ALL CAPS (song)

Infobox Single
Name = ALL CAPS


Artist = Madvillain
from Album = Madvillainy
Recorded = circa 2003
Genre = Hip-Hop
Length = 2:10
Label = Stones Throw Records
Producer = Madlib"ALL CAPS" is a single by the hip-hop duo Madvillain from their debut album "Madvillainy".

Background

The title is a reference to MC MF DOOM's preference of his stage name being written in all capital letters: "Just remember all caps when you spell the man's name..." The prototype version of this song is "Horny" on the unofficially released album "Are MadVillain." [ [http://www.stonesthrow.com/news/fake_vs_real/index.html Fake Shit Vs. Real Shit] ; [http://www.last.fm/music/Madvillain/Are%20MadVillain Are MadVillain] on Last.fm]

Music video

The video, directed and animated by James Reitano for TFU Studios [ [http://www.stonesthrow.com/news/allcaps/ Interview with the director] ] , is in the form of an animated Silver Age comic book. It begins with two scientists in a lab experimenting with chemicals. Their work goes awry when a mixture fills the lab with gas, and the scientists, locked in by a supposed security guard, begin to mutate. One grows into a huge man-monster called "Madvillain" and dons DOOM's signature mask while the other shrinks into a purple alien-like creature with telepathic powers. He is encased in a golden casket-like case, and they both manage to escape the lab.

The "title page" then appears, along with a seal bearing Stan Lee's and Jack Kirby's names, and Madvillain, now wearing a suit with a green trenchcoat and brown hat, carries the golden case until he is confronted by a gang of men in suits called "The Minions of Death." They seem to be after the golden case, but the man-monster doesn't surrender it without a fight. Using a laser rifle, the Minions manage to capture the golden case and subdue Madvillain.

Back at their hideout, the Minions demand Madvillain to open the case by force. The alien scientist awakens, and the man-monster hears his thoughts, giving him a boost of energy to let them both escape the hideout.

The video ends with a high-speed chase in the mountains with the Minions pursuing the mutated scientists. After they fire a few shots, the alien tells the man-monster to speed up. In a cliffhanger ending, the last "page" reads, "Will Madvillian Survive the Minions of Death? Check Back Next Time, Pilgrims!"

Between each scene, there are parodies of typical ads found in comic books, such as sea monkeys for sale and faux job offers. There is also a mail-in section of the comic called "Mail (to the) Villain," where Madlib and MF DOOM make a cameo appearance.

The video can be found in QuickTime format when the Madvillainy disc is placed in a computer.

The man-monster

"Madvillain" has become an unofficial mascot of the hip-hop duo. He is featured on the cover of the Stones Throw collaboration Chrome Children (Madvillain's contribution to the album is the single "Monkey Suite"). Kidrobot created a vinyl figure of the man-monster for its sequel along with a limited edition featuring a grey trenchcoat. [ [http://stonesthrow.com/news/kidrobot/ Madvillain ST &kidrobot] ]

Cultural influence

*This song is featured in a fight scene in the Boondocks episode, "Let's Nab Oprah."
*At the end of an MTV special for the movie "V for Vendetta," the titular character interrupts the show, ending his message with "and remember, all caps when you spell the man's name."

Notes

External links

* [http://www.stonesthrow.com/madvillain/ Stones Throw - Madvillain]