A new book project, eh? I COMMAND THEE TO SPECULATE!In concert, “Weird Al” Yankovic has been known to parody “I’m ’N Luv (Wit A Stripper)” as the Gilligan’s Island-themed “I’m In Luv Wit Da Skipper,” but the venerable pop-culture icon is of course better known for “White & Nerdy,” his smash hit parody of Chamillionaire and Layzie Krayzie Bone’s “Ridin’.” “White & Nerdy” represents one of the few times in Yankovic’s career where his parody is more popular and better known then the song that inspired it, and for good reason. (Full disclosure: I’m working on a book project with “Weird Al,” my childhood hero, but would have nothing but nice things to write about him even if I weren’t.)
Yankovic is extremely underrated as a rapper: He’s adept at recreating the flows of the rappers he spoofs. That’s no small accomplishment when it comes to spoofing someone like Chamillionaire, who spits his rhymes in the rapid-fire, machine-gun singsong style popularized by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. On “White & Nerdy,” Yankovic delivers a torrent of smart, dead-on geek references while remaining crystal-clear and delivering his punchlines with crack timing. It’s a high-wire act Yankovic pulls off beautifully in a song that would go on to become the most popular single of his three-decade-long career.
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“Weird Al” Yankovic also wanted to parody “Bad Day,” Daniel Powter’s contribution to NOW 22, only to have Powter turn him down then change his mind after, in Yankovic’s words, “the train had left the station.” Man, f*** that Daniel Powter guy. He sucks.
Then at the end, he squeezes one more Al reference in there:
Also, some guy in the comment thread linked this incredible video, which for some reason I had never seen.we can never forget that pop music is supposed to be fun and silly and ridiculous, even before our preeminent pop-music parodist alchemizes the pabulum into gently satirical comic gold.
