aiga fresh blood presentation

6.15.10 | virginia sasser | mica 1


Foreword process work: rhyme and meter


Chaucer & Jay-Zacute attention to rhyme, meter, and rhetorical density.


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“The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” from �e Canterbury Tales stylistic motif: allegory

The Nun’s Priest’s Tale is a humorous beast fable, in which animals act like humans. The Nun’s Priest has crafted a allegorical parody about a cock and a fox, which doubles as a critical commentary on the aristocratic class and all vain people. The mock-heroicism makes human conceit seem trivial when applied to chickens. No particular “moralitee” is set in stone; it is up to the reader’s discretion.

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“The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” from �e Canterbury Tales stylistic motif: allegory

The Nun’s Priest’s Tale is a humorous beast fable, in which animals act like humans. The Nun’s Priest has crafted a allegorical parody about a cock and a fox, which doubles as a critical commentary on the aristocratic class and all vain people. The mock-heroicism makes human conceit seem trivial when applied to chickens. No particular “moralitee” is set in stone; it is up to the reader’s discretion.

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Jay-Z’s “I Know,” from American Gangster stylistic motif: allegory

This song seems like a love song at first, but is actually an allegory about the ills of heroine addiction. Speaking in the first person as if he were the lover of a woman addicted, the narrator is a personified version of the drug. Conceptual references, like the “in vain” pun and Jay-Z’s own linguistic representation of a dripping nose, emphasize the allegory’s drama throughout the song.

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“Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” from �e Canterbury Tales stylistic motif: double entendre

The Wife of Bath is giving a confessional report of her life and views on marriage. The double entendre exists in the meaning of the word “queynte,” which on the surface means “domestic work,” but also refers to female genitalia. Bele chose, meaning “pretty thing,” references genitalia as well. The Wife implies that her domestic ability—a.k.a. her vagina—is a flower-like commodity, but she also uses it as a weapon to get what she wants from men. The lighthearted understatement is that she would simply be walking.

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Jay-Z’s “Cashmere Thoughts,” from Kingdom Come thematic motif: lyrical prowess

MCs constantly rap about their rapping abilities. Unlike many others, though, Jay-Z has earned the right to brag about his own complex linguistics and smooth flow (flow is, most literally, lyrical cadence and the ability to emphasize certain words on point with a beat). Jay-Z often makes humorous analogies about his own poetic skill. The irony here is that he claims to never write down lyrics before he records, so the pen hitting the sheets is actually metonymic for the writing process inside his head.

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“Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” from �e Canterbury Tales stylistic motif: double entendre

The Wife of Bath is giving a confessional report of her life and views on marriage. The double entendre exists in the meaning of the word “queynte,” which on the surface means “domestic work,” but also refers to female genitalia. Bele chose, meaning “pretty thing,” references genitalia as well. The Wife implies that her domestic ability—a.k.a. her vagina—is a flower-like commodity, but she also uses it as a weapon to get what she wants from men. The lighthearted understatement is that she would simply be walking.

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Jay-Z’s “Cashmere Thoughts,” from Kingdom Come thematic motif: lyrical prowess

MCs constantly rap about their rapping abilities. Unlike many others, though, Jay-Z has earned the right to brag about his own complex linguistics and smooth flow (flow is, most literally, lyrical cadence and the ability to emphasize certain words on point with a beat). Jay-Z often makes humorous analogies about his own poetic skill. The irony here is that he claims to never write down lyrics before he records, so the pen hitting the sheets is actually metonymic for the writing process inside his head.

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Supplementary Work


listen how my words are poetic • Langston

dreads down my back • I come straight from Kingston

I know, but trip and that forty make a chip, out a potato head wimp and • ranch I dip

take notes when I’m talking; smooth • a cruise boat floats when I’m walking

bitch I’m fly • a magic carpet

pay attention to the lecture; my words carry life • a stretcher

put the motherfucker on ice • the Mapleleaves; and that’s a hockey team and I ain’t on no hockey team

she love the way I diddy bop; I see her boyfriend hating • a city cop

you lookin at Jordan; from the side • Spike at the Garden

I got game • EA, but I wanna let you play

ice water chest, and my wrist • a cool cup

I swear I’m on top • the attic

picture me • a gallery, capture what I say; all I need is one mic

I be with savages and I’m above average; I’m a crazy ass star • a fuckin’ asterisk

one, uno, ace and I’m trying to make your heart beat • bass

see my style, it varies • drugs in an alley

I get better in time • a watch

off the corner of Apple and Eagle, Braveheart bitch • the times are medieval

yeah I’m in my mode, got a code • Da Vinci’s

I’ll serve anyone • a blind waiter

I’m all over this ice cream beat • sprinkles

I’m • a line backer; don’t run it by me

see me dreadlocks; tough • Bam-Bam from Bedrock

I got paper • loose leaf; come over here and maybe you could get a few sheets

I’m a giant • fee fi fo fum

I keep my pockets green • a pod of peas

money’s more important, and understand I been in that water • I was snorkelin’

I cover my tracks • butter, so where the bread be

I’m slick • an old Mac

but when it comes out it’s fine • wine; wait, watch, see

buck forty on a ring that I don’t really wear, but I bet it light up the night • the city fair; this shit ain’t fair

