Vanilla Ice’s 1990 hit single that samples “Under Pressure” is “Ice Ice Baby.” The song uses the recognizable bassline from the 1981 collaboration by Queen and David Bowie, making it one of pop rap’s most famous examples of a rock sample.
“Ice Ice Baby” began as a B-side and became a breakout success after radio stations started playing it. It was released by SBK Records in 1990 and appeared on Vanilla Ice’s debut album, To the Extreme. The single’s success made Vanilla Ice the first rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 with a song built around that sample.
The sampling also produced a well-known legal dispute. Queen and Bowie were not initially credited or paid royalties, and Vanilla Ice first denied that the song used the earlier recording. After legal action, the writers of “Under Pressure” received songwriting credit and financial compensation. “Play That Funky Music” is associated with the same album, but it is a separate single.