Beyond "Empire Minnesota": A look into the oeuvre of TheAfternoonDLight
Best known for its Jay-Z parody, the St. Cloud trio also gives Black Eyed Peas and Ke$ha Minnesota makeovers
St. Cloud high-schoolers TheAfternoonDLight took the Twin Cities by storm—and caught the attention of CNN—with their Minnesota-themed parody of Jay-Z's "Empire State Of Mind." But "Empire Minnesota" isn't the only YouTube video from Technical High School seniors Matthew Aalbers, Jack Ashcroft, and Jordan Neu. Performing at First Avenue's Best New Bands showcase on Friday, they've also spoofed big hits by Black Eyed Peas and Ke$ha. (T-Pain need not worry about being mashed up with rural Midwestern rhymes, as the boys self-righteously declare, "We're not a fan of Auto-Tune.") Check out their Facebook page to make a song request, but be prepared to wait. Though their main fanbase consists of their peers, TheAfternoonDLight also charms college students nostalgic for back-of-the-classroom smart alecks, not to mention baby-boomers impressed by their adeptness on a laptop.
"Horse Pig Cow," a parody of Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow," was their debut work, featuring the ups (prize-winning livestock) and downs (seeing animals mate) of Minnesota farm life.
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Some say it's only a matter of time before "Empire Minnesota" gets back to Jay-Z and the boys have a record deal. Hey, you never know.
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Fresh off the press, here's a spoof of Ke$ha's "Tik Tok," which sets the party anthem—where else?—in a high school.
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