My Rendezvous with Destiny
I comprise one half of the conservative rapping duo known as The Young Cons. Two years ago a teammate of mine from the Dartmouth basketball team, David Rufful, and I set out to to make a satirical rap about the Obama administration and Obama's big government agenda. Our mission was to demonstrate to a couple of our friends what we thought conservatism meant, in a funny, unique, and relatable way. Just one week later, the two of us -- neither of whom had any experience in rapping or acting -- found ourselves performing the song live on several national television shows including: Huckabee, Fox & Friends, O’Reilly Factor, The Strategy Room and others.
After two years of being praised and made fun of on national television and countless blogs, we still love what we do. We rap in suits next to cardboard cut outs of Ronald Reagan with sound bites of his speeches. Many call us out for 'posing' as hard-core thugs, which is ironic. Their accusations certainly make for some pretty interesting reading. We write lyrics like, "We need more women with intellectual integrity, I'm talking Megyn Kelly not Nancy Pelosi", or "three things taught me conservative love: Jesus, Ronald Reagan, plus Atlas Shrugged." Yet our detractors compare us to 99% of rappers propagating chauvinism, drugs, etc., and who contribute heavily to the moral decay of my generation.
We try to make the videos as educational as possible while still trying to keep them funny and entertaining. In one of the videos we featured our basketball skills, and in another we featured our friend, who happens to be a phenomenal Michael Jackson impersonator.
Our latest video is a Tea Party anthem and thus far, we have gotten some positive feedback. We have grown to love performing and always have a blast when we can get away from school to do Tea Parties or other events. We are incredibly excited about the future and hope we are doing our part for the conservative movement in the battle against the tyranny of big government.
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Aug '10
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Outstanding. I particularly like the night lightning. The whole production has good energy. Showing the forces of nature, which suggest God's Laws, is especially hot.
I'd love to see you do another one combining images from the Western Tradition, Jewish, Greek, and Roman.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
River:
I'd love to see you do another one combining images from the Western Tradition, Jewish, Greek, and Roman. · Nov 14 at 10:17am
Yes, a rap in defense of the Western Canon and great books learning! What do you think Josh?
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
River:
I'd love to see you do another one combining images from the Western Tradition, Jewish, Greek, and Roman. · Nov 14 at 10:17am
Yes, a rap in defense of the Western Canon and great books learning! What do you think Josh? · Nov 14 at 10:44am
I think I just got inspired. As we say, time to hit the beat laboratory.
May '10
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
I hate rap. But in the case of The Young Cons, I'll make a giant exception. Way to go, Joshua! You are guys are elites in the true sense of the word.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Thanks a lot for the kind words Felicia! I couldn't be more excited to be a part of Ricochet and am really looking forward to the next couple of months.
Jul '10
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
What promoter, agent, or other link would get a couple of boys from Dartmouth on national broadcasts?
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
It still blows my mind Michael. We got really lucky. We had planned on about 50 people seeing the video, just friends and family mostly. Show it to some of the conservative groups on our campus. The first blog to pick it up was Powerline (founded by a couple of Dartmouth Alumni). Then after that, HuffPo and Daily Kos picked it up to call us out as stealth Michael Steele plants to make the conservative movement more hip-hop oriented.
We were caught in the middle of a blogging war and somehow the video got 400,000 views the first week it was up. That was definitely the wildest week of my life.
Jul '10
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
I was waiting to hear "Dartmouth Alumni." It's the kind of exposure a band with musicianship would have killed for, when music still mattered.
Congratulations nonetheless!
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Joshua Riddle, Intern
It still blows my mind Michael. We got really lucky. We had planned on about 50 people seeing the video, just friends and family mostly. Show it to some of the conservative groups on our campus. The first blog to pick it up was Powerline (founded by a couple of Dartmouth Alumni). Then after that, HuffPo and Daily Kos picked it up to call us out as stealth Michael Steele plants to make the conservative movement more hip-hop oriented.
