Filed under: he said what now?

February 24, 2009 2:24 PM

Snacks and Shit- The premise is simple: A single hip-hop lyric, taken out of context, with bonus commentary.
posted by toxic (110 comments total)

But listening to Jay-Z makes you dumb.
posted by Rhomboid at 2:27 PM on February 24, 2009

GROUNDBREAKING! INNOVATIVE! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WHITE PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED RAP AND HIP HOP LYRICS!
posted by dersins at 2:28 PM on February 24, 2009 [7 favorites]

Will this help soothe things, dersins?
posted by Parasite Unseen at 2:34 PM on February 24, 2009

Aw, but I like Mobb Deep.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:35 PM on February 24, 2009

Chris Macho is a Sandwich Artist writer living in Los Angeles.
posted by Damn That Television at 2:36 PM on February 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

I like that picture of Dr. Dre with all the equipment--reminds me of photos of dub reggae dudes and Herbie Hancock and shit.
posted by box at 2:36 PM on February 24, 2009

Let me try one...

"My mind is a hand grenade... catch." - Ice-T Mind Over Matter

My brain was replaced by an explosive device and now I'm going to throw it at you.

You know what? That actually works pretty well when taken literally too.
posted by quin at 2:38 PM on February 24, 2009

I can't believe there was no Beasties Boys category.

"I'm like Sam the Butcher bringing Alice the meat. I'm like Fred Flintstone driving with both feet." I mean come on.

I can't make up my mind about this. A lot of rap lyrics are intended to be absurd, hyperbolic and humorous. Do these guys not get it? Or are they playing along? I can't tell.

I am glad, though, to see JaRule get laughed at.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:47 PM on February 24, 2009

Awful.
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:52 PM on February 24, 2009 [5 favorites]

I think I like this kind of stuff better when it seems like the people generally love hip-hop (or whatever), which I'm not sure is the case here.

Also, I'm not exactly calling anybody a biter, but there seems to be some overlap between these postings and Cracked's list of unintentionally gay rap lyrics.
posted by box at 2:53 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Eh, it made me smile. Yes, rap lyrics are often exaggerated to preposterous levels, but you can say the same thing about a lot of lyrics, if you just take one line from a string of lyrics. Then again, now can this ever be a good thing: "I'm so dope I just jump in the toilet and flush."
posted by filthy light thief at 2:54 PM on February 24, 2009

GROUNDBREAKING! INNOVATIVE! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WHITE PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED RAP AND HIP HOP LYRICS!

How do you know the author is white?
posted by shii at 2:58 PM on February 24, 2009

I gotta go with dersins on this one.
posted by mrnutty at 2:58 PM on February 24, 2009

De do do do, de da da da
Is all I want to say to you

posted by mano at 2:59 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Does he really think Redman can't get pussy? C'mon.
posted by fungible at 3:01 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Let me see if I can do this:
Unstable like the isotope that resolves the fate,
of the theoretical cat in the hypothetical crate. -MC Hawking, The Hawkman Cometh

... No. I can't.
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 3:02 PM on February 24, 2009 [5 favorites]

shii:

half of these lyrics, there's nothing wrong with them, not in the way they are being made fun of. i vote for "dumbass white people with no love for hiphop made this blog".
posted by mano at 3:05 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

The unintentionally gay rap lyrics page box posted is a lot funnier than this. This just kind of sucks.
posted by sewshi at 3:06 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

The concept of picking out random rap lyrics to point out their absurdity is kind of funny in theory, but in this instance ruined by the disappointingly unfunny commentary that follows.
posted by The Gooch at 3:08 PM on February 24, 2009

How do you know the author is white?

Have you seen his photo?
posted by gman at 3:10 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Its funny if he gets it and is just poking fun.

Otherwise, its just kind of sad.
posted by SneakyArab at 3:16 PM on February 24, 2009

Over on the right it has this:

SIDE NOTE

Stop hatin'... The writers of this blog love rap and all of its ridiculousness.

Are they getting hated on all over the onlines or something? Sounds defensive.

Also, I think some of them are entertaining and not hurting anybody.
posted by kingbenny at 3:17 PM on February 24, 2009

Seriously, dumb jokes like this are what got those DipSet idiots saying "no homo" after every damn thing they said, which just made them even more ridiculous.

Ok, Ok, you think it's funny. Go back to your Dane Cook Comedy Central special you got from ThePiratesBay, and watching Joe Rogan on YouTube.
posted by paisley henosis at 3:23 PM on February 24, 2009

Fuck it, I laughed.

And I like hip-hop, but liking it is a far cry from claiming that most of the lyrics are even in the vicinity of defensible.
posted by Navelgazer at 3:25 PM on February 24, 2009

How do you know the author is white?

Cause he smells like wet dog.
posted by nola at 3:36 PM on February 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

Uuhhh ... yeah, no. This might have been funny back when saying "izzle" at the end of everything was funny. So, 97? Maybe 98?

