Straight outta NeiMeng

November 19, 2007 4:42 AM

China is famed for its many inventions: gunpowder, paper, printing; some even claim golf and football. Who knew that the origins of hip-hop lie in the vast northern wastes of the Celestial Empire too?
posted by Abiezer (18 comments total)

Yeah bit the problem with this kind of Hip Hop is that half an hour after you listen you need to listen again.
posted by gomichild at 4:54 AM on November 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

not "bit" -> "but"

Looks for the preview button in vain...
posted by gomichild at 4:55 AM on November 19, 2007

I thought Jemaine and Bret had invented hip hop at a barbecue in New Zealand with Steve.
posted by Kattullus at 5:00 AM on November 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Did the video just make random pauses for me or did everyone get that?

I lost when he was doing the turntables WITH RIMS!! They still be spinning!
posted by Talanvor at 5:13 AM on November 19, 2007

The hip-hop was ha-ha, but I really liked the idea of this peasant nobody out in the middle of ass working hard on a concept he's had. All he's got is a corncob, but damned if he's going to make his vision real. That's the human spirit right there, yo.
posted by DU at 5:26 AM on November 19, 2007 [2 favorites]

Loved it, Abiezer - sweet start to my Monday.
posted by madamjujujive at 5:36 AM on November 19, 2007

Very enjoyable, thanks!

DU: I think you mean "damned if he isn't going to make his vision real."
posted by languagehat at 6:06 AM on November 19, 2007

It's really crazy how often I leave off a negative. Even when it wasn't going to be part of a contraction (i.e. leaving the "n't" off of "doesn't"). Brain cancer, no doubt.
posted by DU at 6:09 AM on November 19, 2007

I especially enjoyed the chicken walk.
posted by zennoshinjou at 6:43 AM on November 19, 2007

Well they didn't invent the internet... Al Gore did!
posted by Mastercheddaar at 7:13 AM on November 19, 2007

Well, it all began with Mao's famous "Mo' money, mo' problems" speech.
posted by PlusDistance at 7:22 AM on November 19, 2007

The guys deliver their lines superbly in the original too, in a fab northern accent; shame some of that funny gets inevitably lost in translation.
posted by Abiezer at 7:24 AM on November 19, 2007

Wu-Tang clan ain't nothin ta fuck wit.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 8:52 AM on November 19, 2007

Isn't the MC Mongolian?
posted by afu at 11:38 AM on November 19, 2007

They're in Mongolia (内蒙) afu, but if I had to guess I'd say he's a Han fella, just a thick accent when speaking Mandarin. I loved him colouring up the big family planning slogan on the wall near the end there too.
posted by Abiezer at 11:45 AM on November 19, 2007

Yeah, on a re-watch, when he's practising his words in the bit at home you reckon he's a native Chinese speaker, though wouldn't want to extrapolate that to his family tree. Aren't we all distant descendants of Genghis anyway? :D
posted by Abiezer at 11:53 AM on November 19, 2007

Yeah that makes sense, The prayer flags where throwing me off.
posted by afu at 11:56 AM on November 19, 2007

Coming a bit late here, but if anyone likes this sort of thing, you should check out kuaiban(快板), a form of rhythmic storytelling.
posted by pravit at 12:58 PM on November 22, 2007