We were caught in the middle of a blogging war and somehow the video got 400,000 views the first week it was up. That was definitely the wildest week of my life. · Nov 14 at 6:04pm
When was this? A couple years ago, I seem to recall?
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
When was this? A couple years ago, I seem to recall? · Nov 14 at 6:13pm
Yeah. In May/June 2009 the end of our freshman year. My roommate had to move me out of my room for the summer because I had to fly to NYC. Felt pretty bad about that one haha
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
All I can say is...I hope the girls are all over you guys! If not, I give up on my kind.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
You're one of the Young Cons? Seriously? And you're our intern? Wow! We've heard of you all the way in Istanbul, you know.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Thanks a lot Claire! I had no idea. Every now and then I will get an email from someone in the UK or Australia, but Turkey? That's awesome! I really want to go there someday.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Hey Diane, would it be wildly inappropriate to use my new status as a regular contributor to set up my college daughters with the Young Cons? :-) Ah well... a mom can dream...
Sep '10
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
I await the 6th tab on my Ricochet page.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
YAY, Marybeth! So obvious that you fit right in here. Plus, now I don't have to buy any parenting books. I can just read your posts.
Also, I'll remind all panting females (and their moms) that I have suggested a Rico Soiree Hanover, but all I heard was crickets. Seems like it wouldn't be all that hard to squeeze in a dating game type-of-thingy after a Young Cons Rico Members Only performance.
Kidding about trying to marry Josh off, but NOT kidding about a Hanover meet-up. Do we have any Boston-area members? Maybe in January? It's a little cold, sure, but the beat will be *hot* so it won't matter. (See, dorky moms like me can drop dope lines. ..... Right? Anyone? I think I hear crickets again ....)
Sep '10
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Ursula Hennessey
YAY, Marybeth! So obvious that you fit right in here. Plus, now I don't have to buy any parenting books. I can just read your posts.
Also, I'll remind all panting females (and their moms) that I have suggested a Rico Soiree Hanover, but all I heard was crickets. Seems like it wouldn't be all that hard to squeeze in a dating game type-of-thingy after a Young Cons Rico Members Only performance.
Kidding about trying to marry Josh off, but NOT kidding about a Hanover meet-up. Do we have any Boston-area members? Maybe in January? It's a little cold, sure, but the beat will be *hot* so it won't matter. (See, dorky moms like me can drop dope lines. ..... Right? Anyone? I think I hear crickets again ....) · Nov 15 at 8:41am
I think all the females on Ricochet are really Amazons. Men: be afraid.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Marybeth Hicks: Hey Diane, would it be wildly inappropriate to use my new status as a regular contributor to set up my college daughters with the Young Cons? :-) Ah well... a mom can dream... · Nov 15 at 7:53am
No, Marybeth. That's, in fact, one of the perks of contributorship.
(Just kidding, Josh!)
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
OK, I sent my daughter (the really pretty senior at Colgate) the link to this page. She has now officially disowned me. Guess I had it coming.
Thanks for the warm words Ursula and "P"... my only fear about Rico is being able to keep up. Will give it a shot.
Re: My Rendezvous with Destiny
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Marybeth Hicks: Hey Diane, would it be wildly inappropriate to use my new status as a regular contributor to set up my college daughters with the Young Cons? :-) Ah well... a mom can dream... · Nov 15 at 7:53am
No, Marybeth. That's, in fact, one of the perks of contributorship.
(Just kidding, Josh!) · Nov 15 at 8:48am
That perk would work both ways. We all know one of the key things that makes a girl more attractive and classy is being conservative. Once again I refer to the 'Megyn Kelly/Nancy Pelosi' line. To find those gems at Dartmouth you have to keep your eyes peeled.
Marybeth Hicks: OK, I sent my daughter (the really pretty senior at Colgate) the link to this page. She has now officially disowned me. Guess I had it coming.
Thanks for the warm words Ursula and "P"... my only fear about Rico is being able to keep up. Will give it a shot. · Nov 15 at 9:19am
Don't worry about it Marybeth. College kids have a short memory span.
Colgate is a great school, I have a few good friends there who love it. Good for her!