Known for their use of humor, obscure references, and unconventional style, Das Racist has been both dismissed as joke rap and hailed as an urgent new voice in rap. Spin magazine picked Das Racist as one of 50 acts to watch at the 2010 SXSW festival, and in April 2010, MTV Iggy selected Das Racist as one of the "25 Best New Bands in the World". Rolling Stone declared the song "hahahaha jk?" from Sit Down, Man one of the fifty best singles of 2010.
Das Racist's unique style has a strong polarizing tendency; their set at the Pop Montreal festival was described as "the most divisive show seen at the festival". They describe their approach to music as "'deconstructionalist': sawing the legs out from under hip-hop as they celebrate it".The New York Times wrote "Das Racist’s lack of piety has become an aesthetic of its own, with songs that are as much commentary on hip-hop as rigorous practice of it". The Root said Das Racist could speak for both "the ‘hood or the nearest gated community." Playboy called the duo "equal parts hip-hop and Cheech & Chong".
In December 2012, statements made by members of Das Racist made apparent that the band had broken up.
Fake Patois
Das Racist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
KRS One did a fake patois
Miss Cleo got a fake patois
Even Jay-Z did a fake patois
Bad Brains had a fake patois
My man Snow had a fake patois
Even Jim Carrey fuck with the patois
So you know he come through with the fake patois
Patois, got the fake patois
You come through with the fake patois
Patois patois patois
Fake, fake patois
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
Ya not goin' speak patois
Me goin' talk the fake patois
Everyone I listen to, fake patois
Snow from Toronto, fake patois
Original rudeboy
Original rudeboy
Shabba Ranks
Cutty Ranks
Your M.O. is mo', me say no thanks
Shabba Ranks
Cutty Ranks
Your M.O. is mo'
Yeah, me right near the beach
Right near my reach is the fire for the streets
Yeah, and now me can't read
Baldhead teef me book and now me can't speak
Yeah, fake patois
Is fake patois
Fake patois
All the sudden had a fake patois
Even Busta Rhymes kinda sound patois
Maybe just enjoy it, make it look patois
When he speak, he just speak, but to me patois
The way he did do the patois
With the leaders of the new, but it's sure (??)
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
Fake patois, fake patois
Yeah, the boy a murderer
Here come the hotstepper with fire (?)
Yeah, winner play games
It's fake patois, winner take names
Don't want test me, make one take aim
Crunch like Nestle, snipe from the planes
Snipe like Wesley, punch like Hawaiian
Snipe from the planes, yeah we shoot while we flyin'
(???)
This fake patois
This fake patois
(???)
The song "Fake Patois" by Das Racist is a satirical take on the use of patois, a dialect of Jamaican English, in mainstream American media. The lyrics list various famous figures, including KRS One, Miss Cleo, Jay-Z, Bad Brains, Jim Carrey, and even the band's fellow Canadian rapper Snow, who have all tried to incorporate patois into their music or performances. The repeated phrase "fake patois" emphasizes the idea that these attempts are not genuine, but rather a caricature of Jamaican culture.
The song also references Shaun Bridgmohan, the first Jamaican jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby, as a way to demonstrate the complexity and richness of Jamaican culture beyond just its use of patois. The lyrics suggest that the proliferation of fake patois in American media belittles the true diversity of Jamaica and its people.
Throughout the song, Das Racist employs a mix of English and patois, further blurring the lines between authenticity and imitation. The song ultimately critiques the appropriation of patois as a trendy performance tool without any greater understanding or respect for Jamaica and its history.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, got the fake patois
I have fake patois
KRS One did a fake patois
KRS One did fake patois as well
Miss Cleo got a fake patois
Miss Cleo also has a fake patois
Even Jay-Z did a fake patois
Jay-Z also did fake patois
Bad Brains had a fake patois
Bad Brains also had fake patois
My man Snow had a fake patois
My friend, Snow, had fake patois
Even Jim Carrey fuck with the patois
Even Jim Carrey uses patois
So you know he come through with the fake patois
So you know he uses fake patois
What you know about Shaun Bridgmohan?
Do you know Shaun Bridgmohan?
First Jamaican in the Kentucky Derby
First Jamaican to participate in the Kentucky Derby
Ya not goin' speak patois
You are not going to speak patois
Me goin' talk the fake patois
I will speak fake patois
Everyone I listen to, fake patois
Everyone I listen to uses fake patois
Original rudeboy
Authentic rudeboy
Shabba Ranks
Shabba Ranks
Cutty Ranks
Cutty Ranks
Your M.O. is mo', me say no thanks
Your method of operation is 'more', but I reject it
Yeah, me right near the beach
Yes, I am close to the beach
Right near my reach is the fire for the streets
The flame for the streets is within my reach
Yeah, and now me can't read
Yes, now I cannot read
Baldhead teef me book and now me can't speak
Someone took my book and now I can't speak
Fake patois
Fake patois
All the sudden had a fake patois
Suddenly started using fake patois
Even Busta Rhymes kinda sound patois
Even Busta Rhymes learns towards using patois
Maybe just enjoy it, make it look patois
Maybe I should just enjoy it and make it look like patois
When he speak, he just speak, but to me patois
He just speaks when he speaks, but to me it sounds like patois
The way he did do the patois
The way he used patois
With the leaders of the new, but it's sure (??)
With the leaders of the new, but it's certain
The boy a murderer
This boy is a killer
Here come the hotstepper with fire (?)
Here comes the hotstepper with fire
Winner play games
Winners play games
It's fake patois, winner take names
It's fake patois, and winners take names
Don't want test me, make one take aim
Don't want to test me, or else one has to aim
Crunch like Nestle, snipe from the planes
Crunch like Nestle (Chocolate brand), snipe from the planes
Snipe like Wesley, punch like Hawaiian
Shoot like Wesley (Wesley Snipes), punch like Hawaiian (Boxer)
Snipe from the planes, yeah we shoot while we flyin'
Shoot from the planes, yes, we shoot while we are flying
This fake patois
This is fake patois
Contributed by Victoria L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.