Dynamite Hack's cover of Eazy-E's "Boyz-n-the Hood" is phenomenally hilarious. Just listening to this alternative rock band's melodic version of the song brings a smile to my face. Eazy-E's version seems pretty intense and violent, but Dynamite Hack does a great job at making the song more "mainstream." The joke obviously is that these little white boys would never be "rollin through Compton," "pumpin new shit by NWA," and grabbing their "stupid ass bitches by their nappy-ass weaves." I feel as if Dynamite Hack's version almost masks the violence, as I don't take any of the lines seriously. To be honest, I heard the cover by Dynamite Hack before hearing Eazy's version; I feel like Eazy E spitting on the track instills some fear, but Dynamite Hack's calm version doesn't express any violence. Regardless, I just thought this was an enjoyable and humorous music video that displays West Coast Gangsta Rap in a different light. There are lots of instances of white mainstream alternative rockers covering "gangsta rap" songs, most notably Ben Folds' "Bitches Ain't Shit" (a cover of Dre's infamous original version). This is a pretty hilarious song as well, and I've included the link in case anyone is interested in comparing the two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSp2ZX0Uw14
I think these songs are great parodies of gangsta rap. I think a reason these acoustic covers are so appropriate and funny is because just the current situation of today where these rich middle and upper class kids are listening to gangsta rap and posing as thugs. It's more of a commentary on these kids and how ridiculous they look trying to be people and things that they aren't. Those who have ever watched "Malibu's Most Wanted" would understand that movie is making the same critical comments as these hilarious acoustic covers.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy these parodies of rap songs. One of my favorites is The Gourd's Cover of Snoop Dogg's Gin and Juice. Its absolutely hilarious to hear these tobacco spitting, bearded faced, old country men sing about having a big time gangsta party. It's just another instillation of the great amount of comedy that originates in the farcical and parody realms of music.
ReplyDeleteLove the video.
ReplyDeleteHere's a Washington Post article titled Deejay's Appeal: Killing the Whiteness Inside.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/25/AR2005082501818.html
It's old but apparently still topical. It's about "young white hipsters believing they can shed white privilege by parodying the black hip-hop life. In this way, they hope to escape their uptight conditioning and get in touch with the looser soul within them."
My friend's all female a cappella group recorded a cover of Ben Folds' Bitches Ain't Shit last year while wearing preppy golfing outfits similar to those in the Dynamite Hack video. Perhaps some of the girls were actively trying to escape their uptight conditioning and get in touch with their looser souls, but motives aside, it is yet another hilarious glee club interpretation of hip-hop.
my favourite rap parody by far would be "white & nerdy" by "Werid Al" Yankovic - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw&feature=artistob&playnext=1&list=TLLTQpzFueQNI
ReplyDeletethe original song is by Chamillionaire's Ridin' dirty. Like most parodies, the lyrics and video are hilarious. But what i love about this is the irony of it - it actually address the whole white kid/black ganster dynamic in such a comical manner that this is Irresistible to ignore.