#hiphopapotamus

[metal-dad84]

Flight of the Conchords - Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymnoceros

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #603

Top Ten Flight of the Conchords Songs

Once more I’m turning my ear to the world of music, and once more I’m listing my favourite songs by a band or artist or whatever. And I guess that’s all there is to it. It’s not a complicated one.

So, Flight of the Conchords; like many people I came across them with their musical sitcom about a million years ago; which, as well as introducing us to vast swathes of their delightful and hilarious back catalogue, also introduced us to Rhys Darby, and for that we must always be grateful. It’s kind of funny to think of this funny, quirky little show, with its mumblecore dialogue and odd parodic songs, starring a bunch of unknown New Zealanders, would spawn Hollywood actors, a major director, and an Oscar winner; it’s a bit like Spaced, in that you have to keep reminding yourself how far these guys have come, and also that the talent was there right from the beginning.

Anyway, Jermaine and Bret have been likeable and adorable and prodigiously talented right from the off. Unlike other musical comedy acts such as Tenacious D, they don’t focus on one genre or style, or even really have a defined motif to their music; and unlike someone such as Weird Al, they don’t quite have the vast range or such specific song parodies. They play, mostly, folk tinged with rock or electronica, and the humour comes largely from the subjects and the lyrics. They “do” a few Bowie-inspired numbers, as well as some hip hop parody, and arguably the greatest Pet Shop Boys riff in the whole world; but really what I love about them is they’re just so loveable.

There are some frankly hilarious lyrics and gags here, really terrific bits of musicality that I come back to over and over. And that’s about it, really; like Kiwi versions of Bill Bailey, there’s something just generally nice about them and their songs, even if they’re singing about robots killing humanity. There’s a cheery self-deprecating patheticness to most of their songs, even when they’re singing in character; it makes them unthreatening, likeable underdogs who you want to root for despite everything. And, of course, this belies the songwriting talent on display; not just their ability to write great jokes or parody different genres and artists, but just their overall musical talent as songwriters and artists. These are great songs.

Anyway, enough waffle, let’s sing.

Inner City Pressure: a fantastic tone-perfect Pet Shop Boys parody, so much so that it’s kind of ruined Pet Shop Boys for me a tiny bit. There’s so much to enjoy in the bonkers, surreal vision of sorrowful inner city life, but for me it’s the fact that they manage to get “concert flautist” into a rhyme that seals the deal.

Think About It: another song ostensibly about how crap things are right now, but on a global scale. Its good-hearted but wrong-headed summation of the ills of the world are a comic delight – “why are we paying so much for sneakers when they’re made by little slave kids?” – although my favourite refrain remains “would someone please remove these cutleries from my knees”. Needs no explanation. Perhaps.

Bowie: another utterly brilliant evocation of an act, this time slaloming its way through Bowie’s entire oeuvre. There are nods to about a dozen Bowie songs here, and McKenzie and Clement do absolutely spot-on impersonations of the great man himself (which is probably why Clement was asked to play “Bowie, but a giant crab” in Moana a few years later). Gets away with calling Bowie a “filthy old bastard”, which I kinda think he’d have liked.

Hiphopapotamus versus Rhymenoceros: a sublime hip hop parody that is equal parts childish word game and surreal delight. The inventiveness not just of the lyrics, but also the overall comedy antics of the song (“My lyrics are bottomless,” he says, before being unable to think of the next line). Segueing for no good reason into a discussion of having tea with grandma, the overall silliness of the song masks the fact they are actually pretty good at hip hop.

Sugarlumps: sort of a weird inverse of Milkshake or My Humps but much dafter and about a part of the male anatomy that I doubt anyone really thinks of as being a source of attraction. The utter randomness of its subject matter is one thing, but McKenzie’s sublime interjection (“you get two complimentary after dinner mints”) makes it art.

Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor: a really catchy beat is one thing – “too many dicks, too many dicks” – this is a fast-spoken dancefloor number that also boasts a neat line in wordplay, something the Conchords excel at. “Skedaddle with the cattle prods” is, frankly, a line of genius, but even it pales next to “Too much time on too many hands/Not enough ladies too many mans”.

If You’re Into It: a beautiful and tender ballad – albeit a bouncy up-tempo one – to mutual consent in a relationship, this is a song that needs to be lauded and applauded. Exploring the nuances of an early relationship, testing boundaries and being upright and frank in a discussion of what you want and what you’re comfortable with. That very quickly descends into weird fruit stuff and bringing in roommates. A sheer comedic joy.

Carol Brown: I knew this as the “Choir of Ex-Girlfriends” song and had mostly forgotten it till giving it a re-listen, when its subtleties and humour bubbled right up. A weird comedic version of songs like Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover, it’s just as random and filled with beautiful wordplay as most other Conchords songs. From “Lisa got amnesia” to “Bruce turned out to be a man” and the icing on the cake, the actual choir of ex-girlfriends interjecting (“This guy is a fool”).  

