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Remember that e-mail forward your dad sent you a few years ago, about Oakland’s “Ebonics translation competition.” And Biggie’s “One More Chance” was translated into stiff, academic language? And a good time was had by all, especially racist assholes who like to criticize the way other people talk? Well, imagine that e-mail is now a Web site that is sending out press releases, and probably desperately clawing for one of those Web site book deals right now! Just warning you…
UnderstandRap.com lets people who don’t understand rap music submit confusing terms (parts of lyrics) used in rap songs for other people to explain.
For example, the term “thought I was burnt up like Pepsi did Michael” from a Kanye West song is explained: “Kanye is comparing the fearful, worried reactions people had after finding out he was in a car accident to the reactions people had when finding out Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire on the set of a Pepsi commercial he was filming in the early 1980s.”
Another example: “I’m comin’ with a gun like a Nintendo” is a Term from a Lil Wayne song. An explanation is that “Lil Wayne is bringing a gun with him wherever he’s going, just like the Nintendo Entertainment System came with a zapper gun to play the video game Duck Hunt.”
First off, if you don’t know what Duck Hunt is, you probably lack the mental capacity to listen to any part of a rap song without accidentally swallowing your headphones or something. Also, here’s a pro tip: There’s already tons of sites describing rap slang! One is Urban Dictionary. Another is Google.
Finally while, yes, sometimes rap slang is impenetrable and can use an explanation, do we really need to make a huge production out of turning it into wack academic talk. There has to be a better way to explain “she got on Payless, me I got on gator shoes ” than “while she is wearing shoes from Payless that look good and are affordable, I have no concerns when it comes to cost and will splurge on expensive shoes made of alligator skin which are much more stylish.” Imagine if when you read Shakespeare in high school, your teacher explained his artful wordplay with strained, ridiculous, clinical talk for the lols. LOL PEOPLE TALK DIFFERENT HAHA “THINE”
By the way, Professor Big L already covered this in 1998 with a pretty thorough lecture:
Big L Ebonics [YouTube]
UnderstandRap.com [Official site]
Imagine if when you read Shakespeare in high school, your teacher explained his artful wordplay with strained, ridiculous, clinical talk for the lols. LOL PEOPLE TALK DIFFERENT HAHA “THINE”
i had a teacher that did this
also yes for the broken language tag. what a great track
Big L had so much to teach us all. I might also recommend Papoose’s “Alphabetical Slaughter” because it’s also a handy guide to one’s ABC’s.
Big L had so much to teach us all. I might also recommend Papoose’s “Alphabetical Slaughter” because it’s also a handy guide to one’s ABC’s.
NERDS!
Michael Scott finds this hilarious AND informative.
@disasterevolved: Does this mean he’ll stop going to Darryl in the warehouse for translations?
It is not fair to assume that a light-hearted attempt at humor like this, or the translated rap battle, are just mean-spirited, semi-racist attempts on behalf of a bunch of WASPs to get have a joke at the expense of other people who are defenseless in the face of such hate. A world where people are truly culturally understanding is achieved by people recognizing cultural differences, and being able to have a laugh about it. I’m not the biggest rap fan, but from time to time a song comes along that really catches my ear, and you know what? I usually have only half a clue as to what I’m listening to, and I think it’s funny. It makes me laugh that a section of the same American population from which I hail is so vastly different in this way, and it gives me a chuckle. If a rapper came up to me and started criticizing my tight, belt-held pants and stylistically deficient Konami Code shirt, I would share a laugh with him because it’s funny to him, and does not hurt my feelings because I’m the sort of person who doesn’t take it personally when other people laugh about his differences.
If everyone would quit being so touchy, I think we’d all have a lot more fun.