Man, I love musicals. When I’m working on homework in my dorm and I throw on my Spotify playlist, it seems like every fifth song is a show tune. I also don’t talk about it much, but I secretly like hip-hop music. My hip-hop standards are pretty high, but I still hear a hip-hop song every once in a while on my playlist. Now, both hip-hop and show tunes have become much more frequent in my playlist, all thanks to Hamilton.
Hamilton, for those that don’t know, is a current hip-hop and rap styled Broadway Musical based on the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Trust me, it works way better than it sounds. Written by, directed by, and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, from the day he arrived in the colonies to *US HISTORY SPOILERS* his death at the hands of fellow politician Aaron Burr.
Miranda made several very interesting choices for this musical, and I believe they all pay off. First off, the music is in the style of hip-hop and rap. That seems like a strange choice for a musical based on American History, but it works so well. Alexander Hamilton was a very talented writer and orator, so the raps reflect his incredible way with words. From the more upbeat and invigorating “My Shot“, to the more traditional “Story of Tonight“, to the jazzy showstopper “The Room Where it Happens“, all of the numbers in Hamilton flow very well into each other. They all bring a new perspective to the life and struggles of Alexander Hamilton.
Now, Hamilton is still very new, and is coming to the end of it’s initial run on Broadway. Tickets are currently going for around $300, so of course I didn’t actually see the full performance. However, the entire soundtrack is available on Spotify, and it tells the story well enough that I didn’t need to see the performance (though I very desperately want to). Since the day I stumbled across the soundtrack I have been listening nonstop, as many of my friends and family can tell you.
I recommend every one check out the soundtrack on Spotify or YouTube. The music is exceptional, and the story is beautiful, bringing a new perspective to the life of our Founding Fathers. I’ll throw up a link to the official Hamilton website. The musical begins it’s national tour this September, with it’s first stop in Chicago. Maybe, if I’m lucky and can schedule it around classes, I’ll be able to see this wonderful musical live!
I want to throw up a quick warning: I am rapidly approaching Finals Week, so the posts may hit a stand still. I will try desperately to find something to talk about for the next few weeks, but sadly no promises. Thanks for reading everyone!
Hay Grant, its me, Andrew. I have a movie I want you to watch for your next media Monday. It is called “Heathers” and it is on Netflix. Trust me, it is a really good movie. It has the classic 80’s high school vibe, like Brick and Foot Loose, but its a gut ripping dark comedy. Trust me, it will make you laugh, and feel bad for it too.