When Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon with Apollo 11 in 1969, he probably didn’t expect that he would commemorate the event forty years later with a hip-hop video.
But that is what happened, and you can watch it on the internet: Buzz Aldrin’s Rocket Experience.
To be honest, the song isn’t that catchy (Buzz has little rhythm), but the “Making Of” video with Snoop Dogg and Talib Kweli is actually pretty funny.
In the video, Buzz declares, “I have only two passions: space exploration, and hip-hop.” His hip-hop name? Doc Rendezvous.
Apparently, the idea for a collaboration came to Buzz when he was over at Snoop Dogg’s crib playing Fight Night 4. He twittered the idea to Talib Kweli, and an unspecified amount of time later, they’re all in the studio, working on the song and talking about how Buzz Aldrin has influenced rap. Oh, and Quincy Jones is there, too, talking about Buzz’s “groove” on the moon. And what Buzz lacks in rhythm, he makes up for in deadpan comic timing.
It’s a bizarre and inexplicable combination, but it’s also genius. I’ve always thought of the astronauts who landed on the moon as old white men, players in an event I wasn’t alive for, and then always took for granted. But seeing Buzz Aldrin in the context of these familiar rappers, and with this great made-up history of his hip-hop career, makes the moon landing a lot more relateable. The video bridges the generational gap – and I would bet that it’s made more young people aware that this 40-year anniversary thing is going on.
If you really want, you can buy the song on iTunes. A portion of the proceeds go to Aldrin’s charity, the ShareSpace Foundation. Or you can buy his book. But what won’t cost you any money is listening to EarthSky’s podcast with Buzz Aldrin. I know which one I would choose.
You’re quite right he doesn’t have much rhythm, but he appears to be having so much fun that I can’t help but smile — I love this video. And Lindsay, just as you said this puts a whole new slant on Buzz since you weren’t around for the landing, it did for me, too — but coming from the other direction, at age 58, and I well remember watching the first Moon landing absolutely enthralled (along with a gazillion other people, of course!). And you gotta admire his spunk — how many “old white guys” would agree to doing something like this — much less be the one to dream it up???
I was 24 when Buzz landed on the moon and working for a small semi-conductor company, manufacturing diodes and transistors for TRW which went up in space with Buzz and the crew. About 20 of us got together to watch the landing and steps of the first (that we know about) human on the moon. Not all of us wished to be there with him but I sure did. I know you worked your ass off and made personal sacrifices to get your chance at the moon, Buzz. But, you’re still one hell of a lucky guy and I think you know it. I still envy you!