Plenty has been written about O.J. Simpson. Opinions on the settled trial aside, he has a horrible rap song. Get Juiced might just be the single worst thing I have heard. But, it captivates me in a weird way. Why do we care about O.J.’s rap career? Why do we care that this song was the theme song to his short lived live-action prank show Juiced? I’m not sure, but on this edition of #ForgottenFriday, I’m tearing it a new one.
The song itself is bad. From the lyrics, to the music video, to the archival footage that came from Juiced. There is nothing redeemable about this ultimately being used to capitalize on the death of two individuals. The song alludes to everything we know about O.J.: the Bronco, a lot of 200 yard games, etc. There is nothing of substance to the lyrics other than the use of O.J.’s image to accentuate what the 90s jury wish was more prevalent in the trial.
So why write about it? It dropped a little over a decade ago in 2008 – thirteen years ago. And, thirteen years prior to 2008 was the infamous trial itself. So, in retrospect, this song and music video serves as the midway point to a villainous Shakespearean character arc.
Ultimately, I care because it illustrates how reality-everything sells. Someone paid for this to happen. Someone else said yes. And another person probably ok-ed it for production. Then, numerous people fell on the morals and ethics and agreed to get paid and develop it just to have a connection with the Juice. At long last, we consume it because we can’t believe something this bad actually exists. Yet, it does.
The only silver lining I see to this whole song and production is just how bad it actually is. And, maybe that was the silent rebellion with everyone involved. They had the chance to make something of substance but made it so unbearably bad. 2008 was a year of great music: Continuum, Back to Black, Graduation, Irreplaceable, the musical Spring Awakening, one of my favorite singles "Big Girls Don’t Cry" (yes, it is a guilty pleasure), and so much more.
I’m just happy to see that the remains of this song remained interred in the worst of what 2008 had to offer. Don’t watch it, don’t support it, just know it exists (or watch it above). And, at the next party you attend when O.J. inevitably comes up, maybe just let the knowledge of this song and video play in the back of your mind like a Vietnam flashback.
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If you had one wish, why would it be for me to meet O.J. Simpson in person? Let us know in the comments below!
- Botts
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Thanks for yelling at us!