Many years ago, I dreamed of writing a book about the top rap videos of all-time. I would write a bit about each one and move on. One day, probably after a craft beer or two, I spontaneously requested an interview from a director who obliged. This derailed my project from a list of the best videos ever with sophomoric humor to a series of oral histories. I have never released my list of videos but it started as follows:
Pharcyde: Drop (Dir: Spike Jonze)
Beastie Boys: Sabotage (Dir: Spike Jonze)
Outkast: Bombs Over Baghdad (Dir: Dave Meyers)
Das Racist: Girl (Dir: Aristotle Athiras)
I stop at #4 because by some level of insanity, the creators of that video made time to talk to me. The principals were Das Racist rapper KOOL AD (who I actually paid $100 to answer 21 questions, likely violating ever tenet of journalism,) star Lance Cantstopolis (an alter-ego of the similarly hilarious Fahim Anwar,) and director Aristotle Athiras.
While researching the video, I watched a great deal of videos from the sketch comedy team Goatface, which included Anwar and Athiras, as well as the now flourishing Hasan Minhaj. They were great. I didn’t understand why two members were generous to make time for me. I have been rooting for them since.
I watch SNL. Maybe my most hated cliché is the person who says how SNL now sucks, a trope parroted since season 2. As a fan, I pay attention to the comings and going. As much as I was saddened by the loss of Beck Bennett, I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw the addition of Aristotle, now credited under the surname Athari. He was a great, kind interview and I wish him all of the successes in the world. Following are some Goatface links and the chapter of For The Love he was featured in.
Lance Cantstopolis: Outta Nowhere
