A (re)introduction to the world of Turquoise Jeep
Yung Humma
Turquoise Jeep Records, the Internet’s premier dadaist hip-hop/R&B/sketch collective, first broke through in late 2010 with the YouTube hit “Lemme Smang It.” This irresistibly catchy, silly party anthem simultaneously celebrated and roasted the overtly sexualized culture of mainstream hip-hop. The track (and its accompanying video) draws from the best parts of ’90s Jock Jams R&B and party rap with a dash of Mr. Show-style dementia, and reached the next level of Internet approval when it was named “The Sixth Autumn Jam of 2010” by the web-culture gatekeepers at Videogum.
It’s been nearly a year and a half since the Jeep hit it big—and for many, that’s where it ended. Fortunately, Turquoise Jeep Records has a rich well of videos for its diverse artist roster, which has expanded to include co-founders Flynt Flossy and Whatchyamacallit, as well as Yung Humma, who is a silky smooth ladies’ man with an appreciation for David Foster Wallace’s fashion sense. There’s also the masked producer and beatmaker Tummiscratch; a new jack swinger with glowstick hair, who goes by Pretty Raheem; and Slick Mahony, who is perhaps best described as the distillation of the most ridiculous things about Bon Iver.
Following the successes of “Lemme Smang It” and the videos that followed, the group secured a spot opening for Outkast’s Big Boi for a handful of shows before hitting the road on its own. The Keep The Jeep Ridin’ tour will be stopping in Chicago this Saturday, Feb. 11, at Reggie’s Rock Club. In preparation, The A.V. Club has rounded up a few of the crew’s deeper cuts, to ensure maximum smanging come showtime.
“Sex Syrup” by Slick Mahony feat. Yung Humma
This track introduces Slick Mahony to the world by way of a beat that could double as the backing track to a joint by Casey And His Brother. In an interview with The Village Voice, Flynt Flossy admits he figured Slick was “just a dude that fixed computers or something,” but after taking a chance on his public-access Michael Jackson steez, a star was born. This video is a perfect example of the Jeep house style. Between the excessive use of green screen and the fully clothed, wholesome “video girls,” “Sex Syrup” feels both classic and refreshingly absurd.
“Can He Move It Like This?” by Pretty Raheem feat. Flynt Flossy
Pretty Raheem is the group’s resident “R&B superstar” with a seemingly endless supply of spray-can hair dye. His ROYGBIV-inspired style extends to his chunky, monotone suits, which are on full display in this, one of the Jeep’s more recent singles. This track is perhaps the most straightforward of the Jeep’s many singles (at least until Flynt Flossy’s weirdly self-aware verse), and it’s one of a handful of TJ tracks that stress the importance of possessing great dance moves. “Can He Move It Like This?” also boasts the distinct honor of featuring the best opening scenes in any music video ever. That cut at nine seconds to Raheem in his Kool-Aid suit beneath the T. Jeep street sign? Pure brilliance.
“Flow With The Floss” instructional dance series
The Turquoise Jeep crew is unflagging in its devotion to its ever-growing fanbase, so in addition to music videos, the group occasionally posts fan-tribute roundups and behind-the-scenes clips. For example, there’s this: a clip from the (supposedly) upcoming full-length dance tutorial DVD from Flynt Flossy. As mentioned in “Did I Mention I Like To Dance,” Flynt likes to dance. In the above clip, he gives his fans a look at his training regimen, as well as a few tips on how to pull off his ridiculous glide move. This series of videos is both genuinely informational and subtly insane, and happens to be the perfect showcase for the group’s bizarre persona outside of the music-video format.
