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Christopher Spicer
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So, apparently, having a son and pretending to have a life has caused me to completely miss out on one of the biggest YouTube rapping sensations of 2012.
Krispy Kreme.
You just need to watch this video and listen to his sweet raps to realize he really is "The Baddest."
I may have to get my pop culture writer status revoked, because this video has been around since April. Not only that, but he has created several more videos. It appears each of his music videos have been viewed by over a million people. He isn't an unknown. He even caught the attention of comedian Daniel Tosh.
My complete neglect of Krispy Kreme also means I missed the "investigative journalism" that took place all through the summer to uncover that Kreme was all an act. Krispy Kreme was not an untalented rapper from Alabama, but rather Tyler Cassidy from Flint, Michigan.
He also appears to actually be a talented rapper that doesn't just rhyme with words like "fart.
Okay, so the whole thing is an act. A really well done and funny act, actually. Check out the other Krispy Kreme videos, because many of them are really funny and it also takes a lot of talent to pretend to be bad while remaining entertaining.
What is that? You want me to include the "Stolen Bikes" video? Okay.
This video is funnier than 90% of the stuff that has been on Saturday Night Live for the past few years. It fits perfectly with the usually entertaining Digital Shorts with Andy Samberg.
The Krispy Kreme videos are the perfection of viral marketing. There is a good chance that Tyler Cassidy may not have ever been recognized or been able to get signed with his serious rap songs. He could have. But his persona of Krispy Kreme grabbed attention right away, because people love train wrecks. Even when it started to become clear this was being played for humour, it was funny enough to keep that fan base and grow a following.
Plus there was all those folks trying to figure out if he was for real. They eventually did find Cassidy, and they learned he was a rapper too. This discovery meant his other music was getting to that crowd. Hopefully, it will allow him to break into the industry. At this point, the guy is a musical genius. He can churn out entertaining raps with powerful lyrics, but also has mastered comedic music videos as well. It isn't easy to be good at both.
What I don't understand is the backlash that came from it being revealed Krispy Kreme is a joke. Everyone was all excited when they thought it was a goofy Southern rapper trying to break into the industry. To be fair, most people still seem to like him even though it is clear he is really a young rapper from Michigan playing a character.
But there are a few sites that essentially are claiming they won't cover his stuff anymore since it is clear it is a parody. But they're still songs. It isn't different from before. If anything, now people know they aren't laughing at some poor guy trying to be taken seriously. Maybe people like ridiculing others but they don't like being shown to have been the fool. Yes, many writers got suckered, but that was kind of the point. It was a modern Andy Kaufman act, if Kaufman could rap.
There were a few articles that even tried to hint that there must be something wrong with Cassidy since he took on this persona. The argument is that no right minded person would try to pretend to be someone else. But this charge just proves these writers don't seem to understand the entertainment industry.
Do people think that Sacha Baron Cohen is crazy? His entire career is based off pretending to be other characters. He has been quite successful at it. Professional wrestler also pretend to be a certain persona, and about 30 years ago, they even tried to keep those personas up in public. Then there was also Andy Kaufman who made his entire living off tricking people. It isn't new, and it isn't a sign of some mental derangement. It is a pretty big part of the entertainment industry.
I am pretty sure there are several other musicians that put on fake personas too, in an attempt to get a following. They've heard of Lady Gaga, right? It is just that Krispy Kreme is more obvious.
Maybe it is because I have a crazy imagination. I've always enjoyed acting and also love getting into the mind of unique characters. I can understand what Krispy Kreme is supposed to be, and I totally appreciate it. I don't think the character is any sign of the instability of the actual Tyler Cassidy.
Instead, it is just proof the guy is a comic genius, and hopefully, someone who can break out into the mainstream beyond YouTube videos. This guy needs a record label. If such things even exist anymore.
Oh, and Happy Halloween. . .
Okay fine, Merry Christmas, too.
Krispy Kreme.
You just need to watch this video and listen to his sweet raps to realize he really is "The Baddest."
I may have to get my pop culture writer status revoked, because this video has been around since April. Not only that, but he has created several more videos. It appears each of his music videos have been viewed by over a million people. He isn't an unknown. He even caught the attention of comedian Daniel Tosh.
My complete neglect of Krispy Kreme also means I missed the "investigative journalism" that took place all through the summer to uncover that Kreme was all an act. Krispy Kreme was not an untalented rapper from Alabama, but rather Tyler Cassidy from Flint, Michigan.
He also appears to actually be a talented rapper that doesn't just rhyme with words like "fart.
Okay, so the whole thing is an act. A really well done and funny act, actually. Check out the other Krispy Kreme videos, because many of them are really funny and it also takes a lot of talent to pretend to be bad while remaining entertaining.
What is that? You want me to include the "Stolen Bikes" video? Okay.
This video is funnier than 90% of the stuff that has been on Saturday Night Live for the past few years. It fits perfectly with the usually entertaining Digital Shorts with Andy Samberg.
The Krispy Kreme videos are the perfection of viral marketing. There is a good chance that Tyler Cassidy may not have ever been recognized or been able to get signed with his serious rap songs. He could have. But his persona of Krispy Kreme grabbed attention right away, because people love train wrecks. Even when it started to become clear this was being played for humour, it was funny enough to keep that fan base and grow a following.
Plus there was all those folks trying to figure out if he was for real. They eventually did find Cassidy, and they learned he was a rapper too. This discovery meant his other music was getting to that crowd. Hopefully, it will allow him to break into the industry. At this point, the guy is a musical genius. He can churn out entertaining raps with powerful lyrics, but also has mastered comedic music videos as well. It isn't easy to be good at both.
What I don't understand is the backlash that came from it being revealed Krispy Kreme is a joke. Everyone was all excited when they thought it was a goofy Southern rapper trying to break into the industry. To be fair, most people still seem to like him even though it is clear he is really a young rapper from Michigan playing a character.
But there are a few sites that essentially are claiming they won't cover his stuff anymore since it is clear it is a parody. But they're still songs. It isn't different from before. If anything, now people know they aren't laughing at some poor guy trying to be taken seriously. Maybe people like ridiculing others but they don't like being shown to have been the fool. Yes, many writers got suckered, but that was kind of the point. It was a modern Andy Kaufman act, if Kaufman could rap.
There were a few articles that even tried to hint that there must be something wrong with Cassidy since he took on this persona. The argument is that no right minded person would try to pretend to be someone else. But this charge just proves these writers don't seem to understand the entertainment industry.
Do people think that Sacha Baron Cohen is crazy? His entire career is based off pretending to be other characters. He has been quite successful at it. Professional wrestler also pretend to be a certain persona, and about 30 years ago, they even tried to keep those personas up in public. Then there was also Andy Kaufman who made his entire living off tricking people. It isn't new, and it isn't a sign of some mental derangement. It is a pretty big part of the entertainment industry.
I am pretty sure there are several other musicians that put on fake personas too, in an attempt to get a following. They've heard of Lady Gaga, right? It is just that Krispy Kreme is more obvious.
Maybe it is because I have a crazy imagination. I've always enjoyed acting and also love getting into the mind of unique characters. I can understand what Krispy Kreme is supposed to be, and I totally appreciate it. I don't think the character is any sign of the instability of the actual Tyler Cassidy.
Instead, it is just proof the guy is a comic genius, and hopefully, someone who can break out into the mainstream beyond YouTube videos. This guy needs a record label. If such things even exist anymore.
Oh, and Happy Halloween. . .
Okay fine, Merry Christmas, too.
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I am a writer, so I write. When I am not writing, I will eat candy, drink beer, and destroy small villages.
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