Get ready to scream ice cream – with a brand new song.
RZA, of the Wu-Tang Clan, has teamed up with Good Humor to write a hilarious new ice rink truck jingle instead of ‘Turkey in the Straw’ – a earworm with a troubled history that has long been criticized for racism.
“Do you remember that ice cream?” said the rap legend, 51, at the introduction of his new song. ‘Of course – we all know that. I will not play it now because we find out it has racist roots.
‘But check this out – Good humor, they called me out and they were like,’ We need to do something about this, Riz. We can change the dynamics. We can make a new ice angel for a new era, ” the rapper added.
In 2014, NPR documented the history of the tune, which was used in racist minstrel shows and became popular in 19th-century ice rinks that played “popular minstrel songs of the day” and eventually ice carts.
“[The] melody originated from British and Irish folk songs, which had no racial connotations, ‘wrote Good Humor of’ Turkey in the Straw ‘in a statement on its website. ‘But the song itself was first performed (and gained popularity) in American minstrel shows in the 1800s. Some songs with the same melody contained very offensive, racist lyrics. ”
“While these associations of ‘Turkey in the Strait’ are not the only part of their legacy, there is no doubt that this melody brings to mind their racist iterations,” Good Humor added.
The new jingle will be added to music boxes in standard ice cream trucks, according to the video.
“I can assure you that this one was made with love,” RZA said at the end of the clip.
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