Did you like Sketchy Details on Facebook yet? The 50th person to like the page gets any item they want, up to $20 in value, from the Etsy store. Exclusive content and easier commenting at the click of this link. I was aware that Nick Cannon had a rap career. I had friends in high school who bought his self-titled debut album with the single "Gigolo." The song, featuring R. Kelly, is basic boast rap. It's a well-produced track (if a bit dated now), though back then it felt like he was just trying to break free of his Nickelodeon image. He was a featured player on All That, after all. The thing to note about the track and video is that he is fooling around with this. There's a joke element even if the song only features a few dry jokes that pass in an instant.
What I didn't know was that Nick Cannon has started rapping for fun on a pretty regular basis. If you visit his official website, he's doing remixes of tracks he likes. Just this morning while I was driving to the post office, I heard an excerpt of one of these tracks on the radio. It was something.
I'll start by saying his remix of Uncle Murda's "Warning" features language I don't approve of at all. He uses gay as a synonym for weak or foolish. He's smarter than that. If you watch America's Got Talent, you know he's quick to respond to a situation and fast on a pun.
When you get past that, there's something pretty engaging about this not safe for work track. He's calling out a bunch of A-list rappers who have made jokes about him. This isn't like Lil' Kim going after Nicki Minaj; Nick actually approaches the track with a bit of cleverness and a lot of style.
What people might not realize is that Nick Cannon is just trying to get some attention. The videos for these most recent remixes are labeled "NickCannon.com Exclusive." He wants people to go insane in the comments section on YouTube and Facebook. Controversy courts attention, and bad publicity is still publicity. Nick has enough of a sense of humor about himself that he can brush off the comments and keep reaching for more attention.
This is the video. I warn you again that it has foul language and is most likely Not Safe For Work.
At least he has a sense of humor about the whole music industry. If people really take this seriously, he's made his point. Yes, it's a slam track, but it's meant to be laughed at. The goal is to raise the bar with each punchline until you're mad or laughing. It won't work for everyone, but it did it for me this morning.
Thoughts? Love to hear them.