Arts

Has the Edible Schoolyard been in a rap song before?

August 8, 2011 2:00 pm by Lance Knobel

Look what the dueling Whole Foods parking lot videos has spawned.

The original, by Berkeley-raised David Wittman, aka DJDave (now in LA), inspired local LaeCharles’ Berkeley remix. (It also prompted Berkeley-born Delia Brown to make ”Revenge of the Black Prius“).

Now, in fine style, DJDave has come back with DJDave, U Not BERKELEY Enough, featuring LaeCharles. Have a listen, and see how many Berkeley references you can spot.

Do you think this should be the official Berkeleyside theme song?

15 Comments

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  • John Holland

    “see how many Berkeley references you can spot”

    OK, I’ve annotated it with all the ones I could find. You can roll over the text of my annotations at soundcloud and get hyperlinks for most things.

    However at 3:30, he I can’t make out what he says. Is it “Josephine” as in Josephine St.?

  • John Holland

    BTW, it looks like my annotations aren’t showing up very well in the embedded version above, but they look fine if you listen to the song at soundcloud.com.

  • http://www.yourmomissoberkeley.com Berto

    I see your annotations here.

  • http://www.yourmomissoberkeley.com Berto

    2:05, The Spirit Rally is a competition between classes on the Friday of homecoming at BHS.

  • http://www.yourmomissoberkeley.com Berto

    3:19 name checks BHS

  • http://www.davosnewbies.com lknobel

    That is very cool, John. I see the annotations fine in the embedded version. Thanks.

  • DJDave

    Yes, Josephine street!!!!

  • DJDave

    Anybody get the 2 $hort reference at the beginning though?  (hint:  it’s a production thing)

  • Rachel A.

    I thoroughly enjoyed this.  7 year olds in the household said “Hey! They’re talking about BERKELEY!”  It’s now on the family “dance mix.”

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_V6KQTJGAQAZXMNEIKG5LM2IHZU Tizzielish

    Wow. Lots of fun. Thanks for the heads up, berkeleyside.

    I am so new to Berkeley that I am sure real Berkeley folks got the things I got but he mentions King Middle school, edible school yard, Willard, the song uses the word ‘hella’ which is a Berkeley word, yellowjacket, organic food, Cal hat, ride bike a lot, Peets, Spirit Rally, house party, bump freaky tales, hella tight, ‘we love underachieving sports teams’, granola, Pickle Family Circus, Solano Stroll, Josephine, BHS classl of 92, Adventure Playground (!), stolen parking meters, and I am eating  my latest burrito from Cancun Taqueria as I write this.

    Very cool.  As the internet radically changes human culture, there are some upticks, it’s not all scary change. This was fun.

  • http://profiles.google.com/jshemuel Joe Shemuel

    Yep, Josephine St. It runs into King junior high.

  • OskiGoDumb

    so what are you saying Todd… saying Todd

    Pickle Family Circus at Cedar-Rose was the sh!t

  • LaeCharles

    Of course, this should be your theme song! Thanks John for breaking it down for folks.

  • http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com Jane Stillwater

    Thinking of moving back here?  Ha!  DJ Dave couldn’t AFFORD to live in Berkeley no more.  The only reason I can still stay is because I’ve lived in the same place for 32 years and hence the low rent.  (You forgot to mention the wonderful Rent Board in your song)

    And is a majority of our current city council still “Berkeley Enuff” these days? Probably not.  A lot of them seem to be turning into Walnut Creek wannabees. Kriss and Jesse — Represent!

  • Ben

    I was born at Alta Bates Hospital in 1949 & after living in Canyon on Pinehurst until 54 I lived in Berkeley through 1975 then around the bay until 92 I can tell you that the Berkeley you experience today has only a remote connection to the place where I grew up. I have always thought it a wonderful place to have been raised & was mostly proud of my community. The last time I visited the connection had been severed. The first time I saw a how Berkeley can you be themed event my first thought was you have no clue. First of all we would never have participated. Admittedly we were kind of to cool for school but it still sounds really dumb. It really was a magical place. You guys would not believe what went on.

    Most of the references did not exist in 68. Josephine ran into Garfield Junior High where I went seventh to ninth grades. Then on to Berkeley High, the fateful class of 68. Not exactly sure why but part of me wishes folks could know what it was really like. I’v never read a book, or article, viewed a film, or a photo book that captures the spirit of the Berkeley I knew.

    Thanks for Berkeleyside,