I mean, really now - Hopefully we don't get capped. - lol slangz! Golly, that's silly!
posted by EatTheWeak at 3:38 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Cam'ron's Rhyme Book Found
posted by jcruelty at 3:38 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Chris Macho

Chris D'Elia
posted by gman at 3:50 PM on February 24, 2009

The unintentionally gay rap lyrics page box posted is a lot funnier than this. This just kind of sucks.

Yeah, I agree. Even though that list is basically LOLGAYZ, they at least have the correct interpretation listed for each one. Half of the Snacks and Shit ones have descriptions that make it seem like the authors didn't actually understand what the rapper was saying.
posted by burnmp3s at 3:56 PM on February 24, 2009

How do you know the author is white?

Have you read the site?
posted by dersins at 4:07 PM on February 24, 2009

note to the internets: this page does not belong on the stuffwhitepeoplelike blog. white people do not like other white people who are this douchey.
posted by mano at 4:08 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

President Obama to the Chris's Macho and D'Elia: "There are white folks, and then there are ignorant motherfuckers like you."
posted by dersins at 4:36 PM on February 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

[more]
posted by dersins at 4:37 PM on February 24, 2009

I also have a blog where I intentionally misunderstand metaphor and simile to weak effect, but its secret.
posted by Divine_Wino at 4:37 PM on February 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

burnmp3s: "The unintentionally gay rap lyrics page box posted is a lot funnier than this. This just kind of sucks.

Yeah, I agree. Even though that list is basically LOLGAYZ, they at least have the correct interpretation listed for each one. Half of the Snacks and Shit ones have descriptions that make it seem like the authors didn't actually understand what the rapper was saying."

Quoted for truth. Snacks and Shit is not witty in the least and—unless the real joke is pretending that they don't get the metaphors and similes—they just come off as dense. And, if that is the joke... well... it's an annoying one.
posted by defenestration at 4:51 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Ok, I don't listen to hip-hop very often, but when I do I often catch a few phrases which I think belie a hidden geekery, leading me to believe a lot of hip-hop artists grew up as nerds. (of course there's probably a continuum from bona fide pimp to crew-cut, slide-rule-usin' NASA engineer which runs roughly through comics and pot). I would love to see someone pull THESE out and poke fun at them, because they're cool and deserve a little sunshine.

This, sadly, wasn't that.
posted by condour75 at 4:53 PM on February 24, 2009

This site would be much better without the commentary. The 'I'm confused' schtick only works for so long, and then you're just an idiot.
posted by mike_bling at 4:58 PM on February 24, 2009

Who besides stoned 14 year olds and wasted booty-club regulars still listens to these "no-talent ass-clowns" anyway? Hasn't this genre already turned itself into a harmless and inconsequential parody of itself? I wish people would completely ignore this garbage so it would go away - forever.
posted by hellslinger at 4:58 PM on February 24, 2009

it's been the year of snark... for like eleven years. can i has a cookie and hatorade?
posted by Jeremy at 5:06 PM on February 24, 2009

hellslinger- that's completely ridiculous. What the hell are you talking about?
posted by EatTheWeak at 5:16 PM on February 24, 2009

"When I bust, titties come out."
- Redman, Y.O.U.

This is the kind of thing people say that don't see titties all that often.

Which is true because I say this quite often...
posted by GratefulDean at 5:16 PM on February 24, 2009

I wish people would completely ignore this garbage so it would go away - forever.

That's like so funny. I feel the same way about certain MeFites.
posted by gman at 5:34 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Mmm. Well, how about this?

In this life I've seen everything I can see woman,
I've seen lovers flying through the air hand in hand
I've seen babies dancing in the midnight sun,
And I've seen dreams that came from the heavenly skies above
I've seen old men crying at their own grave sides
And I've seen pigs all sitting watching, picture slides
But I never seen nothing like you.

I was originally going to go with the chorus, but I had forgotten how silly and trite the other lyrics are. As they say, cocaine's a hell of a drug.
posted by krinklyfig at 6:05 PM on February 24, 2009

Yeah...

Stop hatin'... The writers of this blog love rap and all of its ridiculousness.

If you're trying to defend yourself against white-hipster-who-only-likes-rap-ironically hate, "loving" the "ridiculousness" of rap is not really a great way to go about it. I don't understand it, but white hipster dudes love nonsensical rap (Cam'ron, Lil Wayne). This just seems like an overstretched version of listening to Killa Season with your boys and going "haha WHAT?"

On the other hand, I liked the cracked article, but I can't believe they missed some choice quotes from the gayest rap song I've ever heard, "Rockstar" by Pharrell Williams:

"Better call your boys /'Cause I'm coming"
...followed by:
"I bet you ain't heard that we swallow guys"?

