Since 2004 Baba has toured his award-winning hip-hop theatre show, "The Rap Canterbury Tales", to dozens of cities around the world, including two tours of Australia, three critically-acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, several college campus tours of the USA, including Harvard, and frequent returns to the UK and Europe. His rap adaptations are now used in hundreds of classrooms around the world.
In 2007, Baba founded the indie record label Lit Fuse Records, and released the debut album "Butterfly Man" from up-and-coming Vancouver singer/songwriter Aaron Nazrul. The lead single "When the Night" was recently featured on network television on 90210, and the video enjoyed Top Ten rotation on Much Music.
In 2008, Baba joined forces with UK BBC Slam Champion MC Dizraeli to form the hip-hop group Mud Sun, and they co-wrote and released two albums, including "The Rebel Cell", a hip-hop play that was one of the biggest critical successes of the Edinburgh Fringe, winning the "Spirit of the Fringe Award".
Baba's latest project, "The Rap Guide to Evolution" won the prestigious Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2009, and went on to tour the UK and USA, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.
Baba is currently working with Brighton-based DJ/producer Mr. Simmonds on two new shows (and CDs) for the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe, a sequel to the Evolution show entitled "The Rap Guide to Human Nature" about the science of human behaviour, and a new rap storytelling show, "Rapconteur", which will feature adaptations of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and the Finnish Kalevala.
When he is not touring, Baba Brinkman resides in Vancouver.
-Bio from his website, http://www.babasword.com
DNA
Baba Brinkman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are made of DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid is what we are made of
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Strands of double helix
Are where all these bodies came from
In the story of life on this crazy planet
The protagonist isn’t man, no
It’s a microscopic information package
Called deoxyribonucleic acid
The DNA strand has the same basic plan
In every living thing, every plant
Every animal, every little flea
Has the same proteins with a certain percentage
Of the same genes arranged identically
It’s no coincidence; it means every living thing
Has a shared ancestor with every living thing
This is true for Jews and Christians and Sufi mystics
And Buddhists and every religion and superstition
If you can listen to this it means you’re passing through
This existence on a wave of DNA
And you’re just one of its newest inventions
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid is what we are made of
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Strands of double helix
Are where all these bodies came from
Now if you want me to tell you how a simple molecule
Could build bodies so well with such an obvious wealth
Of variation and adaptation, well
In DNA’s case it’s ‘cause it copies itself
And makes little mistakes, which would not really help
Except that one in every million is a slight improvement
And leaves more copies, whether mice or humans
And that’s what keeps this whole life thing movin’
Changing and growing and competing for mates
‘Cause that’s the only way to keep your DNA
Up in the race, which explains a lot
Like how animals and plants all behave in the wild
So next time you shake hands or break dance
Or make plans, don’t forget the straight facts
The information that makes your brains and hands
Comes from one place: DNA strands
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid is what we are made of
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Strands of double helix
Are where all these bodies came from
In Baba Brinkman's song "DNA," the artist highlights the importance and power of deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA in the story of life on Earth. The song emphasizes that every living thing, from plants to animals, has one thing in common – DNA. The DNA strand contains the same basic plan and every living being has a shared ancestor, according to the song. The artist suggests that DNA acts as an information package that helps build different kinds of bodies with an obvious wealth of variation and adaptation.
The song explains how DNA copies itself and can make little mistakes that turn out to be slight improvements, which is the basis for the theory of evolution, and is what helps all living things keep up in the "race." This is what keeps life changing, growing, and competing for mates. Baba Brinkman also points out that we are all on this Earth living on a wave of DNA, and it is the information from DNA strands that make our brains and hands work. The song reminds us that everything we do and everything we are is ultimately thanks to our DNA.
