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Difference between revisions of "Pranksta Rap"

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{{episode
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{{Episode
|image = Pranksta Rap promo.png
+
|image= Pranksta Rap promo.png
|Episode Number = 344
+
|number= 344
|productionCode = GABF03
+
|season=16
|originalAirdate = February 13, 2005
+
|snumber=9
|blackboardText =
+
|prodcode= GABF03
|couchGag = The living room floor is a chessboard and the family hops to the couch dressed as chess pieces.
+
|airdate= February 13, [[2005]]
|specialGuestVoices = [[50 Cent]] as {{Ch|50 Cent|himself}}
+
|couchgag= The living room floor is a chessboard and the family hops to the couch dressed as chess pieces.
|Written By = [[Matt Selman]]
+
|guests= [[50 Cent]] as {{Ch|50 Cent|himself}}
|Directed By = [[Mike B. Anderson]]
+
|showrunner1= Al Jean
 +
|writer= [[Matt Selman]]
 +
|director= [[Mike B. Anderson]]
 
}}
 
}}
  
"'''Pranksta Rap'''" is the ninth episode of the [[season 16|sixteenth season]]. It originally aired on February 13, 2005 on [[FOX]]. It guest stars [[50 Cent]] as himself.
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"'''Pranksta Rap'''" is the ninth episode of the [[season 16]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and forty-fourth episode overall. It originally aired on February 13, [[2005]]. The episode was written by [[Matt Selman]] and directed by [[Mike B. Anderson]]. It guest stars [[50 Cent]] as {{Ch|50 Cent|himself}}.
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
[[Homer]] and [[Marge]] don't let [[Bart]] go to a rap concert, so he escapes and tells his parents he was kidnapped, but [[Chief Wiggum]] believes the kidnapper is [[Kirk Van Houten]] and he arrests him.
+
{{Desc|[[Homer]] and [[Marge]] don't let [[Bart]] go to a rap concert, so he escapes and tells his parents he was kidnapped, but [[Chief Wiggum]] believes the kidnapper is [[Kirk Van Houten]] and he arrests him.}}
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
 
[[File:Pranksta Rap - Bart.png|thumb|left|Bart after rapping at an Alcatraaz concert.]]
 
[[File:Pranksta Rap - Bart.png|thumb|left|Bart after rapping at an Alcatraaz concert.]]
[[Bart Simpson|Bart]] sees a commercial for the rap show "Murder 4 Life" and decides to go, even though [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] is disappointed that he has become "another lame suburban kid who loves rap". [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] has no qualms about letting Bart buy the ticket himself, as long as Bart doesn't block the TV. Later, when [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] sees Bart wearing ghetto-like clothing, she finds out about the hip-hop show and, along with Homer, cuts a rap forbidding him from going. However, Bart feels that since he bought his own ticket, he is an adult and decides to go to the show.
+
At home, [[Santa's Little Helper]] accidentally swallows the remote control for the TV. Whenever he barked, the channel changed. Eventually, a show called ''[[Hip-Hoppenings]]'' comes on, which Bart watches. The show says that the concert [[Murder 4 Life]] is coming to Springfield, which Bart wants to attend. After asking Homer if he could go, Bart buys a ticket and gets ready to head out when Marge catches him and tells him he can't go. Homer sides with Marge and Bart goes to his room. Bart then decides to sneak out and visit the concert anyway since he bought a ticket.
  
While the concert's underway, the microphone of the main singer, ''Assault Weapons Magazine'' "Man of the Year" [[Alcatraaz]], falls into his hands. Alcatraaz challenges him to use it or step off. Bart, not one to step down, gets up on stage and cuts a rap (which basically disses Homer), making him an instant hit with the crowd. Impressed with this "little yellow racker", Alcatraaz gives him a ride in his Hummer-limo. As they drive, they see [[50 Cent]] in his own Hummer-limo, who advises Bart to stay in school (however, that does not count as community service). When Bart gets home, Alcatraaz gives him a free jersey.
+
Bart takes a bus to the [[Springfield Coliseum]] where the concert is being held. As he's watching the show, [[Alcatraaaz]] drops his microphone, which then rolls towards Bart. Bart picks it up and Alcatraaaz tells him to put the microphone down if he can't use it. Bart then gets on stage and begins rapping with Alcatraaaz. Impressed by this, Alcatraaaz takes Bart home in his hummer limo, passing by {{Ch|50 Cent}} in his golden hummer limo on the way home. After Bart is dropped off, he overhears Homer and Marge talking about him, as they know he sneaked out. Worried about getting punished, Bart pretends that he got kidnapped instead.
  
