�Weird' Al Returns with Hilarious Fake Rap Song: What Year is This?

Like I've always said, "A world without 'Weird' Al Yankovic is not a world I want to live in." Now, this isn't to say that I am a huge 'Weird' Al fan, or that I even like 'Weird' Al at all. His songs are like comfort food. They're pointless and they're not helping anyone- they're just nice to have around. And recently, on more than one occasion, I had to ask around, "Is 'Weird' Al dead? What was his last song, "Amish Paradise"?" Times have been rough lately. Perhaps because the world has been devoid of Yankovic parodies? Seriously, you can blame it all on Bush if you want, but I think that mankind's plight has more to do with the lack of 'Weird' Al albums than anything else.

Anyway, I was waking up the other day and I was flipping around the television and I stumbled on VH1. I caught the end of a Five for Fighting video that, by the way, frightened the shit out of me for some reason. When that was over I was about to get in the shower when a rap song came on. It had a hot beat and it sounded like Eminem, so I stuck around. It wasn't until the information popped up on the bottom that I realized it was Yankovic. He was back.

The song is a dead rip-off of Eminem, which in its own right is funny. Rap music has changed a lot since Eminem "retired". Basically, it totally sucks now. It's funny that 'Weird' Al is like three years behind the times, but it's also nice, it makes my tummy feel warm. The song is called "White & Nerdy" and it's vintage Al. I never laughed at Yankovic's lyrics; for the most part, they've always been really bad (and not in a "so bad they're actually funny" way either). The 'Weird' Al appeal has always been in his delivery and the structure of his songs.

Admittedly, 'Weird' Al Yankovic makes songs in two different ways. There's dead parodies and, what he calls, tribute songs. "White & Nerdy" is more the latter, but in reality it's a combination of both. He isn't parodying a particular Eminem song, but he may as well be.

His new album, 'Straight Outta Lynwood', comes out today, and I have no idea how it will do. The album cover features Yankovic in front of hot whip with a pit bull, looking real hard. Is that cheesy? Sure, but Al's always been cheesy. Some song titles include "Canadian Idiot" and "Don't Download This Song". Par for the course.

Who knows if this song and record will mark 'Weird' Al Yankovic's return to form? The album might bomb and the song might disappear. I hope not though. He's just nice to have around, like a good pair of socks.