This weekend, Selma, Alabama, will see over 40 events all planned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the march on Selma and Bloody Sunday.
Perhaps the most highly anticipated event will be BET’s three-hour concert.
Artists like Bill Withers, Cicely Tyson and Harry Belafonte are set to appear along with Flava Flav, Rick Ross and Doug E. Fresh. One name on the lineup that’s raising a few eyebrows is Vanilla Ice.
Paxton Baker, general manager and executive vice president of Centric TV and president of BET Event Productions, said that he and Belafonte had been chosen as co-artistic directors but that they were given less than three weeks to put together the three-hour production.
The short time frame proved to be a natural fit for Vanilla Ice, according to Al.com.
“Vanilla Ice was in the Soul Train Awards two years ago and he’s a really cool person. When we call him for things he likes working with us and we like working with him,” Baker said. “He’s one of the people we call to participate in things with us, and if he can do it he absolutely will. I sent him a text and within two minutes his response was two words: ‘I’m in,'” Baker said.
The rapper is set to perform one of his own songs at the concert, but the most anticipated moment will be the ensemble piece “Self Destruction,” which will be sung by Rick Ross, Bell Biv DeVoe, Flava Flav, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte, D-Nice and others.
Vanilla Ice will also participate in the “Self Destruction” performance.