With former Little Brother rapper Phonte Coleman’s new project Love In Flying Colors now out, the North Carolina wordsmith has little else to do besides stir up controversy and try to get his name in as many people’s minds as possible, in hopes that they’ll go out and listen to his album.
In the hip-hop world, there’s really no better method for that (besides getting arrested) than going on a long Twitter tangent equating various television shows to rappers in the world.
The whole operation started on Monday when Phonte decided to equate Jay Z to The Wire and longtime rival-turned-best-buddy Nas to Breaking Bad.
#TheWire :: Jay :: #BreakingBad :: Nas. Come at me, bro.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) September 30, 2013
That comparison extended for a while, with Phonte saying Jay Z was like The Wire because “in terms of what he’s accomplished as a whole throughout his career, dude really is the Greatest” despite the fact that he’d rather listen to Nas rap “at any given moment.”
The whole analogy got him thinking, eventually bringing Phonte to the conclusion that Rakim, the great Long Island rapper long considered the godfather of modern rap, is “The Sopranos” because “He laid the foundation and all the great are standing on his shoulders.”
Good point, Phonte. Best to keep this whole thing going.
“Oz” is 50 Cent; a gritty show with a great premise whose downfall was due to a focus on sensationalism over content. RT @QG5000 what’s Oz?
— Phonte (@phontigallo) September 30, 2013
#MadMen is Eminem: Technically FLAWLESS, but I can only listen to the existential angst of rich white men for a short while.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#SonsOfAnarchy is Rick Ross: An over the top, completely unbelievable spectacle that still managed to triumph in spite of itself.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#Entourage is YMCMB: An entertaining and lovable cast of characters that yields pleasing, yet ultimately forgettable results.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
At this point, it’s quite clear that Phonte watched a whole lot of TV.
#HouseOfCards is Kendrick Lamar: An excellent newcomer that put EVERYBODY on their ass and has a lot to live up to come season 2.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#TheNewsroom is Lupe: A technically brilliant show that would be a lot smarter if it stopped trying to show people how smart it is.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
This one’s my favorite:
#EastboundAndDown is Action Bronson: Completely irreverent, fearless, and gives no fucks whatsoever. You either love him or hate him.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#SouthCentral is Tupac: An edgy show with a talented cast whose legend was made larger due to early cancellation.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#Lost is Kanye: An unorthodox story that became an unlikely cultural phenomenon and just got weirder and more ridiculous with each season.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#TheSimpsons are The Roots: Constantly and quietly killing shit for over 20 years and on the way to becoming an American institution.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
You know he had to put himself in there:
#ArrestedDevelopment is Phonte: A critical fave with a cult following that got pulled by a major, but came back indie and got his bread. lol
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#TheCosbyShow is A Tribe Called Quest: The pioneer who showed America there was a viable market in the portrayal of Black middle class life.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#HowToMakeItInAmerica is Biggie: A promising show that was cut short after two seasons just as it was starting to find its voice.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#LawAndOrder is Snoop Dogg: Same formula for over 20 years, but it’s a show where your whole family knows at least ONE episode by heart.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
#BoardwalkEmpire is T.I.: A notable contender with all the right ingredients but lacks that one intangible to place it amongst the greats.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) October 1, 2013
Now that that’s done, let’s get one thing clear: Phonte nailed each and every one of these descriptions—both for the TV shows and the rappers. That description of The Cosby Show and Tribe Called Quest? Genius! The dig on Lupe Fiasco: entirely accurate!
Phonte Coleman: let us put this man on a TV camera and task him with comparing apples to oranges every day.