I ain’t gassed up because I’m more • a hybrid

my spot remain • a bleach stain of cranberry

I peel off in the Lamborghine • a tangerine

I’m always good • grandma cookies

I am leaning • a three legged lion, climbing right to the top of the motherfuckin’ mountain

my body’s unique • the Sistine Chapel, yeah, fresh six green apples

yeah baby we ballin’ • Rawlings and Spalding

why’d they start him; now they can’t park him; I go into the booth and just change • Clark Kent

ya’ll too plane, I’m a helicopter; my words keep goin’ • a teleprompter

you get served • a fucking hors d’oeuvre

that war make ya so called soldiers just run • Gore

but I wear my heart on my sleeve • it’s the new fashion

I got them greenbacks • I laid on the grass

it is the sail to my boat and it’s goin’ down, it’s goin’ down • there’s a whale in the boat

got the engine straight shakin’ • a tambourine

top peeled back • the skin of a potato

leave it to the flow we getting dough • a bakery

you drop ’em ’cuz we pop ’em • Orville Redenbacher

sweet • banana split every time I peel through fresher than Will Smith and Uncle Phil too

I’m all about oui • Paris, Hilton presidential suite already

I’m tied to the game • wedlock

yeah I’m back in the booth; stand at the top • a tack in the roof

they cannot see me; they are • Stevie

my name • honey, got a lot of bitches buzzin’

tell them haters cut it out • a coupon

take that to the bank with ya; I rock my hat to the side • I paint pictures

I’m lookin’ • a star, bitch; when you see me make a wish

floatin up the aisle • the bride and her daddy

you might wanna fall back • August, or late September, whatever you call it

if I don’t have the answer it’s probably on the web • I’m a damn tarantula

simile like lil’ waynea selection of lines and phrases by the rapper

• = like • = as

listen how my words are poetic • Langston

dreads down my back • I come straight from Kingston

I know, but trip and that forty make a chip, out a potato head wimp and • ranch I dip

take notes when I’m talking; smooth • a cruise boat floats when I’m walking

bitch I’m fly • a magic carpet

pay attention to the lecture; my words carry life • a stretcher

put the motherfucker on ice • the Mapleleaves; and that’s a hockey team and I ain’t on no hockey team

she love the way I diddy bop; I see her boyfriend hating • a city cop

you lookin at Jordan; from the side • Spike at the Garden

I got game • EA, but I wanna let you play

ice water chest, and my wrist • a cool cup

I swear I’m on top • the attic

picture me • a gallery, capture what I say; all I need is one mic

I be with savages and I’m above average; I’m a crazy ass star • a fuckin’ asterisk

one, uno, ace and I’m trying to make your heart beat • bass

see my style, it varies • drugs in an alley

I get better in time • a watch

off the corner of Apple and Eagle, Braveheart bitch • the times are medieval

yeah I’m in my mode, got a code • Da Vinci’s

I’ll serve anyone • a blind waiter

I’m all over this ice cream beat • sprinkles

I’m • a line backer; don’t run it by me

see me dreadlocks; tough • Bam-Bam from Bedrock

I got paper • loose leaf; come over here and maybe you could get a few sheets

I’m a giant • fee fi fo fum

I keep my pockets green • a pod of peas

money’s more important, and understand I been in that water • I was snorkelin’

I cover my tracks • butter, so where the bread be

I’m slick • an old Mac

but when it comes out it’s fine • wine; wait, watch, see

buck forty on a ring that I don’t really wear, but I bet it light up the night • the city fair; this shit ain’t fair

I ain’t gassed up because I’m more • a hybrid

my spot remain • a bleach stain of cranberry

I peel off in the Lamborghine • a tangerine

I’m always good • grandma cookies

I am leaning • a three legged lion, climbing right to the top of the motherfuckin’ mountain

my body’s unique • the Sistine Chapel, yeah, fresh six green apples

yeah baby we ballin’ • Rawlings and Spalding

why’d they start him; now they can’t park him; I go into the booth and just change • Clark Kent

ya’ll too plane, I’m a helicopter; my words keep goin’ • a teleprompter

you get served • a fucking hors d’oeuvre

that war make ya so called soldiers just run • Gore

but I wear my heart on my sleeve • it’s the new fashion

I got them greenbacks • I laid on the grass

it is the sail to my boat and it’s goin’ down, it’s goin’ down • there’s a whale in the boat

got the engine straight shakin’ • a tambourine

top peeled back • the skin of a potato

leave it to the flow we getting dough • a bakery

you drop ’em ’cuz we pop ’em • Orville Redenbacher

sweet • banana split every time I peel through fresher than Will Smith and Uncle Phil too

I’m all about oui • Paris, Hilton presidential suite already

I’m tied to the game • wedlock

yeah I’m back in the booth; stand at the top • a tack in the roof

they cannot see me; they are • Stevie

my name • honey, got a lot of bitches buzzin’

tell them haters cut it out • a coupon

take that to the bank with ya; I rock my hat to the side • I paint pictures

I’m lookin’ • a star, bitch; when you see me make a wish

floatin up the aisle • the bride and her daddy

you might wanna fall back • August, or late September, whatever you call it

if I don’t have the answer it’s probably on the web • I’m a damn tarantula

simile like lil’ waynea selection of lines and phrases by the rapper

• = like • = as


Thank [email protected]/sasser

directors: Ellen Lupton Jennifer Cole Phillips

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