Weird Al vs. the economy

I've been a Weird Al fan since before I could spell Yankovic. Some of his originals are better than the parodies, and his ability to mimic a genre or particular band's style ranks up there with the genius that is Ween.

Perhaps my long-term Al-doration has something to do with my tendency to record covers, tributes or re-writes instead of writing my own material. I dunno.

In any case, I'll join the crowd endorsing Al's new hip-hop venture. I've honestly never heard the original 'song' by T.I. (Texas Instruments? Makers of fine calculators and orphaned computer 99-4/A?), but the new version is fabulous, as usual.

The buzz is that's it's a reflection on the weak state of the economy, but it sounds to me like it's an inversion of the hip-hop style of extravagance and excess -- a groove from a cheap guy.

Check it out at Weird Al's MySpace page.

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