Picture this: Legislators for the great state of Utah gather in their chamber wondering, “How do we get young people to care about laws?”
And then, a mysterious voice from the shadows whispers, “Make a rap. It will be fun," before spraying a cloud of some kind of cartoonish "agreeability mist" into the air and scampering back to an evil lair.
And somehow, before the agreeability mist wore off, these seemingly reasonable lawmakers set to work on writing, filming, editing, and releasing the best/worst rap video of all time.
<p><strong>That is the only way to explain how this could have happened. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0My9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTg5NTEwNn0.Q36f2EE7D0nok3zXPeu-dVu3jJMrkkxMgk1NS3-OiAg/img.gif?width=980" id="f9cb1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2e7efa12b88d4b29802c88f5a23ef33b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">OK, maybe not. But it’s probably the story they should stick to. GIFs via <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahReps/status/968894820658724864">Utah House of Reps/Twitter</a>.</small></p><h2>Legislators from the Utah House of Representatives debuted their first hip-hop single Feb. 28. </h2><p>It’s a "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" send-up called "Fresh Prints of Bills Here" and it's about how a bill becomes a law. It is — and I say this with near 100% certainty — the best thing you will see all week. (Or maybe the worst?)</p><p><strong>There are fake bills. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0NC9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0OTA1NTU2NX0.ztR6T0SrPMuYBuzmu8b2lFmZIjtVZWNElfp1J7WuOGU/img.gif?width=980" id="bfb48" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="022cc05507d73daedd91e24acf8741a9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>A surprising amount of Comic Sans. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0NS9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NTE1MDYyNn0.X9gDWQiW8DNEZ9LV-YRRwy6LkyC3DgSMf6F0yDR0_qQ/img.gif?width=980" id="60dd8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="755faba517f97c68fbf6bfdcf9604437" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>(Or if you're familiar with local government, maybe it's not surprising.) </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0Ni9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDYxNzA0Mn0.nK01vzNXdger_2dwlfbZyfICSDB1lR9kx92IeSO0l4M/img.gif?width=980" id="eed08" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9145a885b2103ba77e65cdc076dce2f7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Damn it, Jerry! GIF from "Parks and Recreation."</small></p><p><strong>There's a poorly choreographed thumbs-up. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0Ny9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTUzMjg2MX0.2jafHpahX4r-yxk9uVTJueOKdqcwXwAaEEf9ssnNJ8o/img.gif?width=980" id="8ff59" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="79c94534de2a613737c371a6fa13afc2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>But not as poor as the fit on this MAGA cap. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0OC9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5OTM2NDA0NH0.sBEL_0-B1DG3BNyEnYaxpZ4fSzH1gNEB3aH8gqvl_8Q/img.gif?width=980" id="9b96e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="41175d177705b07b32a6b658c55244d0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>The wordplay is FIRE. They even rhyme "there" with "chamber" </strong></p><p>(Yeah, they made it <em>chame-bear</em>. THERE ARE NO RULES!)</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA0OS9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODA3OTM5NX0.XA7VVxjy0_20Jpsz4pwPnJCwALTb4lOGsJr4k2AsP10/img.gif?width=980" id="a33df" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6638989a9cf19a41b4d42b8100f9f9ab" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>Plus, there's this </strong><a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/cast/jason-sudeikis-14816" target="_blank"><strong>Jason Sudeikis doppleganger</strong></a><strong>, in a backward hat, making what he undoubtedly thinks is a cool rap hand gesture. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THIS CONTENT IS FREE. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA1MC9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzU4OTQzMX0.6geSRO3fypdLIdxQ4Bat4g30WgGq_9pQdBlyb75cE0U/img.gif?width=980" id="ced23" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2f570e6178251ca24f7eccb343f56d74" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>And we can't forget Rep. Susan Duckworth, who appears to be the only person who can stay within 10 feet of the beat. </strong></p><p>Go off, Susan! </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5NTA1MS9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMzc1NjUwNH0.GeyMdScTDMsnLeqm72Hpdwm7SnFkRzY8gG8zYGdR510/img.gif?width=980" id="d392e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="80aede4a55b0583b4a39c6906114ba64" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption..."></small></p><p><strong>Basically the video has everything but black people. (But can you blame <a href="https://house.utah.gov/rep/HOLLIS" target="_blank">Rep. Sandra Hollins</a> for sitting this one out?) </strong></p><h2>But (and I'll admit this is a <em>big</em> but) if you can get past the dancing, cringeworthy rhymes, and hilarious hats, the video actually has a lot to offer. </h2><p>Sure, a mostly negative reaction to the political parody was swift, with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqiQCNDc0Bk" target="_blank">Stephen Colbert discussing it on his show</a> and one of Utah's U.S. Senate candidates, Jenny Wilson, promising to never appear in a rap video if she's elected. </p><div id="2c8bb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HL7UJI1559348376"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="969608046673448962" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I solemnly promise to the people of Utah never to make a rap video! https://t.co/0DRx28JZdF</div> — Mayor Jenny Wilson (@Mayor Jenny Wilson)<a href="https://twitter.com/JennyWilsonUT/statuses/969608046673448962">1520007547.0</a></blockquote></div><p><strong>But if "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag" target="_blank">Schoolhouse Rock!</a>" was before your time, this video offers a succinct and useful breakdown of the legislative process. </strong></p><p>It's also a great way for people to get to know their elected officials. In a 2015 survey, nearly <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2015/03/28/how-many-people-know-their-senators/yfgXyHR96X7YGhesaNQbnM/story.html" target="_blank">77% of respondents could not name one of their state senators</a>. Yikes! These are the people responsible for a lot of the laws and policies that affect our daily lives. Knowing who represents you (and how they're doing) is key to making sure your voice is heard. This video offers a chance to match names to faces or at least names to stuck-out tongues — and that's a start. </p><h2>To the good people of Utah, as ridiculous and cringeworthy as this video is, hats off to you. </h2><p>Specifically, the backward one. Take it off. You'll thank me later. </p><p><strong>Check out the video in full. Who am I kidding? You'll have to. It's impossible to turn away. </strong></p><div id="3419f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="F58LAZ1559348376"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="968894820658724864" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Our representatives have taken the time to explain how a law is made...with a surprise twist. Give it a listen and… https://t.co/53OxCa3TPL</div> — Utah House of Reps (@Utah House of Reps)<a href="https://twitter.com/UtahReps/statuses/968894820658724864">1519837501.0</a></blockquote></div>
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