Economics In Hip Hop?

Lynne Kiesling

OK, so I’m listening to WOXY in my office, and they’re playing this cool hip-hoppy/rappy/soulful Handsome Boy Modeling School song called “The Truth”, and the male vocalist actually just used the phrase ceteris paribus. And used it pretty correctly, in the context of a song lyric … pretty funny!

13 thoughts on “Economics In Hip Hop?”

  1. Ian,

    My God, I thought *I* was a pedant! But yes, I did notice that he said “ceteris” with a hard c, not with the technically correct Latin pronounciation of the soft c.

  2. Ian,

    My God, I thought *I* was a pedant! But yes, I did notice that he said “ceteris” with a hard c, not with the technically correct Latin pronounciation of the soft c.

  3. Yeah, I stopped holding out hope for good free-market lyrics when Oingo Boingo broke up … and I’ve never been a Rush fan. But there is a good James song called “Live Your Love of Life” that fills some of that void for me.

    And Ian, I accidentally swapped hard c and soft c, and am pedant enough to correct it. When you find that 12-step program, let me know!

  4. (BTW, sorry for the second post of a similar comment. Waited a day, and didn’t think it was showing up.)

    Unfortunatley, it looks like that might not be the quote in the song.

    According to this site, here are the lyrics:

    Now presiding in this quarter: hip-hop
    Justice, my rap fort?
    Judge, jury, bailing for prosecuting D.A.
    Et ceteras, paraphas
    My modus operende
    It’s carpe diem whether the fact or word is your way
    Comprende?

    Now, is it a purposeful miswriting? A mistake in transcription? In the song it SOUNDS like “Keter-is para-BIS”.

    It’s a funky little joint, though. Worth the 99-cent download.

  5. I stumbled across this site and when I saw economics and Handsome Boy Modeling School, well, it was just too go to be true.

    My vote is that the lyric is et ceteris paribus, with the hard c you’re hearing coming from the t. I also think the other lyric is Judge, Jury, Bailiff, prosecuting DA.

    Anyway, I look forward to reading more.

  6. I stumbled across this site and when I saw economics and Handsome Boy Modeling School, well, it was just too go to be true.

    My vote is that the lyric is et ceteris paribus, with the hard c you’re hearing coming from the t. I also think the other lyric is Judge, Jury, Bailiff, prosecuting DA.

    Anyway, I look forward to reading more.

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