The Geto Boys Bushwick Bill died Sunday night of pancreatic cancer at 52. The Geto Boys were a band I didn’t much listen to when they were at their peak, although my brother was a huge fan. I was turned off by their misogynistic lyrics, which were extreme. My bro finally convinced me of how awesome they were, easing me into it with “My Mind’s Playing tricks on Me,” their best-known song. I just learned that their iconic cover for “We Can’t Be Stopped” was shot for real in the hospital when Bushwick Bill had been shot in the eye, declared dead, and then hyped up to shoot the cover. Which is insane. As a group they are kind of just nuts, honestly, but in an amazing way–and I would say this craziness helped them introduce the craziness of Southern hip-hop to the world. Not to say the South itself is crazy, ha ha fooled you, it is. My beautiful home state of South Carolina is almost incomprehensibly, baroquely crazy. When there’s one copperhead in the yard, you have to not only shoot it but wait around to shoot the other one, because they’re like Sith Lords and there’s always two of them, and they might bite one of the several pit-bull mix mutts you definitely have! Having to shoot a shark you caught off the edge of the boat because you don’t want a shark thrashing around in the bottom of the boat, and it’s a good thing you had a handgun on your damn boat! Actual voodoo! Anyhoo.
And the song from which the chorus is sampled is also awesome (strangely quiet at link liked bootlegged uploads often are, but correct speed:
{ 6 comments }
Belle Waring 06.11.19 at 4:02 am
I have legit shot a shark. I mean, not that impressive as it was right off the side of the boat (a medium-size Boston Whaler), but still. And I bet I was high on your list of “bloggers who have shot a shark.” All True Tales of The Old South, as my mom used to call them.
uila 06.11.19 at 7:25 am
Thirty years later and this track never fails to improve my mood. Hereby nominating Bushwick Bill for Patron Saint of Bloggers for the line, “fuck all you unknown motherfuckers” which should be The Blogger’s Prayer. Or at least a pinned tweet.
Dr. Hilarius 06.11.19 at 8:04 am
Born in Greenville, South Carolina all I can say is leave the damn snakes alone! Sharks too but I admit to being uneasy in the company of sharks. Copperheads are pretty frisky snakes, inclined to bite when molested but otherwise amiable.
Hickory Bow 06.11.19 at 1:11 pm
Fresh bait…Smallest hooks you can get by with…Waves to motorists whose eyes pop out when they see you with your stringer as you walk home…
Belle Waring 06.13.19 at 2:45 am
But sharks taste good. And a bull shark would kill you if it had the chance. Also, what, you’re just going to let copperheads slither round the yard? What about the dogs? They’re dumb and will bother the snakes. Except that one pure-bred pit bull you rescued who is actually the brains of the operation.
Dr. Hilarius 06.14.19 at 1:41 am
Belle, I’m sure you are aware of the dire condition of many shark populations. The world is full of many tasty non-shark food items so giving up shark would seem a small sacrifice. While swimming in the harbor at Midway Island I discovered a very large Galapagos shark right below me. Before it could act upon any ill intentions toward me I elected to leave the water. Problem solved.
Dogs, I must admit, pose a problem with all kinds of wildlife. Not knowing the extent of your yard I can’t offer specific advice but always suggest relocation of snakes too close for comfort. (Tangentially, this does remind me of a friend who discovered a missing diamond back rattlesnake in the bag of his vacuum cleaner. It had been there undisturbed for several weeks, the household not being concerned with a little dirt.)
If relocation of venomous snakes seems too dire, I offer up the example of a South African woman who took up the cause of Black Mamba conservation in Swaziland. She and her husband enter into cluttered homes in order to capture and relocate unwanted mambas. The footage of such captures is amazing. I have worked with a number of deadly venomous snakes but don’t think I would be up for this species zipping around the furniture in a small confined space. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/black-mamba-snake-handler-thea-litschka-koen-answers-your-questions/5331/
Comments on this entry are closed.