Friday Vid Picks: Local Pride

What’re you to do if you’re a male between the ages of 18 and 25 with a camcorder, broadband connection, and too much time on your hands? Make a rap video about your area code, of course! While not all numerically focused, each of these videos comes from grassroots groups rapping about life the way they see it, be it in Vermont, Oakland or Iraq.

If you’ve got your own hip-hoperatic testament to your regional roots, please post a link in the comments.

3Oh!3 – Holler Till You Pass Out

3Oh!3 from 303 looks like the Beastie Boys from Boulder, “Bottlerado.” I don’t know how they got access to all of their juvenile-delinquents-in-training, but I’m guessing all the extras were paid in candy and cigarettes.

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“I like my Cabot cheddah extra sharp. Our rooves have leaks so we patch it tarps.” While the lyrics aren’t the greatest, forward this to your one Vermonter friend and you’ll make their week.

SCRAPER BIKE – Trunk Boiz

Moving the hyphy movement from the fossil-fueled scraper vehicles to pedal-powered cyclery, Oakland’s Trunk Boiz were featured on the front page of YouTube. If you want a chance to win your very own scraper bike, head over to A.T.M. Hit Records; every time you buy something from their online store you’re entered to win a pimped out set of spoked wheels.

Lazy Muncie

While parodies of SNL’s Lazy Sunday are played out, meta-parodies on the fallout thereafter have a longer shelf life. This Midwest response distinguishes itself by setting up the next video as well as by having an amazing guest appearance by Garfield-creator and Muncie, Ind. native Jim Davis throwing up a gang sign.

Lazy Ramadi

Some fellow Muncie, Ind. natives created a Mideast retaliation to the above Midwest retort. Stationed in Ramadi, Iraq, SSG Matt Wright and SSG Josh Dobbs appeared on numerous media outlets with their video. The pieces of the war that trickle back across the likes of YouTube are all alternately terrifying and fascinating. Just as CNN defined Gulf War I, the second war in Iraq is getting “favorited” and Dugg across the Internet.