...I mean, if anything ever needed a "no homo"....
posted by cosmic osmo at 6:17 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Actually, Gza's "child educator / head amputator" rhyme is one of my all time favorite rhymes, because it not only sounds great, but it really exemplifies his personality as a guy whose smart and with a moral compass, but who isn't above talking trash or getting dirty. If you were going to pick on a Gza line, I'd think it would be when he says "feminine like sandals" on that same song - cause, what?

Further, Dr. Dre's "I like breathing" is totally different on it's own than it is in context in the Watcher: "It's either my life or your life, And I ain't leaving, I like breathing." If he was just saying, yeah, breathing is great, that would be dumb; but instead he's saying "if it comes down to me or you, well, I know which one I'd pick." Perhaps it isn't the deepest sentiment, but its disingenious to think that he's just commenting out of the blue about his pro-lungs agenda.

Plus you can't really fuck with that song because "The strangest things can happen from rappin / when n****s get wrapped up in image and acting / N****s get capped up and wrapped in plastic / Zipped up in bags, when it happens, that's it" is pretty solid.

On the other hand, I still don't know whats up with Eminem not giving a fuck and shaving his legs and clucking.
posted by Kiablokirk at 6:48 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

They know I put that green light on them haters
Keep on trying me I put that beam right on ya tater (pow)
posted by lukemeister at 7:57 PM on February 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Snacks and Shit still can't compare to the awesomeness of a Fuck Shit Stack.
posted by jonp72 at 7:58 PM on February 24, 2009

Who besides stoned 14 year olds and wasted booty-club regulars still listens to these "no-talent ass-clowns" anyway?

Thanks hellslinger. Somebody had to say it.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 8:32 PM on February 24, 2009

cosmic osmo - that bugged me too. Even their disclaimer is condescending.

So, hip hop lyrics are occasionally a little goofy. Fine. Which genre's aren't? Furthermore, what genre of popular music contains more poetry than hip hop? I'm dead serious here - in the best hip hop, you hear all those AAA English Major techniques that are so damned impressive when Rudyard Kipling does'em. Assonance, consonance, interior rhyme schemes, cultural allusions, layer upon layer of metaphor and simile, slant rhyme, on and on and on. Some of the very artists that this dumbass blog mocks are black belts in these techniques.

I guess this is why I've got no patience for that worn-out shit about how "rap's all guns & hoes, lol" and that only "wasted booty club regulars" care for it. Where are you listening from, fucking 1995? Far as I'm concerned, hip-hop contains some of the most entertaining, exciting, innovative English writing available. Pull your head out of your ass and have a listen, won't you?

Here's where I'm tempted to jabber on about every emcee I've ever heard of with Lyrical Might. Instead, I'll just cite one - the songs of Abdominal silence any question as to the presence of quality lyrics in hip-hop.
posted by EatTheWeak at 8:52 PM on February 24, 2009 [6 favorites]

I have to admit, a few of them made me snicker (like this one).

I like the look of the blog, though, and I love the pictures they choose.
posted by juliplease at 9:15 PM on February 24, 2009

I'm a shark... y'all just koi fish. What else? Octopus. What else? Oysters.

I read that the first time and shook my head and then I read it was Juelz and I was like maybe Juelz could pull that off and listening to the track Juelz pulls it off silly or not. Which goes to show whether websites or rap lines how you deliver matters.
posted by Rubbstone at 9:25 PM on February 24, 2009

Isn't it ironic how ironic it is?
posted by GooseOnTheLoose at 2:52 AM on February 25, 2009

Yeah, because white folks never wrote stupid or nonsensical lyrics. Revved up like a douche another motor in the night?
posted by Eideteker at 5:45 AM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

I laughed. But it's junk food. What would make it better -- and give me way more confidence in the creators -- is if they'd linked to all the songs, a la jamphat.com/rap, previously discussed here.
posted by janet lynn at 7:14 AM on February 25, 2009

Thanks hellslinger. Somebody had to say it.

Yes, thank goodness someone FINALLY said "them kids with the hippin' and the hoppin' and the bippin' and the boppin' - it's all noise!" That's totally never been said before, least of all ad infinitum since Sugar Hill Gang.

Flipping around this blog some more, I think it's pretty clear neither of these guys are "fans" of rap in any sense beyond ironic. I mean come on - "don't bust a cap"? That's something my dad would say. "Take a chill pill!" Jesus.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:38 AM on February 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

Who besides stoned 14 year olds and wasted dive bar regulars still listens to "Led Zeppelin" anyway?
posted by naju at 8:44 AM on February 25, 2009

¨°º¤ø„¸¸„ø¤º°¨``°º¤ø„¸ „ø¤º°¨
¨°º¤ø„¸♫ Wu-Tang ♫ „ø¤º°¨ copy
¸„ø¤º°¨♪ Forever for ♫ ``°º¤ø„¸ and paste
¨°º¤ø„¸♫ LIFE ♪„ø¤º°¨ „ø¤º°¨°º¤ø„¸if you agree fuck lil wayne
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:51 AM on February 25, 2009

