TVotD -- The Rap Battle Contender That Never Was

I was drunk last night. I can admit it. There were other oppressing mental quandaries pressing against my skull (subjects of which will assuredly wind up in future episodes of krumbinesBRAIN) and I was in no mood to indulge. But mostly I was drunk when I saw the notification that a video response had been posted to my last Devilmas Beat-Off video (“Beanie Bounced”).

Unfortunately, instead of it being the surely epic fourth-round initiator from Rob Morgan, it was a video from a youtuber named Manualsearch. I knew immediately that this wasn’t going to be good. In the past few years of “internet-knowing” this particular individual, our relationship (as unnecessary as that word may be) had been antagonistic and irritating. More over, the literal quality of his videos were just bad -- in regards to sound, video, and the like.

Watching his video response to the Beat-Off -- and remember, I was admittedly drunk at the time -- I was treated to more of the same. One of my pet peeves about youtube is when people post audio with no video -- strike one! Manualsearch recorded a rap with no music and of poor audio quality, the only video on display being a photo of a ham.

In my drunken state, I found the video antagonistic, offensive to both my personal and creative sensibilities, and overall had simply had enough of this particular individual. In about two seconds I removed the video response, unsubbed his channel, and blocked him.

It wasn’t until this morning that I appreciated the fact that in spite of the content, I still had inspired this guy to create it -- a founding principle of Horbawrong Studios. Cool, huh?

Did I unblock him? Hell no. If you read my earlier post about the Socialism Now video, you know my attitude towards general unpleasantness on youtube has become one of ignorance. Literally: I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to expose myself to it. Honesty, I’m just about fucked up enough my own head without anybody else contributing to the crazy. Is it so difficult to not be positive on youtube? I know I have a history of antagonizing and a little negativity, myself, so I’m not trying to paint myself as a righteous do-gooder. But right here, right now, this is where I’m at in my life.

I want to create and entertain and have people enjoy these bites of art and I have no interest in indulging the negative, naysayers, and hateful.

And while this story certainly isn’t black-and-white -- again, it’s my past history with manualsearch that prompted my actions last night -- in a tacit apology for the blockage and removal, I present his video as Today’s Video of the Day. It’s a big internet; let’s go our separate ways in peace.

- Krumbine