Sometimes Youtube can be so beautiful. I found this a while back, but I can't remember if I was searching for Zach Galifianakis (gal-eh-fin-ah-kis) or Kanye West because they are two of my favorite artists in comedy and hip hop, respectively. Now they're my favorite in both realms at the same time!
Kanye is often credited as being part of the "conscience" hip hop movement along with Common, Mos Def, Talib Kwali and the Roots. However, instead of explicitly denouncing the negative aspects of ghetto culture and/or promoting alternatives, he instead revels in hip hop's extreme hypocrisy (HipHopCricy?), injecting his lyrics with a deep sense of irony, "Now I'm tryin' to right my wrongs/ It's funny cause those same wrongs helped me wright this song." He drags the dark secrets of hip hop out into the open and shines a bright light on them. Whether they hold up under scrutiny is up to his audience to decide.
At the same time, Kanye reveals a lot about his personal life. His first two (big) albums were "College Dropout" and "Late Registration". In the first, he wrestles with his decision to drop out of college (duh) and pursue music. The second is in part his attempt to make up for his forsaken education by holding class himself on subjects ranging from blood diamonds, to the rap's ironic acceptance among suburban youth, to drug addiction.
Zach Galifianakis, on the other hand, is just one funny dude. His brand of dark, avant-gard humor really resonates with me. "One of my New Year's resolutions was to stop saying, 'You go girl' to myself. I broke that resolution yesterday because I finished a puzzle." Or one of my other favorite lines, "I wear a lot of Axe Body Spray. But since I live in a mostly black neighborhood, I have to call it Ask Body Spray."
The only sad thing is that given his ego, I doubt Kanye West would approve of Zach's take on his music. But the Amish backup dancers! Come on, that's just great. A blinged-out Will Oldham? Seriously? Wow.
Catch Kanye West's new album "Graduation" on September 11.
Aside: You may also remember Kanye as the guy who reminded everyone that "George Bush does not care about black people." after the Katrina disaster, on national TV no less. Yes, I agree, he's much more articulate after rehearsing, but you know you'd be nervous too, all looking around for the Secret Service and/or Dick Cheney.
Kanye is often credited as being part of the "conscience" hip hop movement along with Common, Mos Def, Talib Kwali and the Roots. However, instead of explicitly denouncing the negative aspects of ghetto culture and/or promoting alternatives, he instead revels in hip hop's extreme hypocrisy (HipHopCricy?), injecting his lyrics with a deep sense of irony, "Now I'm tryin' to right my wrongs/ It's funny cause those same wrongs helped me wright this song." He drags the dark secrets of hip hop out into the open and shines a bright light on them. Whether they hold up under scrutiny is up to his audience to decide.
At the same time, Kanye reveals a lot about his personal life. His first two (big) albums were "College Dropout" and "Late Registration". In the first, he wrestles with his decision to drop out of college (duh) and pursue music. The second is in part his attempt to make up for his forsaken education by holding class himself on subjects ranging from blood diamonds, to the rap's ironic acceptance among suburban youth, to drug addiction.
Zach Galifianakis, on the other hand, is just one funny dude. His brand of dark, avant-gard humor really resonates with me. "One of my New Year's resolutions was to stop saying, 'You go girl' to myself. I broke that resolution yesterday because I finished a puzzle." Or one of my other favorite lines, "I wear a lot of Axe Body Spray. But since I live in a mostly black neighborhood, I have to call it Ask Body Spray."
The only sad thing is that given his ego, I doubt Kanye West would approve of Zach's take on his music. But the Amish backup dancers! Come on, that's just great. A blinged-out Will Oldham? Seriously? Wow.
Catch Kanye West's new album "Graduation" on September 11.
Aside: You may also remember Kanye as the guy who reminded everyone that "George Bush does not care about black people." after the Katrina disaster, on national TV no less. Yes, I agree, he's much more articulate after rehearsing, but you know you'd be nervous too, all looking around for the Secret Service and/or Dick Cheney.
Comments
I've never seen clogging done quite like this before!
Mom