What's even more amazing is a few days after it was posted, YouTube user lawforthemasses started leaving comments on the video.
“Well, I've been dreading this day for 19 years, but it's finally
come back to bite me. This is Michael Clancy from this video and
although it makes me laugh and also cry to watch myself (and my awesome
Hammer Pants and Wal-Mart pump shoes) I have to take it in good stride.
What am I doing today? 1) I am an attorney; 2) I did stay a Christian
(although I try not to rap about it anymore); and 3) I still like DC
Talk. Please go easy on me or else I'll get picked up by Daniel Tosh!”
]
His message for all the haters? “Wow, it's funny to see how many people are hating on me for being an
eager 10 year old rapping to one of my favorite bands at the time, DC
Talk. As a 29 year old, I can help but laugh my butt off and what's
funny is I still know every word to this song. Keep the comments
flowing.”
Yesterday, Hypervocal published a Q&A with Michael Clancy, now a 29-year-old lawyer from Phoenix, Ariz. Clancy was 10 when the video was
shot in 1992. The self-proclaimed “good attorney” is pretty much enjoying the attention for now (you can friend him on Twitter and YouTube). Here are some highlights from the interview:
- I was notified by my friend Jordan via Facebook that he saw a video that
he thought was me. This was when the video only had 74,000 views. After
I had a minor freak out, I contacted the user who posted it,
“conradcliff” and told him who I was. I didn't know him. We exchanged
emails and he told me his uncle, who is an executive with CBN (Christian
Broadcasting Network) had sent him the video thinking it was him as a
boy. When he saw it, he “just knew it would go viral.” He was right.
- The show was called “Lift Jesus Higher” and it had run for several years
prior to 1992, when my video was produced. It was international and I
actually got a fan letter from Uganda — I'm sure it had top ratings
there. The show was founded by Dr. Cheryl Edminson, the lady in the
denim dress, who was known as “Auntie Cheryl” on the show. Dr. Edminson
attended my childhood church and recruited some younger kids as cast
members. She asked mothers around church whether their children had any
“special” talents.
- I chose to rap my favorite song at the time, “Nu Thang” because I was
obsessed with it and because I thought it had a good message. The
segment was filmed in October 1992 in South Bend, IN at LeSEA studios.
When I arrived, the producer told me that I couldn't use the original
music to the song as it would violate copyright laws if I did. Further, I could not say the name “DC Talk” in the song as it
appeared twice, so instead I said, “Michael Clancy.” The result of that
predicament is the video we have today.
