Editing Vanilla Ice (section)

===Independent releases and television (2002–2009)===
With Quon back as manager, Ice was scheduled to appear in various reality TV programs. Ice, still an entertainer at heart, felt that the experience would be good for him. In 2002, he appeared on Celebrity Boxing, fighting [[Todd Bridges]] under the name 'Bi-Polar'. In 2003, he appeared in five episodes of [[Hollywood Squares]], eight episodes of ''[[The Farm (British TV series)|The Farm]]'' and three episodes of Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge, and made a cameo appearance in [[The New Guy]] in 2002. Around this time, Vanilla Ice also returned to the world of motocross. He auditioned for the 2002 X Games in the freestyle division and placed seventh at the 2003 Suzuki Crossover challenge, according to Sports Illustrated. He told the magazine that the track "is where I'm happiest."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bookthebest.com/booking_vanilla_ice |title=Book Vanilla Ice, Vanilla Ice booking fees, Vanilla Ice booking agency |publisher=Book the Best! |access-date=April 10, 2012 |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710204631/http://bookthebest.com/booking_vanilla_ice |url-status=live }}</ref>

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Vanilla Ice and Ol' Dirty Bastard together on stage.png|thumb|right|Vanilla Ice and [[Ol' Dirty Bastard]] performing together in 2004.]] -->
In 2003, Ice contributed vocals to "Off the Chain" by 7x70, a side project of [[Iron Maiden]] drummer [[Nicko McBrain]] and [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] guitarist [[Dan Spitz]]. A demo of the song was [[Music leak|leaked]] in June.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=12902 |title=Dan Spitz/Nicko McBrain Collaboration: First Music Posted Online! |date=June 19, 2003 |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |access-date=December 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050316231156/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=12902 |archive-date=March 16, 2005  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=14709 |title=Iron Maider Drummer Comments On Collaboration With Vanilla Ice |date=August 25, 2003 |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |access-date=December 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040907112309/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=14709 |archive-date=September 7, 2004  }}</ref> In 2003, Ultrax reissued ''Bomb Tha System'' (the second part of "Bi-Polar") under the title ''Hot Sex'', which was a single from the original album.<ref name="Vanilla Ice"/>

From January to February 2004, Ice appeared on the reality television series ''[[The Surreal Life]]''.<ref name="WashingtonPost"/> Although much of the series was staged, Ice found the experience to be therapeutic, stating that a comment made by [[Tammy Faye Messner]] during filming, "We are who we are because of who we were", helped him accept his past.<ref name="Atria"/>

On August 2, 2005, Ice released his fifth studio album, ''[[Platinum Underground]]''. He stated that the title of the album reflected the fact that he could maintain a fanbase without mainstream airplay.<ref name="WashingtonPost"/> [[Allrovi]] reviewer Rob Theakston panned the album, writing that it "has more bad spots in it than most".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allrovi.com/music/album/platinum-underground-mw0000307135|title=Review of ''Platinum Underground''|access-date=February 25, 2009|last=Theakston|first=Rob|publisher=[[Allrovi]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005121940/http://www.allrovi.com/music/album/platinum-underground-mw0000307135|archive-date=October 5, 2013}}</ref> Ice included a song titled ''Ninja Rap 2'', which was set to be a hardcore remix. Aside from the name, the song has very little connection to Ice's original 1991 single, but rather talks about his appreciation of his fans, his love of performing at clubs and playing at the [[Gathering of the Juggalos]] with [[Insane Clown Posse]]. ''Ninja Rap 2'' was the first song to be released from ''Platinum Underground'' and was available to download for free on Ice's official website.

In 2007, Ice returned to a spin-off of ''The Surreal Life'' titled ''[[The Surreal Life: Fame Games]]'', where he again trashed the set after being voted off. In September 2008, Ice signed a contract with [[Cleopatra Records]], recording the [[cover version|cover album]] ''[[Vanilla Ice Is Back!]]'' at the label's request.<ref>{{cite news|first=Timothy|last=Flynn|title=90s rapper Vanilla Ice puts new twists on old hits|url=http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2008/09/90s_rapper_vanilla_ice_puts_ne.html|work=[[The Flint Journal]]|date=September 19, 2008|access-date=March 10, 2009|archive-date=December 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210214110/http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2008/09/90s_rapper_vanilla_ice_puts_ne.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was released on November 4, 2008, and contained covers of songs by [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]], [[House of Pain]], [[Bob Marley]], and [[Cypress Hill]]. [[IGN]] reviewer Spence D. called the album "an embarrassing 
endeavor that sounds like it should have stayed locked inside Ice's studio (or at the very least leaked on YouTube and passed off as a piss take)."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music.ign.com/articles/933/933529p1.html|title=Review of ''Vanilla Ice Is Back!''|access-date=February 27, 2009|author=Spence D.|date=November 24, 2008|website=[[IGN]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220015840/http://music.ign.com/articles/933/933529p1.html|archive-date=February 20, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On February 27, 2009, Ice performed as part of a joint performance with MC Hammer in [[Orem, Utah]], called "Hammer Pants And Ice", which featured twenty four dancers and a full choir.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Forces for One-Night "Hammer Pants and Ice" Show|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/02/11/vanilla-ice-mc-hammer-join-forces-for-one-night-hammer-pants-and-ice-show/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212041854/http://www.rollingstone.com//rockdaily//index.php//2009//02//11//vanilla-ice-mc-hammer-join-forces-for-one-night-hammer-pants-and-ice-show// |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=February 11, 2009|access-date=March 10, 2009}}</ref>