Alexander Hamilton, we were waiting in the weeds for you

January 8, 2012 12:47 PM

After the success of 2008's In the Heights, a Broadway rap musical about Washington Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda went to work on his sophomore project: a rap concept album on the life of Alexander Hamilton.

Miranda read Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton and decided the Caribbean boy genius founding father needed the hip-hop treatment. After getting married in "Vows"-approved style, riffing on Jay-Z, Kanye and Rhi-Rhi, adapting the cheer classic Bring It On for the stage and rapping at the White House, Miranda went into seclusion to give Hamilton the attention he deserved.

If you have been waiting anxiously for the mixtape, you can hear new excerpts this Wednesday at Lincoln Center.

Previously? And previously.

posted by Snarl Furillo (18 comments total)

Oh my god I am genuinely super-excited for this.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 1:02 PM on January 8

Finally!
posted by anotherpanacea at 1:09 PM on January 8

Okay, having just watched his performance at the White House a second time...

I remember when I was first linked to that vid -- probably here? And in just over four minutes, I went from "lulz this should be interesting" to sitting at my computer, mouth open and eyes prickling a little, genuinely goddamn moved.

I am so glad he kept working on this.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 1:11 PM on January 8

Wow, I had no idea. That White House clip is fantastic. Thank you so much for this post!
posted by rtha at 1:31 PM on January 8

I love words and people who know how to use them like that.
posted by Wolfdog at 1:44 PM on January 8

Wait, so it's all about the Hamiltons now? The recession has hit the hip hop industry hard.
posted by Apropos of Something at 1:51 PM on January 8 [10 favorites]

I had seen In the Heights on a trip to NYC and I've seen that White House clip before, but I had no idea that the same guy was behind them both. I also didn't realize just how much of an all-American success story Hamilton's life was. I'm looking forward to this now!
posted by Hargrimm at 2:00 PM on January 8

I would be incredibly sad about having missed this previously, except then I would have spent 2+ years anxiously awaiting this CD. Now I'll only have to anxiously wait for months.
posted by louie at 2:38 PM on January 8

That's... that's actually genius. Thanks for the FPP.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:57 PM on January 8

Wait, so it's all about the Hamiltons now? The recession has hit the hip hop industry hard.

Don't knock the ten-- Hamilton's portrait is disturbingly hot. And no one will look at you funny when you stuff it into your pants.
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:19 PM on January 8

Great news! He's great.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:22 PM on January 8

Although Hamilton was a supporter of the Revolutionary cause at this prewar stage, he did not approve of mob reprisals against Loyalists. On May 10, 1775, Hamilton saved his college president Myles Cooper, a Loyalist, from an angry mob by speaking to the crowd long enough for Cooper to escape the danger.^

Man, that dude is street. A true predecessor of Mookie.
posted by dhartung at 4:33 PM on January 8 [1 favorite]

I would just like to say: Holy crap, that's awesome.
posted by LucretiusJones at 4:50 PM on January 8

Is it as good as Rap: The Musical?
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:20 AM on January 9

In college, Miranda ran in a circle tenuously connected to mine. I attended a performance by the Jewish a capella outfit, which he had been a member of (why? no idea) and was singing with them for this show (again, no idea why). He forgot the words to his solo.

Oh, and he seemed like a genuinely cool and nice guy back then. Fun to see him succeed in a big way.
posted by that's candlepin at 9:35 AM on January 9

Also, he tears it up on Sesame Street. Y'know. For kids.
posted by gnutron at 2:29 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

D'oh. The Electric Company. Not Sesame Street.
posted by gnutron at 2:29 PM on January 9

You guyyyyyyyyyyyyys look

here it is here it is

at least 3 minutes and 4 seconds of it, anyway.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 9:34 PM on January 12