Rapper Vanilla Ice's real estate and media empire is reportedly worth around $20 million — here's why the pop icon claims he 'made millions for doing nothing'

However, the rap star has managed to build a business empire after he left the spotlight. Divorce records obtained by the Daily Mail showed that he was worth $9 million in 2018. According to Celebrity Net Worth, his net worth is now at $20 million.

“I made millions for doing nothing!” Van Winkle told comedian Steve-O on a recent episode of his podcast "Steve-O's Wild Ride!"

Here’s how the one-hit-wonder built a lucrative real estate and media empire.

Fascinated with real estate

Van Winkle’s biggest career break was his hit song “Ice Ice Baby” released in August 1990. The song was an instant hit and went on to become the party anthem of the 90s. “We were selling a million records a day, easy!” he told Steve-O.

Unfortunately, Van Winkle’s rap career nosedived after “Ice Ice Baby,” but the track was successful enough to help him accumulate a large portfolio of real estate.

You may not have an era-defining hit like “Ice Ice Baby” to your name, but you can still get into the real estate market with your current bankroll.

When he decided to offload his properties, Van Winkle says he was surprised by how lucrative the investments had been. “They sold really quick and I made millions for doing nothing! I didn't even change the carpet...and I go holy s— let's go buy a bunch more of them.”

If you want to become a real estate mogul like Van Winkle but have limited funds, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of single-family residential homes and vacation rentals without taking on the responsibilities of property management or homeownership.

You can start investing in real estate with just $100 on Arrived’s platform. Simply browse their curated selection of homes, each vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, you can choose the number of shares you want to buy and start investing.

Strategic moves

After 30 years of investing in real estate, Van Winkle says he has developed a game plan. He says he prefers to buy properties that are off-market and not listed on the multiple listing service (MLS).

Off-market deals are rare. Only 3% of homebuyers surveyed by the National Association of Realtors in 2023 said they purchased their property directly from the seller or knew the seller instead of going through agents or online listing services.

Aside from real estate, there are other off-market alternative investment opportunities. By growing your portfolio with a variety of assets, you can better balance risk and reward.

If you’re looking to invest in professionally-vetted commercial real estate, consider using First National Realty Partners (FNRP).

FNRP is a private equity firm whose online platform allows accredited investors the chance to diversify their portfolio with necessity-based real estate. FNRP offers grocery-anchored investment opportunities without the effort it takes to find the deals yourself.

Alternative Investment

Contemporary art has performed the S&P 500 for the last 27 years by 137%. However, investing in art used to be limited to wealthy investors who could afford to purchase pieces outright. With Masterworks, you can now invest in artwork by iconic artists from Banksy and Basquiat.

Masterworks is an online platform that allows you to invest in fractional shares of famous artwork without having to get all dressed up to attend an auction. When Masterworks sells a piece you’ve invested in, you get a return from any net proceeds.

Another alternative investment to consider is gold, widely considered to be a good hedge against inflation.

With help from American Hartford Gold, you can start a gold IRA, which combines the stability of gold or other precious metals with the tax advantages of a traditional IRA.