I see a lot of amateur rap videos made to support one cause or another, some good, and some, um, not so good.

This one, though, is really good: I’m A Climate Scientist [one or two moments may be NSFW]:

I LOLed a few times at this, and it makes a good point. We need more climate scientists speaking up, especially if they can do it in a way that connects to people.

Yo.

Tip o’ the thermometer to Ellen Ward.

Rapper Dr. Dre is planning on an instrumental album based on the planets! From Vibe magazine:

You mentioned a hip-hop album without rapping. Will we ever hear a Dr. Dre instrumental album?

Oh yeah, that’s in the works. An instrumental album is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I have the ideas for it. I want to call it The Planets. I don’t even know if I should be saying this, but [bleep] it. [Laughs.] It’s just my interpretation of what each planet sounds like. I’m gonna go off on that. Just all instrumental. I’ve been studying the planets and learning the personalities of each planet. I’ve been doing this for about two years now just in my spare time so to speak. I wanna do it in surround sound. It’ll have to be in surround sound for Saturn to work.

Hmmm, interesting. This sounds pretty cool, though I’m a little concerned with what he means by "the personalities of each planet". In today’s culture that could mean anything… but then, Gustav Holst wrote a classical suite using the same idea, and it is to this day one of the most deservedly popular pieces of music ever written. I’m usually willing to cut musicians a little slack, since it’s art and open to interpretation. And if it brings more people into the astronomical fold, then more power to him. I’ll be curious to hear it when it comes out!

Tip o’ the conductor’s baton to Ryan Gagne.

I met Baba Brinkman at TAM London, and wasn’t sure what to make of him. He’s a big guy, noticeably white, and raps. About evolution.

OK then. Well, being a skeptic I had to wait for the evidence. So when he performed on stage I was attentive, and my scientific curiosity was quickly satisfied: he’s the real deal. He’s a great rapper, spontaneous, funny, and very intelligent. He had everyone in the audience rapping with him, which was awesome to behold.

And, via Hemant Mehta’s The Friendly Atheist blog, you can see for yourself:

Cool. If you get a chance to see him perform, take it.

Word^*.

This is surprisingly cool and pleasant to listen to.

I wonder what Sagan would’ve thought of this?

Tip o’ the elbow-patched corduroy jacket to the dozens of people who tweeted and emailed this, though BABloggee Ryan Romo was first.