to perform live in a city that has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent days.
“I didn’t know the numbers were so crazy in Austin,” Ice said, “but we were hoping that it would be a lot better … because we booked this concert a long time ago.”
Best known for his 1990 hit “Ice, Ice Baby,” the rap star insisted he takes COVID-19 seriously “so for the safety and health of everyone we’re going to stay home.”
Due to the increase in COVID-19 numbers in Austin we’re gonna move the concert to a better date. We were hoping for better Coronavirus numbers by July but Unfortunately the numbers have increased quite a bit so for the safety and health of everyone we’re going to stay home. pic.twitter.com/MWWfNWf3zd
— Vanilla Ice (@vanillaice) July 2, 2020
The venue, Emerald Point Bar & Grill, was exempt from the state’s order that bars remain closed because at least 51 percent of its sales come from food. It had cut capacity to 2,500 and promised to promote social distancing.
In a message on its Facebook page, Emerald Point Bar & Grill defended its decision to remain open with live entertainment.
“Before you draw conclusions, please come out and visit us and let us show you we are providing a safe dining experience through these unprecedented times,” read a message. “We are very conscious of the virus and the impact it has on our community.”
There has been no word on the fate of a concert by Colour Me Badd, whose biggest hit was 1991’s “I Wanna Sex You Up," that is scheduled for Saturday night.