You sure they are out of context?
posted by Bovine Love at 10:00 AM on February 25, 2009

¨°º¤ø„¸¸„ø¤º°¨``°º¤ø„¸ „ø¤º°¨
¨°º¤ø„¸♫ Wu-Tang ♫ „ø¤º°¨ copy
¸„ø¤º°¨♪ Forever for ♫ ``°º¤ø„¸ and paste
¨°º¤ø„¸♫ LIFE ♪„ø¤º°¨ „ø¤º°¨°º¤ø„¸if you agree fuck lil wayne
posted by Optimus Chyme at 10:57 AM on February 25, 2009

Is that "Copy and paste. If you agree, then fuck Lil Wayne" or "Copy and paste if you agree. Fuck Lil Wayne"? I want to be clear on this before I sign in to MySpace.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:00 AM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

@Naju: Uhh.. people that like good music?

Thanks for the link to this, despite all of the animosity I was very amused.
posted by sacrifix at 11:46 AM on February 25, 2009

I was just taking the piss out of hellslinger, I love me some Zeppelin, hip-hop of all forms, and everything in between. Except Puff Daddy's "Come With Me".
posted by naju at 3:01 PM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yeah, because white folks never wrote stupid or nonsensical lyrics. Revved up like a douche another motor in the night?
posted by Eideteker 9 hours ago [1 favorite +]

I'll bite. Does this need a sarcasm tag? Do you really think that's the lyric?
posted by kingbenny at 3:08 PM on February 25, 2009

Clearly it's "wrapped up like a deuce, a rubber nutter in the night."
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:36 PM on February 25, 2009

Wow this is lame. This is seriously amateur. It's not even funny. It's just stupid. It's worse than some random comment by folks who know nothing about hip hop. It's really a waste. Why even have a site?
posted by cashman at 4:35 PM on February 25, 2009

Why even have a site?

Duh. Book deal.
posted by mrgrimm at 5:02 PM on February 25, 2009

Ok, Ok, you think it's funny. Go back to your Dane Cook Comedy Central special you got from ThePiratesBay, and watching Joe Rogan on YouTube.


Or in other words. I'll see your cultural bigotry and raise you some cultural bigotry!

No no, its fair. Everyone who this this is funny is automatically a racist and everyone who likes Dane Cook is automatically an idiot.
posted by 5imian at 5:27 PM on February 25, 2009

Right…that was the point.

Either way, though, Dane Cook fans are either (1) ignorant of what a complete and through rip-off his entire shtick is, or (2) are aware, but don't care. They either choose to eat up his shit out of ignorance, either from lack of exposure, or willfully ignoring the truth. Carlos Mencia, too. Joe Rogan just happens to be terrible at stand-up, and it wasn't fair to lump him in with Dane Cook.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:50 PM on February 25, 2009

They either choose to eat up his shit out of ignorance, either from lack of exposure, or willfully ignoring the truth.


willfully ignoring the truth? huh? do you even get what i said?
posted by 5imian at 6:25 PM on February 25, 2009

Screw it, I'm going to dissent with a majority of posters. I thought it was funny because it's ridiculously sarcastic. I know the lyrics are intentionally hyperbolic but that doesn't make it any less funny when taken out of context.

My first post in the blue and my taste in humor is already in question. I'm not off to a good start....
posted by carpyful at 11:46 PM on February 25, 2009

My first post in the blue and my taste in humor is already in question. I'm not off to a good start....

I wouldn't sweat it. Speaking for myself, I've had disagreements with folks in one thread that I'm in full agreement with in another. It's not like you defended Dane Cook or anything.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:06 AM on February 26, 2009

I thought it was hilarious.

I also don't get why everyone hates Dane cook so much. I mean he isn't that funny, but then again most horror movies i see aren't that scary, and most music i hear isn't that good. The vibe I am getting from posters on this thread is that if you glean any cheeky, sarcastic humor form this, you're racist.

A similar blog could have been made about country music, and it might have been just as funny, but i doubt it would have gotten flamed. Guys, hip hop isn't a race. Rap isn't a race. Its a style of music people choose to make with lyrics they choose to write. And some of those lyrics are plain funny.

Those same trolls then follow up with "oh you probably like dane cook". YOU WILLFULLY IGNORE HIS LIES! wtf? does this even make sense? Its possible to like one or the other or neither or both. Also hes a comic. How does the phrase "willfully ignore his lies" mean anything in relation to someone who tells jokes for a living?