The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room): often their songs juxtapose a series tone or subject matter with actual lyrics that undercut the seriousness to humorous effect, and that’s the case here. Ostensibly a love song about a beautiful girl, the various and increasing qualifications make it truly hilarious. Some are just fantastic pieces of imagery (“You’re so beautiful/You could be an air hostess in the sixties”), and some are just damn good gags (“You could be a part-time model/But you’d probably still have to keep your normal job”).

Business Time: a sexy Barry White-esque number about, well, business time, this is another one of those that marries serious intent (sexytime sex song) with undercutting self-deprecating patheticness. Whether it’s references to keeping your socks on (“business socks”) or doing the recycling, the whole thing is a delight, although for me it’s the refence to “that ugly baggy t-shirt” that for some reason I find hilarious. Anyway, it’s great.

[rebornchampion]

And if we were to tell you to turn her over to the authorities?

"I'd say your fucking stupid."

"I'm above all you basic mainland losers. And even then Terra STILL gives me a rough time. What makes you think your raggedy Pokemon can do anything against hers? You wouldn't even get past her HIPHOPAPOTAMUS. Much less that uppity ass RAWRCHOMP..."

"Just stay in your lane and let Iset handle Iset problems, alright? Cool."

[enjoymorestuff]

The biggest problem with Tumblr is that I don’t see this video every other day.

My rhymes are so potent That in this small segment I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant Yes, sometimes my lyrics are sexist But you lovely bitches and hoes Should know I'm trying to correct this

Come on. That’s good stuff.

[dcfontaines]

i just think that i’m the motherflippin’ rhymenoceros, my beats are fat and the birds are on my back and i’m horny (i’m horny). if you choose to proceed you will indeed concede, cos i hit you with my flow: the wild rhino stampede. i’m not just wild, i’m trained, domesticated, i was raised by a rapper and a rhino that dated, and subsequently procreated, that’s how its goes. here’s the hiphopapotamus (the hip hop hippo): they call me the hiphopapotamus, my lyrics are bottomless…..

[elthedeuro]

[photo id: Jemaine and Bret from Flight of the Conchords, rapping "They call me the Hiphopapotamus, my lyrics are bottomless". The next pane shows them both silent]

[moseshatesyou]

Dropped some buttery goodness today. Check out 'Wire Men' on all major services.😎✌🏽✊🏽 - - - - - - - #hiphop #hiphopbrasileiro #hiphop247 #Hiphopmuzikeffect #HipHopAwardWeekend #hiphopsamples #hiphopkeskitaso #HipHopColombo #hiphopsongs #hiphopforthehomeless #hiphopvideoworld #hiphoppics #hiphopback #hiphopisalive #hiphopprogram #hiphopculture #hiphopisourlife #HipHopForLife #hiphopphotography #hiphopapotamus #hiphopatitsfinest #hiphopwax #hiphoplegendinthemaking #hiphoptasikmalaya #hiphopera #hiphopliteracy #hiphoptelaviv #hiphopjazz #hiphopisuniversal #hiphopgiant (at San Francisco Bay Area) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnERUTDHcic/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hv5psqluo6x8

[nandorsaccent]

i’m literally the hiphopapotamus flows that glow like phosphorous poppin off the top of this esophagus rockin this metropolis. when you’re hurting me you’re hurting the hiphopapotamus

[benito-cereno]

If a horse skeleton shows up at my door and challenges me to a rap battle, what should I do?

Here’s how it goes when the Mari Lwyd shows up:

First of all, she won’t be alone. She’ll have a whole team: the Leader, the Merryman, and Punch and Judy. 

They’ll knock on your door and drop a verse. You have to deny them entry, which I guess you could do in battle rap form. The Grey Mare will reply with a fresh verse. You will have to counter. You go back and forth until one of you runs out of rhymes (it will be you: like the Hiphopapotamus, the Grey Mare’s lyrics are bottomless).

At this point, you have to let them into your home and give them food and drink. Ale is the preferred drink. Once inside, the Mare is likely to make some trouble, snapping at children and such, but the Leader should mostly keep her in line. The Merryman should, in theory, play some tunes in exchange for ale and food. Make sure you explicitly tell Punch not to fuck with your fire, or he may rake it out with his poker or slapstick before they leave.

If you survive all that, great job! The Mare will be back next Christmas. Stock up on ale and/or rhymes!

[bd-wireroses]

Little Hiphopp, clearly caught, scampers out from under the table towards the commons door before simply vanishing.

“Well, if you started it’s good to know you’re at least equipped to deal with some of the childrens’...quirks. That was Hiphopapotamus - he’s Beat’s little friend.”

A resume has been slipped into the orphanage's mailbox. [poorly-drawn-akira]

Tired from cleaning up the blood and the glass from Minx's episode, she scanned the resume...

Criminal Record, but it only has down his thefts...pretty big ones but we've all been stupid ass kids, haven't we? And with that Music Career, maybe he's trying to settle down or get back on track with his life? She's glad to offer that chance to anybody - child or adult.

