George Watsky: The Voice of the Internet Generation?

-by Colin

The best-ever rap threat? Oh yes.

Today, I'm reviewing another aspect of Watsky's portfolio of work, you see...I'm reviewing his Youtube channel. To be honest, some of his videos are the most entertaining things I've seen in ANY medium EVER. Whether it be his live performances or his music videos, he slips us into his world of spoken-word wizardry every time he picks up the microphone and leaves us craving more.

This video for instance is entitled "Letter to My 16-Year Old Self." On the outside, it seems as if he's dictating a letter to himself advising him never to give up in the face of adversity or near failure. The true beauty of this video is by 30 seconds into the speech, you feel as if Watsky specifically tailor-made this video for you. By the end of this video, you feel as if there's no problem you can't take care of by yourself. That's the pure power of Watsky's prose, his empathy and enthusiasm energizes all viewers.

Now spoken-word is only one aspect of Watsky's work, he also stands as one of the most popular artists on Youtube. His musical stylings feature rap prominently, but are not strictly limited to the genre as shown in his most recent video, a take on the Simon and Garfunkel classic "Mrs. Robinson" featuring Kush Mody and  Danny "SkyHigh" McClain.

This take was a definite improvement giving it a more soulful edge (with McClain's vocals), while Watsky regales us with a narrative of his first love as well as his love of older women. Watsky not only showcases his trademark brand of spoken-word in this video, but also shows his sense of humor by setting the scene for this video at a divorcee convention. This video shows another facet of Watsky's genius, subtle humor weaved in with his life experience, creating a scenario that all can identify with.

Watsky's best video (thus far) in my opinion is his video for the song "Fuck an Emcee Name", itself a commentary on the fact he can be the best rapper without adopting some sort of fake persona (as so many other rappers tend to do). The fabulous thing about this video is the juxtaposition of situations that require fake personas (i..e. wrestlers and porn stars) while the song denounces the very idea of choosing that path.

This article doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of George Watsky's genius, I can only gush so much but his Youtube channel isn't going anywhere. If you want a true taste of it, go root around and i'm sure you'll find something to jam to, something to inspire you, or something that'll make you want to change your life. From Def Jam to his live tours, his work on the Duke Westlake Cypher to his music videos? The Hermes of the Twenty-First Century*, George Watsky, will remain in this writer's opinion "the voice of the Internet Generation".

*Hermes is the Messenger of the Gods in the Greek pantheon, also the Greek God of Speech. Read a book for fuck's sake.


Watsky's Youtube Channel

Watsky's Facebook

Watsky's Twitter

www.georgewatsky.com