Sunday, December 27, 2009

The Merlin of merkins

"Re: the lyrics. Thank you to everyone who took a minute to help me figure this out. I took my main inspiration from Satchel Page's commentary (see post again) and from input I got from Jesse Andrews of the Young Dads. Jesse made the point that prior to the current trope of pimping-as-a-glamour-profession that we know today, pimping was considered a very low way to make one's living. He suggested that I use the phrase 'the Merlin of merkins' (wiki: merkin) and re-contextualize pimps as the whiny scumbags that they were once thought to be. I also borrowed from Satchel Page's idea that the pimp-narrative is a form of escapism, although I don't think I was quite able to reach his level of incisiveness. It seems to hold true: one wonders how often rap pimps get into heavy shit. Not heavy shit like everyday living or even violent encounters; heavy shit like getting to the bottom of life, or addressing the institutionalized violence and oppression that creates space for such a profession."
(June 3, 2009, Father Abraham)

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