“Its been the same ol’ thang, I swear the game don’t change”
May 27, 2016 5:54 PM Subscribe
“Safe”- MC Dumbfounded [NSFW Lyrics] [YouTube] Rapper Dumbfoundead Tackles Hollywood Racism in Amazing New Video [via: New York Magazine]
Bout time
posted by Joseph Gurl at 10:20 PM on May 27, 2016
posted by Joseph Gurl at 10:20 PM on May 27, 2016
I saw this on earlier on twitter, and despite being familiar with Dumbfoundead, I clicked the link with no idea what I was getting into and was totally blown away. I really, really loved the production quality. I know he was recording the track prior to the recent #StarringJohnCho and #StarringConstanceWu trend, but wow, it's such a perfect time to release it since this issue is finally starting to get recognition in mainstream media.
Here's a good interview for anyone who wants to know more about him. Relevant pull-quote:
You’ve talked about how you don’t see being Asian as a disadvantage, and considering you do music, movies, TV, you’re a very multi-talented person. How do you feel like being Asian has affected you in those industries?
It’s interesting. It does make you stand out, I see that as a strength in a lot of ways. More recently, I’ve started to notice how it can put you in a box, though. I’ve been going out for acting auditions for film and TV and there is an issue of being typecasted as an Asian stereotype in these roles. You know, the Asian gangster, or the typical Triad-type role. I see that. I see that in Hollywood, but things are changing. I don’t think it’s all negative. 2015 was a huge year for Asians in media. It was really a milestone.
As an aside, I had the joy of seeing him live at the Wiltern last year when he opened for Epik High (the group who first made me aware of him when they featured him on some of their tracks), and it was really cool hearing him perform "Are We There Yet?" knowing that his mother was in the audience, too.
posted by paisley sheep at 10:21 PM on May 27, 2016 [7 favorites]
Here's a good interview for anyone who wants to know more about him. Relevant pull-quote:
You’ve talked about how you don’t see being Asian as a disadvantage, and considering you do music, movies, TV, you’re a very multi-talented person. How do you feel like being Asian has affected you in those industries?
It’s interesting. It does make you stand out, I see that as a strength in a lot of ways. More recently, I’ve started to notice how it can put you in a box, though. I’ve been going out for acting auditions for film and TV and there is an issue of being typecasted as an Asian stereotype in these roles. You know, the Asian gangster, or the typical Triad-type role. I see that. I see that in Hollywood, but things are changing. I don’t think it’s all negative. 2015 was a huge year for Asians in media. It was really a milestone.
As an aside, I had the joy of seeing him live at the Wiltern last year when he opened for Epik High (the group who first made me aware of him when they featured him on some of their tracks), and it was really cool hearing him perform "Are We There Yet?" knowing that his mother was in the audience, too.
posted by paisley sheep at 10:21 PM on May 27, 2016 [7 favorites]
That was really good. I hadn't heard of the artist before, but I enjoyed the video in the main link and the one linked just above.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:57 AM on May 28, 2016
posted by Dip Flash at 3:57 AM on May 28, 2016
I loved this for so many reasons. Thank you.
posted by not that girl at 7:58 AM on May 28, 2016
posted by not that girl at 7:58 AM on May 28, 2016
I am choosing not to be outraged by the line "Bruce Jenner is a woman" in the service of the greater good here, which is the skewering of racism and the expression of anger about it. I'm also not 100% clear on the meaning of that line in context so I'm choosing to withhold judgment for now.
posted by not that girl at 9:23 AM on May 28, 2016
posted by not that girl at 9:23 AM on May 28, 2016
OK, listening to it again I hear:
ODB up at the grammys on the mike
like Wu Tang is for the children
Bruce Jenner is a woman
OJ was acquitted
Kim K is a hero
The sky's the limit
Any minute now they're gonna let a brother get a lead role.
So, despite the language fail (is it a language fail? What are the rules in rap? in song lyrics in general? I'd jump on this so bad in a written article but how could it be done differently in a tight lyric like this? These are rhetorical questions)—
Despite the language fail, I am reading "Bruce Jenner is a woman" as an example of the sky being the limit. Like, "all this other shit is happening, why not starring roles for an Asian guy?"
Also, since Dumbfoundead refers to himself and others as "yellow men" throughout the song, I am amused the the "newer" link here at MetaFilter is to a post titled, "I root for Yellow."
posted by not that girl at 9:30 AM on May 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
ODB up at the grammys on the mike
like Wu Tang is for the children
Bruce Jenner is a woman
OJ was acquitted
Kim K is a hero
The sky's the limit
Any minute now they're gonna let a brother get a lead role.
So, despite the language fail (is it a language fail? What are the rules in rap? in song lyrics in general? I'd jump on this so bad in a written article but how could it be done differently in a tight lyric like this? These are rhetorical questions)—
Despite the language fail, I am reading "Bruce Jenner is a woman" as an example of the sky being the limit. Like, "all this other shit is happening, why not starring roles for an Asian guy?"
Also, since Dumbfoundead refers to himself and others as "yellow men" throughout the song, I am amused the the "newer" link here at MetaFilter is to a post titled, "I root for Yellow."
posted by not that girl at 9:30 AM on May 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Maybe he should consider taking out the Fast and Furious bit...I know Paul Walker has a leading role, but pretty much everybody else in that series, including Han, is not white.
posted by Chuffy at 8:43 AM on May 29, 2016
posted by Chuffy at 8:43 AM on May 29, 2016
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posted by wuwei at 9:55 PM on May 27, 2016