Line by Line Meaning
We are made of DNA
The fundamental building blocks of our existence are derived from DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
DNA is a very specific molecule with a defined structure
Acid is what we are made of
This molecule has acidic properties that make up the building blocks of our existence
Strands of double helix
The structure of DNA is helical, consisting of two strands that intertwine
Are where all these bodies came from
The physical bodies of all living things are derived from the information contained in DNA
In the story of life on this crazy planet
The history of life on Earth is complex and intricate
The protagonist isn't man, no
Humans are not the central characters in the story of life on Earth
It's a microscopic information package
The fundamental unit of life is the information contained in DNA
Called deoxyribonucleic acid
This information package is named deoxyribonucleic acid
The DNA strand has the same basic plan
The structure and function of DNA is highly conserved across all living things
Has the same proteins with a certain percentage
DNA contains proteins that are common across all living things
Of the same genes arranged identically
The genes contained within DNA are highly conserved across all living things, arranged in a similar pattern
It's no coincidence; it means every living thing
The highly conserved nature of DNA across living things indicates a shared ancestry
Has a shared ancestor with every living thing
All living things share a common ancestry based on the information contained in their DNA
This is true for Jews and Christians and Sufi mystics
This principle of shared ancestry applies to all religions and belief systems
And Buddhists and every religion and superstition
This idea of shared ancestry is not limited to any specific group or belief system
If you can listen to this it means you're passing through
The existence of life is transient and fleeting
This existence on a wave of DNA
The existence of life is dependent on the information contained within DNA
And you're just one of its newest inventions
As a living organism, you are one of the newest creations resulting from the ever-evolving nature of DNA
Now if you want me to tell you how a simple molecule
The process of how DNA creates complex organisms is not fully understood
Could build bodies so well with such an obvious wealth
DNA has the ability to create organisms with a diverse range of complex physical features
Of variation and adaptation, well
The diversity and adaptability of organisms are a direct result of the information contained within DNA
In DNA's case it's 'cause it copies itself
The ability of DNA to copy itself is what allows for the creation of complex organisms
And makes little mistakes, which would not really help
Small errors occur during the replication of DNA, which on their own would be detrimental
Except that one in every million is a slight improvement
However, occasionally these errors result in a beneficial mutation that contributes to the evolution of an organism
And leaves more copies, whether mice or humans
Beneficial mutations that contribute to an organism's fitness are passed down through successive generations
And that's what keeps this whole life thing movin'
The constant evolution and adaptation resulting from beneficial mutations keeps life moving forward
Changing and growing and competing for mates
Organisms are constantly evolving and adapting in order to compete for resources and reproduce
'Cause that's the only way to keep your DNA
The evolutionary process is driven by the need to replicate DNA in order to continue one's genetic lineage
Up in the race, which explains a lot
The driving force behind evolution is the need to compete and survive, which explains many aspects of behavior and physiology
Like how animals and plants all behave in the wild
The behavior and physiology of organisms are directly influenced by the selective pressures of their environment
So next time you shake hands or break dance
In every interaction, we are interacting with the genetic lineage of the other person
Or make plans, don't forget the straight facts
The fundamental basis of our existence is derived from the information contained in DNA
The information that makes your brains and hands
All of the information required for the development and function of the human body is contained within DNA
Comes from one place: DNA strands
The genetic information contained within DNA is the source of all complex biological processes and features
Contributed by Reagan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@karnobot9814
Why hasn't this hit 1m yet
@LockSteady
My favorite response to "It's just a theory!" is to respond with: "Yes, it's a theory, just like the theory of gravity -- CARE TO TEST IT PERSONALLY?!!"
@guaicamarintia
Love the Darwin's t-shirt!!!
@laraesque
Nice twist on traditional rap, Baba! Love it.
@dianadiehl
Very cool graphics, music, and choreography.
@OfficallGeekSquared
my dad a microbio professor is friends with baba and convinced him to do rap for the 200th birthday of darwin on feb 12th 2009
@MelanieChingCA
I need to go to bed. Your music videos are addicting. Like love.
@atcfmem7085
Excellent video - awesome instrumental track and uh...companions.
@zulubeatsprince
Yo.. that Joint is sick
@Heathensrule
That is FUCKING DOPE!!!!!