The "Mashup"

A couple of years ago I was first introduced to the concept of the "mashup" when I heard a song by a DJ named Freelance Hellraiser. He had concocted a remix of Christina Aguilera's 'Genie in a Bottle' that even I enjoyed. It used the musical tracks from the Strokes' 'Hard to Explain' and the vocal track from Aguilera's song. It is entitled 'A Stroke of Genius' and it is indeed!

Since then I have heard several other Freelance Hellraiser tracks that are good but didn't quite recapture 'A Stroke of Genius.' Late last year however, the mashup took on a whole new dimension when DJ Danger Mouse created the Grey Album. He took the vocal tracks of Jay-Z's Black Album and mixed them with samples from The Beatles' White Album. I am a Beatles purist but I have to say that there was something about the way that looped Beatles guitar licks fit with Jay-Z's rapping vocals. It is really something to behold.

On that note, today I found a post on BoingBoing.net that takes the mashup concept into the video world. It is a video made for the Grey Album version of 'Encore' and it is truly something original. It takes footage of The Beatles from the Ed Sullivan Show or something like it and mixes in live hip-hop imagery. My favorite aspect has got to be Ringo as the DJ on the turntables. It is something to see.

Since the mashups are not sanctioned by the publishers or songwriters, they never stay on the web that long, so I suggest watching this clip while you still can. If it moves, I'll try to keep up with it but unfortunately, there is no guarantee, but when is there in life?

For another great concept mashup, check out Jay-Zeezer.com. Like the Grey Album, the Black and Blue Album is a mashup of Jay-Z and Weezer's classic Blue Album. Check it out!