The combination of humorous satire and Hip-Hop is not a new concept, with Chris Rock and also successful parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic playfully jabbing at the culture in past times. Today, the Web is full of personalities poking fun at Hip-Hop with popular blogger The Kid Mero and parody duo ItsTheReal leading the way.
The New York Times profiled Mero and ItsTheReal in a music feature piece Sunday (March 31), revealing that Internet fame hasn’t necessarily translated into a big payday for the funnymen. However, they are making new moves that could soon change their fortunes.
“I don’t feel I’m popping because I’m popping on the Internet,” said the 29-year old Mero, born Joel Martinez. The married father of one, with another child on the way, works by day as an aide in the public school system while updating the hilarious Victory Light blog at night. Martinez mentioned that his wife often questions why he does the blog, but he’s hoping to get the green light on a series of sitcoms including joining forces with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig on a script.
ItsTheReal, consisting of brothers Eric and Jeff Rosenthal, has been doing their high-brow brand of rap parodies via their website. Now, the duo is releasing its first mixtape of a two-part series today (April 1) titled Urbane Outfitters Vol. 1 and will be hosted by DJ Drama. Maino, Bun B, Freeway and others are said to be featured on the release, marking a potentially big splash for the Rosenthals.
“For the first time, instead of being in our world — where we’re comfortable with rappers coming into our world — we’re in their world,” said Eric Rosenthal of the project.
You can catch The Kid Mero at the Victory Light blog. For more on ItsTheReal, follow this link.
Hit the next page to check out flicks of The Kid Mero and ItsTheReal. The latter are dropping a mixtape,
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Photos: Benjamin Norman/New York Times
