Video Hangover: Little T and One Track Mike - "Shaniqua"
Every week, we dig in the archives for videos that we find noteworthy, memorable, or just unbelievably stupid. And then, Jon McMillan breaks 'em down for you. Why Video Hangover? Because when you watch as many videos as we do, you're going to feel it afterwards.
"Shaniqua"
Little T and One Track Mike, 2001
Is Shaniqua there? Hell no!
U-n-i-versity of Cobra Kai
Love the opening sequence, but if there's a less-necessary karate fight in a music video, I'd like to see it. Anybody have any thoughts as to what's going on here? T appears to be getting some kind of in-home martial arts instruction, which I can only assume is perfectly normal and happens all the time. But, if that's the case, why does the sensei-guy kick him in the head while he's on the phone? I blame Shaniqua.
YouTube: Aging novelty videos in dog years since 2004
I'll admit I liked "Shaniqua" a lot better when I thought it was a lost treasure from 1987. T's cadence (pure Eminem) and the MetroCard should have been giveaways, but the rhyme schemes reek of License to Ill, and production-wise it looks a lot like "The Gas Face" without the black people (or Gilbert Gottfried). Turns out, however, that this video came out in the summer of 2001. 2001? Hard to believe, but there it is. I guess T and Mike just really wanted to pay tribute to the Fun Lovin' Criminals.
Or maybe they just thought it would be awesome to sample the Jerky Boyz
I don't usually associate confessional lyrics with white-boy rap-rock, but when Little T suggests that "Shaniqua doesn't live here no 'mo," he's clearly expressing a deep-seated personal lament. Who is this Shaniqua, and why do people keep calling for her? If you listen closely, you can hear his response well up like a primal scream: Shut up, Beavis! I haven't heard lyrics this raw since Ice Man McGee dropped "Kill Doug Szathkey" back in '92.
Special thanks to reader Dave S. for the tip, and big ups to Little T for going on to become Tim Fite.
Posted at 12:07 PM in Video, Video Hangover
Tags: Tim Fite
holy shit. i never realized little t and tim fite were the same person. wow.
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YES
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I like how we're asked to believe that the annoying white rapper guy whose one friend is "gone for the summer" is constantly interrupted during important things (karate fights, in bed with some woman) as opposed to his likely actual activities (Dorito dinner, N64, okay maybe he's lame enough to be in some kind of two-man karate club).
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re: kill doug szathkey, i've never seen Janeane Garofalo look that young before.
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sweet mother of god, that takes me back to my high school days when I actually purchased CDs. Yes I am admitting to paying for CDs, and you can judge me all you like. Say what you will about the existential arguments this song brings up, it gets my home alone dance party kicking every time.
side note: I definitely worked with a girl named Shaniqua over the summer. That is her real name. Every time I heard her name the chorus would loop in my head. Word to your mother.
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im actually kind of offended by this song. im 18 and i didnt even know this song existed until i got to college which was a few months ago. its not like he ever heard of a albino girl "shaniqua."
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