You get mad at someone for finding something funny, and you call them a cultural bigot..THEN you counter with YOUR OWN cultural bigotry. The blog assumes nothing (other than some lyrics are funny..and by god they are) . You are profiling people. You're worse then the blog, by your own standards.
posted by 5imian at 9:00 AM on February 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

*correction... the poster said " willfully ignore the truth". Let me at least quote his absurd BS correctly. Its still just as ridiculous.
posted by 5imian at 9:04 AM on February 26, 2009

A similar blog could have been made about country music, and it might have been just as funny, but i doubt it would have gotten flamed. Guys, hip hop isn't a race. Rap isn't a race. Its a style of music people choose to make with lyrics they choose to write. And some of those lyrics are plain funny.

Saying that hip hop and rap music have nothing to do with race is naive. Rap music was created in poor inner city neighborhoods, and the musical style and lyrical content have always been infused with black and latino culture. Although as with anything popular much of hip hop style has been co-opted by the mainstream, for the most part hip hop and rap are still highly identified with "urban" people, and much of the demographic of rap music's audience is non-white.

So when two white guys write jokes about how unintentionally funny rap lyrics are, or when a 60-year old white senator reads "gangster rap" lyrics as evidence of the media's corrupting influence on children, it comes off as someone commenting on a culture that they are not actually a part of. I personally feel that the kind of jokes featured on that blog just seem ignorant, the same way that I would feel if someone setup a blog making fun of poetry with comments like "LOL, who cares if you ate some plums? Get over it!"
posted by burnmp3s at 9:32 AM on February 26, 2009

Guys, hip hop isn't a race. Rap isn't a race.

You're right. It's probably just a coincidence that 2.2% (2 out of 90) of the blog entries are about white rappers, and 100% (2 out of 2) of the blog contributors are white.
posted by dersins at 10:05 AM on February 26, 2009

How does the phrase "willfully ignore his lies" mean anything in relation to someone who tells jokes for a living?

Because he steals his material perhaps? So either a fan isn't aware of this, or is aware but doesn't care. Anyway it seemed like a throw-away comment to me. But I'm not seeing anyone in this thread being called a racist for finding this funny so, yeah, might want to disassemble that strawman there.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 10:28 AM on February 26, 2009

Marisa, the two people right before you are defending the very point you are calling a strawman.

People in this thread are absolutely trying to make this a "race thing". In my opinion, to the point of absurdity.


You're right. It's probably just a coincidence that 2.2% (2 out of 90) of the blog entries are about white rappers, and 100% (2 out of 2) of the blog contributors are white.

Yes! Now If i make a joke about country music (which i despise) I am exactly 98.4 percent towards white people!! Actually, to be safe... lets not make jokes about anything that are seemingly predominately towards a single genre. If i 'diss' J-pop the Japanese might get mad at me..even if my joke has nothing to do with the Japanese themselves, and everything to do about the musical style. Let me get out my calculator and calculate how racist you are too! Oh its a fun numbers game!

And for the record, Marisa... that post that I am lambasting for being completely absurd is the very kind of post I am talking about. Unless, of course, the entire post is a "throw away statement".. as you put it.


Rap music was created in poor inner city neighborhoods, and the musical style and lyrical content have always been infused with black and latino culture.

And that's how jazz started. And noone says "oh if you call jazz noodly" or any other way to make fun of it, they make it a "race thing". Its about the genre.

Believe it or not, not all black/ latino people like or even listen to rap, even though many people who make rap are black or latino. I'm sure some of the people gleaning humor form this blog ARE black. Maybe Aaron Neville is reading it right now, laughing his ass off.

I've been a pro musician for years. Making a specific genre a 'race specific genre' grows more and more absurd every day. How you organize lyrics, or construct beats (or don't) isn't about your race. If you think music genres are exclusively about race, then YOU SIR are the racist. There's lots of white rappers. There's black country artists. There's everything in between. I'm white. I make fun of some country. So what? Can i make fun of some rap too? Is that allowed? Give me a break.


I will leave you with something to think about.

We joke about a lot of things, but in my experience we joke with our friends. We tend to ignore and try "not to offend" those who aren't our friends. There is an artificial barrier of sterility between those i trust and those i don't.

What makes me sad, is that as silly as this blog is... it really is JUST a joke. By making jokes about the sillier rap lyrics that make it out of the creative chute, its shows a sense of comfort. Really I never framed this blog in a "racial way" until a lot of you started bringing it up.

Oh and for the record, while i hate country music.. I love rap. I love Outcakst..i love Ludacris and i love (yes oldskool) Bone Thugs. Its in my ipod. Its cool. This blog is funny because obviously the people who wrote it ACTUALLY LISTEN TO RAP.
posted by 5imian at 1:33 PM on February 26, 2009

Marisa, the two people right before you are defending the very point you are calling a strawman.

Actually, no, the two people right in front of me are calling the bloggers insensitive. What I'm calling a strawman is the contention that "anyone who finds this funny is called a racist". No one has done that in this thread.

This blog is funny because obviously the people who wrote it ACTUALLY LISTEN TO RAP.

