This is a rap song by the group Cypress Hill called Dr. Greenthumb. The whole theme of the song is that Cypress Hill love the drug Marijuana. In the video they are shown being doctors at a hospital treating Marijuana plants as patients. They have a whole section of the hospital with multiple Marijuana plants and the crazy experiments they are conducting on the drug.
1. How does Cypress Hill portray marijuana in their song by calling themselves "Dr. Greenthumb"?
2. Why do you think Cypress Hill chose to use the term "doctor" instead of another job title in their song?
3. Does the video send a positive or negative view about Marijuana?
4. What do you think was the overall message of this song by Cypress Hill? Why did you think this was the message?
Using the term "doctor" instead of another job title was a focal point to the song. The author of the song thinks of himself as nursing and experimented on marijuana plants so he mocks the title of "doctor". This may also make a claim to say he is in support of medicinal marijuana. Overall his view on marijuana is positive. When he says, "People can't live without the herb man, If not they'd be drinkin and drivin and swervin" suggesting that using marijuana is less harmful and therefore more positive than alcohol.
ReplyDeleteVisual aspects lead to ask a few questions:
ReplyDelete*Why is marijuana in the hospital?
Doctors and nurses alike are seen rushing around in a hospital as if a human life is diminishing with every passing second. Looking at the lyrics can lead one to believe that this group may feel the authorities of the law are "killing" their patient, or that the conditions outside of these "caregivers of health" lead to circumstances that may jeopardize it. The sights of patients in a hospitals are typically made by those close to the person and are most interested in the survival thereof. It is interesting that in this case, the doctors themselves seem to adopt this relationship of wanting to see this particular patient succeed in survival.
Even beyond that, the lyrics of
"Horny plants stinkin up my whole neighborhood"
seem to imply that this particular patient carries the aroma of procreation. It is easy to connect that if the doctors are so interested in the survival that they would also be interested in seeing this patient carry out its livelihood or "purpose" in procreation.
*Why does he put tireless effort into saving a plant? This is counter intuitive for us as we know there is no prized life in a plant. There must be symbolism:
I dont wanna buy no weed from no cop
Get knocked up and they close up my shop
Thats why I buy no weed from no one
Thats why they call me dr. greenthumb
The scientifical, mystical one
Growin my crops with the rays of the sun
He is claiming himself to being a scientist as well as a doctor. These two images are tied to persons of great intellect which may suggest that he is trying to convey his own expertise in his field. He justifies it by presenting that he is smart enough to not buy from anyone which mitigates his risk of buying from an undercover officer.
Blog Prompt #1:
ReplyDeleteSeveral different visual aspects point towards one theme: marijuana is cool.
When you see "Dr. Greenthumb" for the first time in the operation room, he gives a thumbs up, and his thumb is a bud. This, along with the fact that his name is Doctor Greenthumb, suggest that he approves of marijuana, and so do the people around him.
Also, the doctors seem to be operating on a plant. This shows the importance of weed to the people in the video.
In the video, there appears to be a chase after Doctor Greenthumb. The agents are asking questions about his whereabouts, and everyone they ask seems to defend the doctor. This suggests that Doctor Greenthumb is a friend.
The song talks about how weed is a good alternative to drunk driving. Which implies that it saves lives thus making the doctor reference more evident. The song also talks about how people need the weed. This also solidifies the doctor relevance because people need doctors to survive and stay healthy. Giving an overall positive connotation towards the drug.
ReplyDelete