It’s entirely possible that someone has rapped Dr. Seuss stories before, but I’ve never seen it. Now that I have seen it, the rhyming children’s classics I’ve read over and over to my kids are never going to be the same—and not in a bad way.
Filmmaker Wes Tank has taken some of Dr. Seuss’s most popular stories and rapped them over Dr. Dre beats in a mashup so perfect it’s a wonder it hadn’t been done a million times before.
Check out his rap of the tongue-twisting Fox in Sox. If you’ve ever tried to read this book out loud, you know how challenging it is not to flub, especially the second half. To rap it like Tanks does is an incredibly impressive—and enjoyable—feat.
FOX IN SOX | Dr. Seuss Raps over Dr. Dre Beats
www.youtube.com
The comments on the videos are almost as entertaining as the videos themselves. Here’s what people are saying about the Fox in Sox rap:
“All of a sudden the coronavirus isn’t the illest thing out there.”
“Am now convinced Dr.Seuss was some rapper’s ghost writer.”
“I’ve listened to this maybe 7 times so far. Still not sick of it.”
“Yo, the tweedle beetle battle bit was fire.”
Tank also rapped the cautionary environmental tale, The Lorax.
THE LORAX | Dr. Seuss Raps over Dr. Dre Beats
www.youtube.com
And people loved it.
“I’m devastated to think that there are only a finite number of Dre beats & Seuss books. Please don’t ever stop.”
“I didn’t think rapping dr Seuss books was something I needed in my life but now I know better.”
“This is way better than the movie was.”
“Omg I just told my seven-year-old there was a new Doctor Seuss rap video, and now he’s jumping up and down screaming with excitement, and begging to go to bed… 😂😂😂 Thanks?!”
How about a little One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish?
ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH | Dr. Seuss Raps over Dr. Dre Beats
www.youtube.com
And the comments keep on coming:
“This guy just filled a niche I didn’t even know existed.”
“Dr. Seuss’ books weren’t part of my childhood. Rap isn’t really my thing. Why do I find these videos so awesome? Because they are amazing!”
“You are frighteningly good at this.”
“3:05 is the literal definition of how to hit a beat with ferocity.”
So far, it looks like Tanks has six Dr. Seuss/Dr. Dre videos on his YouTube channel, which you can check out here.
Well done, Wes Tanks. (Personal request—do The Sneetches next, please and thank you.)