Vanilla Ice performed for a mask-free crowd at the Mar-a-Lago New Year's party that Trump and Melania skipped
- Rapper Vanilla Ice, who is best known for his 1989 single "Ice Ice Baby," performed at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve party, according to video footage from the event.
- The president and first lady changed their plans on short notice to abandon the Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve event.
- The event appeared to go on with scores of attendees, including Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., who shared a public Facebook post calling Vanilla Ice's performance "amazing."
- Trump Jr.'s video praising the rapper prompted a wave of responses mocking and criticizing the seemingly mask-free event, which also appeared to have a performance from The Beach Boys co-founder Mike Lowe.
Guests who rang in the new year at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort were treated to a performance by Vanilla Ice, who's considered a one-hit wonder for his 1989 single "Ice Ice Baby."
Donald Trump Jr., shared a public video on Facebook after midnight on New Year's Day that showed the artist performing "Ice Ice Baby" and a cover of Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music."
"Ok this is amazing. Vanilla Ice is playing the Mar-a-Lago New Years Eve party," the president's son wrote alongside the video. "As a child of the 90s you can't fathom how awesome that is. Beyond that I got the birthday shoutout so that's pretty amazing."
Trump Jr. can be seen in the video on "selfie" mode, noticeably without a mask in front of what appears to be a largely maskless crowd. His post gushing over the rapper's performance sparked some mocking responses on Twitter.
People seemed to poke fun at the nostalgic performers. Writer and PBS and NBC contributor Michael Beschloss called the Mar-a-Lago party one with "cutting-edge entertainment."
Some users also called out the face mask-free attendees who were shown in the video shared by Trump Jr. Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist, tweeted: "And 2020 ends not with a bang, but with a superspreading Vanilla Ice concert at Mar-a-Lago."
Other users likened the singer's performance at the Mar-a-Lago party - which the president and first lady Melania Trump didn't attend after abandoning their plans on short notice, according to the Associated Press - as a puzzling ending to a turbulent year.
CNN reported that in addition to Trump Jr. and his partner Kimberly Guilfoyle, guests at the New Year's Eve event included Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, as well as the president's son Eric Trump and his wife, Lara Trump.
In addition to Vanilla Ice, The Beach Boys' co-founder Mike Lowe also appeared to perform at the event, according to Newsweek, citing video footage from an attendee's Instagram story that was shared on Twitter.
Some users referenced the reported cost of attending the Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve bash. The lavish New Year's Eve celebration is a Trump family tradition, and tickets to the 2018 event cost $1,000, according to the Huffington Post.
Representatives for Vanilla Ice did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
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