Kanye Teams With Rhymefest, Comedy Central On Puppet Show

Kanye West, Comedy Central and the producers of Crank Yankers are joining forces on a new puppet-centric television series tentatively called Alligator Boots. Whereas Yankers features puppets making crank calls, Boots will feature felt characters rapping. The series will feature music produced and performed by West and his protégé Rhymefest. Somehow West found time within his busy 808s & Heartbreak schedule to serve as host on the already-filmed pilot episode. If the show were to be picked up — they're aiming for 2009 — there would be a different celebrity host every episode, much like the original Muppet Show. West and Rhymefest will both serve as executive producers along with Jon Kimmel, brother of comedian and Yankers co-creator Jimmy Kimmel.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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