However, as he passes by the window, he overhears Marge and Homer talking. They have discovered his little escapade and are waiting for him (Homer with his belt in hand). Bart decides that he should face the music like an adult... or lie his way out of it like a kid. So he climbs up to his treehouse and, removing his incriminating jersey, starts writing a note. He then ties the note round a rock and throws it through the window, right where Homer and Marge are standing. Marge reads it, which says that he has been kidnapped and that they should await further instructions. While Marge is shocked that Bart has been kidnapped, Homer is more upset that they have "to await further instructions".
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As the search for Bart starts, Bart goes to see [[Milhouse]], who takes him to [[Kirk's apartment|his father's apartment]] to hide out. As Bart phones his parents pretending to be the kidnapper, he makes [[Chintzy-Pop]] popcorn. [[Kirk]] then comes back home and Bart flees into Milhouse's room. [[Chief Wiggum]] listens to the phone call and works out the sound in the background is Chintzy-Pop popcorn. He goes to the [[Kwik-E-Mart]] and finds that the only people who buy Chintzy-Pop are him and Kirk. The police then storm into Kirk's apartment and arrest him, saving Bart.
  
The whole community comes out in support of [[Simpson family|the Simpsons]]. [[Chief Wiggum]] declares, in a press conference, that the kidnapper will not get away, as he himself is on the case. This brings peals of laughter from the assembled reporters, one of whom asks if they should prepare for Bart's funeral already. Despite Wiggum's assurances, no one believes that he can solve the case. Later, he withdraws to his office and muses over all his failures as a cop. He feels so depressed that he turns to the bottle... of maple syrup, with a plate of pancakes. As he eats, [[Barney Fife]] (of the ''The Andy Griffith Show'') "communicates" with him, through the TV, urging him to put all his efforts into solving this case. Wiggum, thus encouraged, decides to do so.
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The town celebrates Wiggum as a hero, whilst Milhouse is annoyed at Bart for sending his dad to jail. Chief Wiggum is also promoted to commissioner and Kirk enjoys the attention he gets from women for being a criminal. However, Bart begins to feel guilty and tells Commissioner Wiggum that he lied. Wiggum tells Bart that everyone is happier with the lie so Bart decides to carry on with it. After this, Lisa finds a Murder 4 Life vest that Bart got at the concert and realizes that Bart lied. When she tells Homer this, Homer burns the evidence as he has already agreed to movie deals for the story. Lisa then goes to [[Principal Skinner]] to get him to help instead.
  
Meanwhile, [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] plays frisbee by himself, feeling blue that Bart is not there to watch him do it. Bart makes an appearance and tells him his scheme. Milhouse lets Bart crash at his [[Kirk Van Houten|dad's]] place in the rundown "Bachelor Arms" apartments. As Bart prepares popcorn, he calls his family, disguising his voice, acting as the kidnapper. Wiggum is at the Simpsons' place, listening in with a recorder. After the call, he plays it back and hears the popcorn popping in the background. He identifies it as "Chintzy Pop" (a very cheap popcorn). After a (non-bribe-related) visit to the [[Kwik-E-Mart]], he discovers that there are only two people cheap enough to buy that brand - himself and Kirk.
+
Homer, Bart, Wiggum and Kirk all meet in Kirk's jail cell where they discuss the lie being discovered. Meanwhile, Skinner and Lisa go to [[Alcatraaaz's mansion]] to ask him for the footage from the Murder 4 Life concert, getting the evidence they need to know that Bart had lied. Homer, Bart and Wiggum then show up to try and stop them and Homer accidentally knocks the TV off the wall, causing Alcatraaaz's gang to point guns at them. Alcatraaaz stops them and decides to throw a house party.
  
