Bao, M: "Man's Not Hot"--Big Shaq[2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M_5oYU-IsU

The track "Man's Not Hot" started off as a caricature of hip-hop culture in the UK, freestyled (maybe off the dome) on popular European radio show, Fire In The Booth. In the booth was a British comedian, disguised in one of his personas, Big Shaq.

Why is "Man's Not Hot" so unique? First off, the rapper Big Shaq is meant to be an overstylized "roadman," a regional term describing a British street thug, which is utilized to reveal many tropes and trends in contemporary UK hop-hop, through his mannerisms in the music video and lyrics. One of the two major motifs in the track is living in a cold world and having an icy personality, a familiar theme throughout hip-hop. The phrase "Man's Not Hot" is spat many times in the track, which the opposite of hot, is cold. He is also shown wearing a heavy parka while touring the Miami beaches in the summer, which is meant to reinforce the idea that despite the warm, tropical physical climate, he is still figuratively cold, due to the unsympathetic nature of living as a street thug, and the icy attitude he must take on so that he doesn't get caught lackin'. The other motif is the interest in violence. The chorus of "Man's Not Hot," (if you could even call it a chorus) is Big Shaq's articulations of what he believes guns to sound like. He makes such utterances so intensely and repetitively to put up a show of bravado. Why? Because it's vital to him and his firm's (regional term for gang) status. If he can convince others that he and his firm do not hesitate to let "the ting go skraaaaht," it creates a fierce image, leading enemies to shy away, protecting themselves from threats.

Again, why is Big Shaq's "Man's Not Hot" so dominant, a supposed joke freestyle reaching #3 in the UK Singles Chart and international popularity? He uses humorous styling and lyricism in his music to illustrate the more solemn parts of hip-hop culture, which is not something that not many, if any, rappers have done before.

Shrek is an ogre

Everybody come on, say hey

I'm gonna watch a movie today,

Do you know what movie it is?

No - and I ain't gon tell you it's none of your business

Shrek is a big, green, mean machine

And he blesses the movie screen

He's a man on a mission

No one gets in his swamp without permission

S stands for strong

H stands for honorable

R stands for rustle with him, you'll be inoperable

E stands for empowering

K stands for can't spell nothing cause he ain't learn how to spell when he was a youngling

So show some respect

He name Shrek

Communism is bad.

'Cause it only works in theory

which is pretty sad.

If I have to work for the Soviets...

then I want my life over with.

If I wanted a promotion then I'm out luck

because I only get paid as much as someone who sucks.

If I don't get paid...

then I can't get laid.

We start off the 2017-2018 school year with a humble rap club meeting. 

The members learn each other's rap names and set the rules on this important friday.

Praise Kayla,

    The Rap Club Officers

In honor of the holy day of April 20th,  we dived into the world of Mary Jane.

Nathan Jones set his hands on Jacob, starting beef and the resulting duel(s).

The results tally to 

Nathan -    3 points

Carson -    2 points

Jacob -    -2 points

Darnell -    3 points

Senior rap club member Carson "MCkidd" Navalta indulged us with the life story of Shizzy. 

We also had our first rap battle, originating from beef between Dr. K and The Sloth. Three more rap battles occurred on that glorious morning. 

a businessman,

a jack of all trades.

His name was Easy E, and he died of AIDS.

So I thought a good tribute to my artist would be

To shed a little light on his deficiency.

It's contracted through blood,

or bodily fluids,

and he got it through sex,

cause that's how we do it.

But it wasn't so funny,

and it wasn't a joke,

when his nose got all runny

and he started to choke,

and spent the rest of his time

In a hospital bed -

He came in as a legend,

and came out of it dead.

But it shouldn't have happened,

and he could have been smarter,

and he could've checked with

every partner.

But he didn't.

And he had to tell his pregnant wife,

That his simple mistake

was gonna cost him his life.

H to the I to the V to the AIDS,

all the girls that he got

and all the money that he made

didn't matter.

Easy just wanted to cruise,

but now he's a reminder of 

what we all have to lose.

(The correct spelling is "Eazy," the misspellings were preserved for artistic genuinity.)

We review the decorations of the famed rapper, Jay Z.

Did you know his name is Shawn?

8:44 AM - Dez The Dad announces Molly's pregnancy

8:45 AM - Trucklord raises awareness for HIV

In the Liberty High School Band.

You may know me for standing on the sideline.

I just really hate band.

It's just not fine.

It's as messed up as my un-edged hairline.

The band program don't even care for us.

Not even a little bit

They're a bunch of hypocrites.

Their morals are twisted.

Very inconsistent

They say that inconsistency causes stress.

But they're consistently inconsistent - what they do best

Setting us all for unsuccess

Life on the sideline was very hard.

Not very easy to stand with a bunch of retards.

I should've gotten a spot.

I always make my dots.

I should've marched - program screwed so I'm not.

Band is such a waste of time

To be on the sideline

Don't even get paid a dime

I'd paid six hundred; didn't sign up for this

Romo gets millions

I am so pissed! (Wow!)

Now I must deal with all these jokes.

People makin' off the field jokes. (Yeah)

Drivin' me insane, they all deserve to choke.

(I'm tired of being a joke.)

Some may think that I am a queer

I must tell you something that's been unclear.

I'd like to express myself, I'm an individual

I'm into 'viduality

It's in my reality

Part of my mentality

No time for people's brutality.

How can I get through people's thick heads?

You shall not define man . . .

For where he stands.

I know who I am. 

Get with the program.

I am very misunderstood

But it is all good

I'm a little esoteric

Not very generic

Don't you dare label me!

I can be who I wanna be.

One day you will see . . .

My life on the sideline

Doesn't define.

Why do they mess with me?

Why can't they let me be?

Stop using the sideline

To define.

I'm a prisoner of band

A prisoner of the sideline

Even a prisoner of my troubled mind.

Why does it have to be me?

Why not [REDACTED]

[REDACTED]
[REDACTED]

[REDACTED]

[REDACTED]

[REDACTED]

[REDACTED]

[REDACTED]

Now I have a confession

I deal with oppression

Band gives me depression.

My section makes me wanna jump . . .

Off the bus and kill myself.

(May not rhyme, but as Chance The Rapper would say, "The truth doesn't always rhyme. ")

Band's screwing with my sanity.

What's wrong with humanity?

Blacks have a 1 in 3 chance to go to jail.

But killing myself will send me straight to hell. (I'm already in hell - it's band. )

Deep inside my soul I knew I cannot give up.

So screw band!

Nobody gonna tell me where to stand.

Nobody can define who I am.

I set the tones.

I'm CrispyToneJones.

Nobody tells me what to do . . .

So screw you.

*Some lines were omitted to preserve the artist's well-being