That may or may not be. It might be that they just Googled through a series of rap lyrics' pages, copy/pasted the bits they felt LOL-worthy, and then made jokes about them. I personally don't think a person needs to be black to criticize or make fun of rap, but the algebra of this blog's humor is to ignore the hyperbole, ignore the nuance, and take every word literally. This reminds me of that lame Seinfeld joke: "Why not make the whole plane out of the same material they make the black box?" This joke fails because you have to be pretty dumb to think you've just burned the airline industry with this bon mot, just as you'd have to be dumb to take half the things these lyricists are saying at face value.

Maybe they actually DO get the joke, and are just playing along, like I said up-thread. But it's not very clear, the delivery is clumsy, and so, for me, just falls flat on its face comedically.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 1:54 PM on February 26, 2009

But I'm not seeing anyone in this thread being called a racist for finding this funny

And just to follow up on this:

GROUNDBREAKING! INNOVATIVE! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WHITE PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED RAP AND HIP HOP LYRICS!

i vote for "dumbass white people with no love for hiphop made this blog".

white people do not like other white people who are this douchey.

What do you call those? (among others). These messages are clear. These mefi'ers read the blog and immediately thought "race thing".
posted by 5imian at 1:57 PM on February 26, 2009

Also I know they're in on their own joke. You know how i know? They told me. There's a side note on every page.


Stop hatin'... The writers of this blog love rap and all of its ridiculousness.


And.

You have to understand that we really do love rap and all of these artists that we kid about.

I think these guys know its all out of context. That's what makes it funny.
posted by 5imian at 2:02 PM on February 26, 2009

What do you call those?

Criticism of the blog. Again, look at this thread. See the people who have expressed approval for this blog. Do you see anyone else here calling them a racist? No. This is why I called "anyone who finds this funny is called a racist" a strawman.

Also I know they're in on their own joke. You know how i know? They told me.

Could be them covering their asses, too. Either way, to me, it's clumsy and falls flat. And I don't think you're a racist for liking it.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:08 PM on February 26, 2009

What do you call those?

Criticism of the blog.

No , those are criticisms of WHITES. I can read, marisa.
posted by 5imian at 2:09 PM on February 26, 2009

I'm sorry but if the posters were say mentioning, "people who don't like hip-hop" that would be one thing... buts its about WHITE people who don't like hip hop.

Its very clear. I quoted the text..right there...

"dumbass white people. white people who are this douchey. WHITE PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED RAP."


Strawman my ass. MY ASS.
posted by 5imian at 2:12 PM on February 26, 2009

Could be them covering their asses, too


"I don't think you're a racist for liking it."

I think that would make two of you. Sorry to call you out so aggressively, but i don't argue fallaciously.
posted by 5imian at 2:15 PM on February 26, 2009

No , those are criticisms of WHITES.

The whites who happen to have written the blog.

"GROUNDBREAKING! INNOVATIVE! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WHITE PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED RAP AND HIP HOP LYRICS!

i vote for "dumbass white people with no love for hiphop made this blog".

white people do not like other white people who are this douchey."

^These are all directed at the authors. No one in this thread has called anyone in this thread who finds this blog funny a racist.

I'm not trying to convince you that the blog isn't funny/is racist. I'm just saying, no one is calling you or anyone else in this thread a racist for liking it, so it's inaccurate to say that that's the case.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:16 PM on February 26, 2009

And with that I'm going to take a step back now, because I don't think I'm helping.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 2:18 PM on February 26, 2009

Really I never framed this blog in a "racial way" until a lot of you started bringing it up.

You're the one who brought up racism. Before that, people only accused the authors of the site of being white, which happens to be true. As MSTPT said, nobody called you or anyone else a racist, and I was just challenging your assertion that hip hop and race are unrelated topics. We can agree to disagree on that point.

I'm white. I make fun of some country. So what? Can i make fun of some rap too? Is that allowed? Give me a break.

Anyone can make fun of whatever they want to make fun of. But it can still be viewed as culturally insensitive when someone makes fun of another culture in a way that makes themselves look ignorant. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, watch the US version of The Office for some cringe-worthy moments.
posted by burnmp3s at 2:23 PM on February 26, 2009

I think, its wrong to call them a racist too (the whites that wrote the blog).
I think its wrong to call anyone a racist in this context. i thing doing so begets MORE racism and makes a silly joke ... suddenly a RACE issue.

Maybe those aren't directed at thread posters specifically, but there's a correlation. I think you are backpedaling with an "i said this exactly" when even besides the direct quotes i mentioned there's was a stronger unspoken vibe in this thread that this whole thing, the writers, the readers and everyone in between..its was about race. And frankly i DO think the posters here were talking about ANYONE who finds this funny, despite what you say. No i can't prove that. I admit it. There was enough ambiguity there.. but it shouldn't have even come up.