While Kirk enjoys his popcorn in his apartment, the cops raid the place and find Bart there. Kirk is arrested on charges of kidnapping and Bart is returned to his relieved parents. Wiggum is hailed a hero in [[Springfield]] for having solved the case ("No, really!", according to the papers). He is promoted to police commissioner, and in turn, he promotes [[Lou]] to police chief and [[Eddie]] to "Lou".
+
At the house party, Skinner asks Alcatraaaz if there's a place for someone like him in the hip-hop world. Alcatraaaz says there is, but that's already taken by [[Superintendent Chalmers]].
  
Bart and Wiggum are given a parade. Milhouse confronts Bart, telling him that his dad went to jail because of Bart. Bart feels guilty and later confesses to Wiggum in Wiggum's office. However, Clancy tells Bart to maintain the lie, since everyone's a winner (even the imprisoned Kirk, who gets a cleaner home, three meals a day, and single women cheering for him).
+
== Production ==
 +
The episode came around due to the film ''{{W2|8 Mile|film}}'' coming out and Selman decided to make a story about Bart, a white kid, liking rap. Selman also wanted to do a Wiggum episode based around him feeling bad for being terrible at his job and actually doing good work, only to find it wasn't a real crime.<ref name="Selman">{{Com|Selman, Matt|Pranksta Rap|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> When [[50 Cent]] recorded his lines, he came into the studio with a lot of bling on. However, the microphones were so sensitive that they picked up on the bling making noise whenever he moved, so he was asked to remove a lot of it.<ref name="Cartwright">{{Com|Cartwright, Nancy|Pranksta Rap|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> Some of 50 Cent's pronunciations in lines weren't great, and were described bu the audio editor as "a poop salesman with a mouth full of sample." The scene of Milhouse playing frisbee with himself is because writer [[Matt Warburton]] was an only child so did it as a child. [[Al Jean]] the wanted to loop the scene as long as possible.<ref name="Selman"/>
  
Later, as Lisa sits outside, she sees crows hovering around the treehouse. When she investigates, she finds Bart's jersey there and realises that Bart had not been kidnapped at all. She shows the jersey to Homer, who tells her she did the right thing by showing it to him. He then throws it in the fireplace to burn up the evidence. Apparently, Hollywood has paid him a lot of money (which he has already wasted) to make a movie about Bart's "kidnapping". Then, inexplicably, he burns up his own shirt and pants.
+
The cover up 2005 jacket is based on the real ''Simpsons'' crew jacket.<ref name="Selman"/> None of the animators wanted to do the scene in Alcatraaaz's shoe closet because of all the shoes that had to be drawn.<ref name="Anderson">{{Com|Anderson, Mike B.|Pranksta Rap|Sixteenth|(2013).}}</ref> Some of the designs and scenes at Alcatraaaz's mansion were based on the show ''{{W|MTV Cribs}}''. The ending went through several rewrites due to the moral problem involving the lie about the crime. They weren't sure if they wanted to have it end with the crime still buried or not.<ref name="Selman"/>
  
Lisa goes to Bart's nemesis, [[Principal Skinner]], and tells him the story. Without hesitation, he agrees to expose Bart as a fraud. But first, they will need proof. So they decide to go Alcatraaz's mansion and find out from the rapper himself. However, Wiggum gets wind of their snooping, so he meets with Homer, Bart and Kirk and they decide to cover the whole thing up, before they all lose. Wiggum even has had jackets made for the cover-up, though they can never wear them.
+
<gallery>
 +
File:GABF03 Script.jpg
 +
</gallery>
  
