Yes, 2008 may see the first Cosby-related rap since Theo Huxtable and Walter “Cockroach” Bradley taught a nation of youngsters about the time when a certain Julius C. got bodied by his bros. Rumors abound in the hip-hop world this morning that Bill Cosby, rap-hater and friend of talking magic markers, is recording his first rap album, State Of Emergency, for release later this year. Naturally given Bill’s take on the current state of hip-hop (moral sewer blah blah), SOE will be light on songs conducive to YouTube dance-offs and heavy on edutainment. To wit:
Sources told AllHipHop.com that the actor, comedian and philanthropist will address issues like proper parenting, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, Black-on-Black crime and the dropout rate in America’s high schools…
Cosby’s album will not contain any profane language, nor will it offer any denigrating comments towards women.
So it’s gonna sound like…Will Smith meets Mos Def in a sweater factory? No word yet on release date, collaborators, or any other pertinent details, but if this faintly terrifying development in hip-hop history indeed comes to pass, you can be assured we’ll be “Leak Of The Day”-ing it A.S.A.P. while eating some chocolate cake.
Bill Cosby Working On Rap Album [AllHipHop]
HYYERE COMES… THA DOPE PUSHERRRRR!!
you SEE, THEEE-oh, the HIP-HOP and its suggestive dancing with hippin’ and the hoppin’ and the bippin’ and the boppin’ … back in my day, THEEE-oh, we didn’t have the dope-pusherrrrrs and the soldier boys with their crankin’ and their supermen. why don’t you get yourself some JELL-O pudding with the flavors and the chocolate and tastes so good, you see. ROOOO-DEEEE!!!
Jammin’ on the one. Jam-jam-jammin’ on the one.
Will he get Cornel West to do a guest verse?
@dickdogfood: Only difference is, Will Shatner has a great sense of humor about himself (shared by Ben Folds, his producer). Cosby is the exact opposite — self-righteous and overly serious, two qualities that do not translate nicely into music.
@enriquez the water bottle: If you like that track, check out his collabo with Henry Rollins entitled “I Can’t Get Behind That”. GENIUS!
Seriously; I think it’s a bit rich for Bill Cosby, of all people, to go after hip-hoppers for presenting a negative picture of African-American society. Not so long ago, when I was a kid in the 1970s, it was through the comedy albums of Bill Cosby that I learned such vocabulary words as wino, the D.T.s, and the verb form to get a beating-none of which were much in use in my white suburban home.
@iamlovebot: man your comment is making me seriously crave some jell-o pudding pops right about now. what happened to them? that first taste after you broke through the ice and got to the pudding… yum
@Maura Johnston: I was craving Pudding Pops this past summer, and was directed here: [www.bloglander.com]
Apparently they are back, but most stores don’t carry them. At least none near me.
I’d just like to give an additional Win to Jess for “Will Smith meets Mos Def in a sweater factory,” which made me laugh harder than anything I’ve read today.
Oh man, I can’t wait. Ever since I heard “Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs” my appreciation for the Cos’s recordings has gone through the roof.
No, it’s gonna be like Leonard, Pt. 9/Ghost Dad–a token of a celebrity’s disconnect from the rest of the world and his inability to listen to people when they say “ugh, no, bad idea”–but set to a BEAT!
filth flarn filth flarn
Actually, like the William Shatner cover of “Common People,” this is one of those ideas that are so awful that if the gods smile and the planets align just so and the album ends up–against all odds (but that’s the chance I’ve got to take, etc.)–actually being reasonably OK, people gonna go fecking nuts for it.
is Charles Wright still alive?
Um, I think Cosby has already met Mos Def in a sweater factory.
@dickdogfood: That cover was actually pretty good.
A winner is Silkyjumbo. YouTube clip, anyone?
@silkyjumbo: Holy crap!
@Ned Raggett: It’s not YouTube, but:
[www.metacafe.com]
Bill’s been making lousy music albums for almost 40 years. We’ve been spared for the least 30 or so. Looks like our luck has run out.
I’ve got that Silver Throat album. Haven’t listened to it in years.
@KinetiQ: Funny you should mention that, as a dude at my local college radio station just played that the other day.