Again, sorry to be so aggressive, but the fact that you even LOOKED at the color of the skin of the bloggers is the point. Would it be suddenly ok if they're black? How about Asians? How about if they were white colored giraffes? Green Giraffes? Really, who gives a shit? Who even LOOKS for that?

It wasn't about race. It was about hip hop..and some people made it about race. So now its about race. So do the bloggers specifically mention skin color in their blog? No. Do the posters here? Yes. Repeatedly. Its about race now, and i concluded the posters i quoted are the racist ones... or at least MORE racist.

Y'all need to stop hatin.
posted by 5imian at 2:28 PM on February 26, 2009

people only accused the authors of the site of being white

SO YOU MADE IT ABOUT RACE. What kind of accusation is that?
posted by 5imian at 2:30 PM on February 26, 2009

No one in this thread has called anyone in this thread who finds this blog funny a racist.



Let me make this clear. This appears to be the heart of the point of disagreement. if you found this unfunny (or funny). and the first thing you did was "check" to make sure the authors were white... you know, just to look....

Thinking "awww they must be whites"..in your mind...


You're fucking racist. You look for skin color. I'm calling YOU a racist for doing racist things. (like keeping tally on the skin color of the bloggers and the rappers).

How do you "accuse" someone of being white (or any race) and NOT be a racist? Does this even make sense to you? Especially in this context. If you accuse someone of being white... you're bringing up race. That's their race. white. It's simple. That's the way i see things.

Many of you are very very smart, and i appreciate how well thought out your arguments are... but i'm sorry... you bring up skin color.. you're making it about race. how can you dispute that? Even a fool can see how clear that is.
posted by 5imian at 2:45 PM on February 26, 2009

Even a fool can see how clear that is.

Yes, your reasoning would indeed seem quite clear to a fool.
posted by dersins at 3:18 PM on February 26, 2009

Yes, your reasoning would indeed seem quite clear to a fool.


Ouch. You really dismantled my argument.
posted by 5imian at 3:29 PM on February 26, 2009

i thing doing so begets MORE racism and makes a silly joke ... suddenly a RACE issue.

To me, personally, talking about race is not a big deal. Race is not a bad word. We can say that this guy is black or that guy is white without having to whisper. If some white guys make fun of some black guys, it's possible to have an intelligent conversation about the racial issues involved without it exploding into an argument. And discussions about race don't have to turn into a game of "Who's The Racist?"
posted by burnmp3s at 3:32 PM on February 26, 2009

And discussions about race don't have to turn into a game of "Who's The Racist?"

By far Tony Danza's worst ever television show.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:38 PM on February 26, 2009 [2 favorites]

I don't know, I kind of liked that episode in the second season, when one of the kids joined the Aryan Nation and the other joined the Panthers and then they got their backpacks mixed up at the school picnic and hilarity ensued.
posted by quin at 3:44 PM on February 26, 2009

To me, personally, talking about race is not a big deal. Race is not a bad word. We can say that this guy is black or that guy is white without having to whisper. If some white guys make fun of some black guys, it's possible to have an intelligent conversation about the racial issues involved without it exploding into an argument. And discussions about race don't have to turn into a game of "Who's The Racist?"


I agree. But we were talking about.. let me find the quote...

dumbass white people. white people who are this douchey. WHITE PEOPLE HAVE MOCKED RAP. 'culturally insensitive' whites. (that last one is very cute, but to me the MOST offensive)

The insults were flying, before i arrived. Indeed its possible to have an intelligent conversation, but do you think this thread fit the bill? And furthermore I didn't arrive whispering. I read some posts about yall's opinions of the "white bloggers" (and lets face it, anyone who read the blog and liked it) and i kicked the door down with a booming voice and said ORLY? Some of you have resorted to ad homeinem attacks. Some have accused me of setting up a straw man.

If we were talking about, say, president Obama's policies and i said "oh yeah but hes black"....

How does that help anything? Isn't that fundamentally erroneous and racist to even bring up? Its not like anyone here is "shying away from the touchy racism". I think the general response would be confusion. Quite the contrary to slanking around in the shadows whispering about the unspeakable.

"So.. yeah?" They would say. Like pointing out hes black, in regards to some specific policy really means anything. Alan Keys is black. They're very different people. Skin color is a pointless attribute to bring up 99% of the time. Its really useless. If this is a conversation about..say.. tanning... its useful then. Otherwise? Cmon.

This is one of those times skin color shouldn't have been brought up. Pointing out the blogger are white (two out of two! such solid numbers)? Rappers are black (not always)? And furthermore "DUMBASS white people"?

How can you not read the posts in this thread and not think that some people turned it into something ugly.
posted by 5imian at 3:50 PM on February 26, 2009

I don't know, I kind of liked that episode in the second season, when one of the kids joined the Aryan Nation and the other joined the Panthers and then they got their backpacks mixed up at the school picnic and hilarity ensued.