Later, Lisa and Skinner go to Alcatraaz's place and ask him for video footage of Bart at the rap show. They even get the time and date off of different people's "bling", as seen in the footage. They now have proof that Bart was actually at the show, at the same time the kidnapping was supposed to have occurred. Wiggum, accompanied by Homer and Bart, bursts in, gun drawn, demanding the tape. However, Alcatraaz's entourage respond in kind, by "yanking out their pieces". Wiggum withdraws, since his gun isn't even loaded.
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== Reception ==
 +
As of January 2020, the episode has a 6.6 rating on {{W|IMDb}}<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701198/ IMDb - "Pranksta Rap"]</ref> and a 7.5 rating on {{W|TV.com}}.<ref>[http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/pranksta-rap-351844/ TV.com - "Pranksta Rap"]</ref>
  
Homer and Bart try to convince Lisa and Skinner of how this lie has made everyone one involved happier with no downside. However Lisa still plans on telling just for the sake of the truth. Homer, flamboyantly trying to tell Lisa to "be cool", accidently wrecks a big-screen TV, prompting the entourage to level their guns at him. However, Alcatraaz tells them all to relax, and using the infinite wisdom of the street, has the perfect solution: HOUSE PARTY!
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== In other languages ==
 +
{{LanguageBox
 +
|fr=yes
 +
|frName=Le rap de Bart
 +
|frTrans=Bart's Rap
 +
}}
  
The house party is a big hit, with many rappers and hip-hop artistes in attendance. Bart and Wiggum are made the center of attention. Lisa still wonders whether this is right, but Homer tells her not to worry about it, and then he cannon-balls into the pool. Skinner asks Alcatraaz about his chances of being in the rapper's entourage. Alcatraaz tells him that they already have someone similar - [[Superintendent Chalmers]], who orders Skinner to "step off, dog!".
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== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
  
 +
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{season 16}}
 
{{season 16}}
  
[[Category:Season 16]]
 
[[Category:Episodes]]
 
 
[[Category:2005]]
 
[[Category:2005]]
 
[[Category:Bart episodes]]
 
[[Category:Bart episodes]]

Latest revision as of 11:23, April 14, 2024

Season 16 Episode
343 "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass"
344
"Pranksta Rap"
"There's Something About Marrying" 345
"Pranksta Rap"
Pranksta Rap promo.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 344
Season number: S16 E9
Production code: GABF03
Original airdate: February 13, 2005
Couch gag: The living room floor is a chessboard and the family hops to the couch dressed as chess pieces.
Guest star(s): 50 Cent as himself
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Matt Selman
Directed by: Mike B. Anderson


"Pranksta Rap" is the ninth episode of the season 16 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and forty-fourth episode overall. It originally aired on February 13, 2005. The episode was written by Matt Selman and directed by Mike B. Anderson. It guest stars 50 Cent as himself.

Synopsis[edit]

"Homer and Marge don't let Bart go to a rap concert, so he escapes and tells his parents he was kidnapped, but Chief Wiggum believes the kidnapper is Kirk Van Houten and he arrests him."


Plot[edit]

Bart after rapping at an Alcatraaz concert.

At home, Santa's Little Helper accidentally swallows the remote control for the TV. Whenever he barked, the channel changed. Eventually, a show called Hip-Hoppenings comes on, which Bart watches. The show says that the concert Murder 4 Life is coming to Springfield, which Bart wants to attend. After asking Homer if he could go, Bart buys a ticket and gets ready to head out when Marge catches him and tells him he can't go. Homer sides with Marge and Bart goes to his room. Bart then decides to sneak out and visit the concert anyway since he bought a ticket.

Bart takes a bus to the Springfield Coliseum where the concert is being held. As he's watching the show, Alcatraaaz drops his microphone, which then rolls towards Bart. Bart picks it up and Alcatraaaz tells him to put the microphone down if he can't use it. Bart then gets on stage and begins rapping with Alcatraaaz. Impressed by this, Alcatraaaz takes Bart home in his hummer limo, passing by 50 Cent in his golden hummer limo on the way home. After Bart is dropped off, he overhears Homer and Marge talking about him, as they know he sneaked out. Worried about getting punished, Bart pretends that he got kidnapped instead.