So she calls him over for a possible interview, with mention of clean up from an incident meaning they might have to do it in a different room than usual.

@poorly-drawn-akira

[planetstepho]

Stephen’s Musicbee Adventure

So I’m gonna go through my Musicbee, state each artist I have, and my favourite song by the artist. I have varying tastes in music. Strap in.

The 1975: Sex. 2Pac: California Love. 3oh!3: Colorado Sunrise. A Day to Remember: If It Means A Lot To You. All Time Low: If These Sheets Were The States All Tvvins: End of the Day. Anberlin: Paperthin Hymn. Arcade Fire: No Car Go. Bad Meets Evil: Fastlane. Bassnectar: F.U.N. Bastille: Rhythm of the Beach Boys: Barbara Ann Beatles: Hey Jude Blink-182: Always Blur: Parklife. Bo Burnham: Country Music. Boney M: Daddy Cool Boyce Avenue: Fast Car Bruno Mars: Talking to the Moon Bullet For My Valentine: Tears Don’t Fall Cage The Elephant: Shake Me Down The Chainsmokers: Closer. Charlie Puth: Marvin Gaye. Chris Brown: With You. Christy Moore: Beeswing. Colcannon: Wild Orchid. Coldplay: The Scientist. Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip: Magician’s Assistant. Dead By Sunrise: Inside of Me. Disturbed: Another Way to Die Earth, Wind, & Fire: Boogie Wonderland. Ed Sheeran: Photograph. Eminem: Goin’ Thru Changes. EofE: Lust. Fall Out Boy: Centuries. Falling Up: Fearless. Five Finger Death Punch: Far From Home. Fleetwood Mac: Go Your Own Way. Flight of the Conchords: Hiphopapotamus vs the Rhymenocerous Fort Minor: Where’d You Go GMC: Focus. Go Radio: Goodnight Moon. Gym Class Heroes: Cookie Jar. Halestorm: Get Off. He Is We: All About Us. High School Musical: Scream. Hollywood Undead: Young. Hopsin: Ill Mind of Hopsin 9 James Blunt: I’ll Be Your Man. Jason Derulo: Wiggle. Jason Lancaster: Come Back. Johnny Cash: Hurt. Jonas Brothers: Love Bug. Justin Bieber: What Do You Mean? Kaiser Chiefs: Every Day I Love You Less and Less. Kanye West: Blame Game. Kings of Leon: Sex on Fire. Kodaline: High Hopes. The Kooks: She Moves in Her Own Way Kraftklub: Ich Will Nicht Nach Berlin. La Dispute: Nobody, Not Even the Rain (Has such small hands) Lady Gaga: Bad Romance. Led Zeppelin: Immigrant Song. The Libertines: What Became of the Likely Lads Linkin Park: In the End. The Lonely Island: Motherlover. Luke Kelly: The Auld Triangle. The Lumineers: Ophelia. Magic Sword: In the Face of Evil. Maroon 5: Payphone. Mayday Parade: Miserable At Best. Michael Jackson: Thriller. Mike Shinoda: Ghosts. Mumford and Sons: Hopeless Wanderer. Muse: Uprising. My Chemical Romance: Teenagers. Nine Inch Nails: We’re In This Together. Otherkin: Treat Me So Bad Owl City: Vanilla Twilight. Pete Yorn: Lose You. Picture This: Take My Hand. Plain White T’s: Our Time Now. The Pogues: Dirty Old Town. Queen: Who Wants To Live Forever Rihanna: Love The Way Your Lie Part 2. Robert Downey Jr:  Every Breath You Take. The Rubberbandits: I Like To Shift Girls. The Script: Hall of Fame. Skillet: Forsaken. Skrillex: Kill Everybody Tame Impala: Let It Happen Tenacious D: Beelzeboss Tom Jones: It’s Not Unusual Twenty One Pilots: Car Radio U2: Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own Walking On Cars: Speeding Cars. The Wanted: Warzone. We The Kings: Sad Song. The Weeknd: Starboy. Westlife: World Of Our Own The White Stripes: Icky Thump The Wolfe Tones: Streets Of New York The Wombats: Turn You Me At Six: Take On The World.

[redbezzlebrand]

He's the Hiphopapotamus! His lyrics are bottomless. #flightoftheconchords #fotc #hbo #folk #music

[muskelstyrka]

hot take

hiphopapotamus vs rhymenoceros by flight of the concords is better than top's entire discography

[ardamus]

Throwback: "Drinksmoke" (Hiphopapotamus Remix)" http://ow.ly/N8KA30eguRI #Ardamus

[badnewsadolf]

They call me the Hiphopapotamus Flows that glow like phosphorous #girlswithink #applebottomjeans #timetodie #thistimeitsnotdangeresqueone (at Starland Ballroom)

[paintedmistress]

Line and hour and a half ahead of opening for Flight of the Conchords. #hiphopapotamus #concertwoes (at Marymoor Concerts)