Check Out My Hip-Hop Coloring Book

rapcoloringbook.tumblr.com

I'm writing a book called Bun B's Jumbo Coloring And Rap Activity Book. It's not finished yet, though, so right now it's just a tumblr. It has that name for three reasons. First, because I'm making it with the rapper Bun B -- you know, from UGK, one of the most important figures in the history of a southern rap.

Second, because coloring books are fun (I know this because I am a human) but generally they're weak as fuck (I know this because I am a dad). Like, I mean, two weeks ago I sat at the kitchen table with my sons and colored in a picture of a boy wearing a big watch shaking hands with an alien. I was in totes GTFOH mode. You know what I'm going to do when I see an alien? I don't know, but I'm sure as shit not shaking its hand, yo.

Anyway: Coloring books are cool but they're mostly for kids and that's not.

Third, I like rap music very, very much. I like to think about it and talk about it and decide whether or not it's good. Occasionally, I'll even write some words about it and people will give me money in exchange.

This all came together, you see, after I received Bun's rat-a-tat voice in my voicemail. (I'd interviewed him the day before about a song that had come out that had a posthumous contribution from Pimp C on it, is why he had my phone number.) I don't recall all of the message, but I remember him saying he'd like to do some sort of book together. I also remembered that he specifically said not to call him back that day, to think about it and talk to my wife and sleep on it and then decide. (Those are the sorts of completely aware things he says all of the time. He's long been recognized as one of rap's most consistently insightful interviewees. It's like everything he says has been pre-written.) When I called back to tell him I was for it, I acted the same way then that I did as a teenager whenever I saw a girl's nipples, namely: playing it cool while trying to conceal my erection.

rapcoloringbook.tumblr.com

After a small amount of back and forth about what exactly we wanted the project to be, we decided on the rap coloring and activity book. (I'd already handmade one for my sons several months prior using local rappers.)

Some more stuff happened and then some more stuff after that, and now we have the tumblr, which I plan to update a couple of times each week with free downloadable pages. And that's why you're looking at these letters and pictures on this page now. That one above, that's Detroit's enjoyable pinch-voiced bruiser Danny Brown. Print it out, color it, and smile.

This one at the very top of the post, that's an example of an activity page. I'm certain you know who it is (if for no other reason than because his name is on there).

Another activity page is below.