As the search for Bart starts, Bart goes to see Milhouse, who takes him to his father's apartment to hide out. As Bart phones his parents pretending to be the kidnapper, he makes Chintzy-Pop popcorn. Kirk then comes back home and Bart flees into Milhouse's room. Chief Wiggum listens to the phone call and works out the sound in the background is Chintzy-Pop popcorn. He goes to the Kwik-E-Mart and finds that the only people who buy Chintzy-Pop are him and Kirk. The police then storm into Kirk's apartment and arrest him, saving Bart.

The town celebrates Wiggum as a hero, whilst Milhouse is annoyed at Bart for sending his dad to jail. Chief Wiggum is also promoted to commissioner and Kirk enjoys the attention he gets from women for being a criminal. However, Bart begins to feel guilty and tells Commissioner Wiggum that he lied. Wiggum tells Bart that everyone is happier with the lie so Bart decides to carry on with it. After this, Lisa finds a Murder 4 Life vest that Bart got at the concert and realizes that Bart lied. When she tells Homer this, Homer burns the evidence as he has already agreed to movie deals for the story. Lisa then goes to Principal Skinner to get him to help instead.

Homer, Bart, Wiggum and Kirk all meet in Kirk's jail cell where they discuss the lie being discovered. Meanwhile, Skinner and Lisa go to Alcatraaaz's mansion to ask him for the footage from the Murder 4 Life concert, getting the evidence they need to know that Bart had lied. Homer, Bart and Wiggum then show up to try and stop them and Homer accidentally knocks the TV off the wall, causing Alcatraaaz's gang to point guns at them. Alcatraaaz stops them and decides to throw a house party.

At the house party, Skinner asks Alcatraaaz if there's a place for someone like him in the hip-hop world. Alcatraaaz says there is, but that's already taken by Superintendent Chalmers.

Production[edit]

The episode came around due to the film 8 Mile coming out and Selman decided to make a story about Bart, a white kid, liking rap. Selman also wanted to do a Wiggum episode based around him feeling bad for being terrible at his job and actually doing good work, only to find it wasn't a real crime.[1] When 50 Cent recorded his lines, he came into the studio with a lot of bling on. However, the microphones were so sensitive that they picked up on the bling making noise whenever he moved, so he was asked to remove a lot of it.[2] Some of 50 Cent's pronunciations in lines weren't great, and were described bu the audio editor as "a poop salesman with a mouth full of sample." The scene of Milhouse playing frisbee with himself is because writer Matt Warburton was an only child so did it as a child. Al Jean the wanted to loop the scene as long as possible.[1]

The cover up 2005 jacket is based on the real Simpsons crew jacket.[1] None of the animators wanted to do the scene in Alcatraaaz's shoe closet because of all the shoes that had to be drawn.[3] Some of the designs and scenes at Alcatraaaz's mansion were based on the show MTV Cribs. The ending went through several rewrites due to the moral problem involving the lie about the crime. They weren't sure if they wanted to have it end with the crime still buried or not.[1]

Reception[edit]

As of January 2020, the episode has a 6.6 rating on IMDb[4] and a 7.5 rating on TV.com.[5]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
France.png Français "Le rap de Bart" Bart's Rap

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Selman, Matt (2013). Commentary for "Pranksta Rap", in The Simpsons: The Complete Sixteenth Season.
  2. Cartwright, Nancy (2013). Commentary for "Pranksta Rap", in The Simpsons: The Complete Sixteenth Season.
  3. Anderson, Mike B. (2013). Commentary for "Pranksta Rap", in The Simpsons: The Complete Sixteenth Season.
  4. IMDb - "Pranksta Rap"
  5. TV.com - "Pranksta Rap"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Pranksta Rap".
Season 16 Episodes
Treehouse of Horror XV All's Fair in Oven War Sleeping with the Enemy She Used to Be My Girl Fat Man and Little Boy Midnight Rx Mommie Beerest Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass Pranksta Rap There's Something About Marrying On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister Goo Goo Gai Pan Mobile Homer The Seven-Beer Snitch Future-Drama Don't Fear the Roofer The Heartbroke Kid A Star Is Torn Thank God It's Doomsday Home Away from Homer The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star