I remember that. That was pretty funny, and the Forest Whitaker cameo was a nice touch, too.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:05 PM on February 26, 2009

I don't know, I kind of liked that episode in the second season, when one of the kids joined the Aryan Nation and the other joined the Panthers and then they got their backpacks mixed up at the school picnic and hilarity ensued.

Wait. Are you Asian? Better not be.

...Cause you better be a white supramicist or black radical, or you're "cultrually insensitive".

Its true. Read the thread.
posted by 5imian at 4:16 PM on February 26, 2009

Hey, you know when you're at a bar or a party or something and you're having a few drinks with your friends and just talking about stuff, the way you do sometimes when you're having a few drinks with your friends?

And then some guy none of you knows comes up to you and he's all super drunk, and he kind of starts to argue with you?

And you guys kind of try to engage him a little bit, but he's so drunk (or something) that he's mostly just semi-incoherently shouting the same things over and over?

And you guys look at each other like "who is this guy again? Is this guy your friend, Brian?"

And Brian just kind of shrugs and looks back you like he's saying "I dunno, I thought you knew him"?

And you all turn your shoulders a little bit to get a little separation from drunk incoherent shouty guy, and you go back to talking about whatever it was you were talking about before, but he keeps sort of popping his head up behind Brian and saying shouty incoherent things that are only tangentially related to what you're talking about?

That shit is awesome. Good times.
posted by dersins at 4:31 PM on February 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

Its true. Read the thread.

No, it isn't, and I think you might be getting angrier the more you chase your tail here.

How can you not read the posts in this thread and not think that some people turned it into something ugly.

Alright, look: Can you honestly not see how a couple of white guys making some lame jokes about rap music could be somehow seen as having racist undertones? Rap has absolutely no significant associations with minorities anymore? No? It's really the same, to you, as a white guy criticizing Obama's policies because he's black? Really? I find it hard to believe you're that naive.

You seem to be stretching rhetoric and definitions well beyond the breaking point just to say "I thought it was funny. I don't understand why other people don't".
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:35 PM on February 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

And damn it, lured in again.

Someone call this guy a cab.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:37 PM on February 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

Well i do disagree with you all. No, i don't think it has fundamentally racist overtones. However, the "drinking analogy" i do find annoying. For the record, i don't drink, but i got the message.

I am aware i have the minority viewpoint in this thread. I think that looking to find the race of the authors has more racist overtones than the blog. I can understand you defending your decision, sure...

I am sorry I am the "drunk guy" your friends ignore. I was a lone guy defending the bloggers. Pretending to ignore me isn't right, and saying i have the viewpoint of a fool isn't either.

So yeah, believing whats popular, rather than what i know to be right isn't my strong suit.

Anyways. I wasn't the "drunk guy". I was the "sober guy" in this drinking scenario. I'll drive myself home while you guys let your buzz wear off.

Actually i DO need to get away form this thread. My Ethopian friend will be here in 10 minutes to talk about his art project that studies racism pretty closely. I'll be busy making a cultural differnce. ttyl.
posted by 5imian at 4:49 PM on February 26, 2009

My Ethopian friend

ell oh ell .
posted by dersins at 4:55 PM on February 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

I love a happy ending.

I said, I love a happy ending.
posted by box at 5:07 PM on February 26, 2009

I'll be busy making a cultural differnce. ttyl.

Hello new MSN siggie.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:24 PM on February 26, 2009

Wow.

So my friend, whom I am done eating dinner with is a photographer studying Boley Oklahoma. There apparently is also a Mennonite community in the same area and both have been culturally isolated for years, yet living in almost exactly the same area.

His exhibition documenting the two areas goes on display in three weeks. I'm helping him set up his show, as we were both masters students together for a few years and made good friends.

So no, this isn't a "black people love us.com" moment. But thanks for your pointless jab.
posted by 5imian at 7:50 PM on February 26, 2009

this isn't a "black people love us.com" moment

Uh huh. "Hey guys see you later I'm going to go talk to my friend who fyi is black."
posted by dersins at 6:20 PM on February 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

After checking out snacksandshit and being thoroughly unimpressed/borderline offended, I was surprised to find Metafilter credited with "discovering" it.. so I'm relieved to find the verdict here was not altogether positive!

Agree with all the misgivings above. In many of the posts it seemed to me that the rappers being mocked were more sophisticated about language & humor than those doing the mocking.

And yes, race is most definitely relevant to this discussion.

(and no, acknowledging the racial dynamics is not the same as saying "ZOMG THEY ARE RACIST")
posted by jsmooth995 at 9:04 PM on March 2, 2009

For the record, I would love a blog that took lines of poetry out of context and said "Who gives a shit about your plums lol."
posted by minifigs at 4:53 AM on March 3, 2009

"Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me."

Dude, that sounds kind of gay.
posted by box at 8:09 AM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]