Now at the RNC's Helm: Sir Mixes-It-Up-a-Lot

Michael Steele's muses may include, clockwise, rappers Flava Flav, Lil Wayne and B.G.; wrestler Sonjay Dutt; and Freida Pinto and Dev Patel of "Slumdog Millionaire." (Washington Post Photo Illustration)

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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

When Michael S. Steele was running for U.S. Senate, he did an ad in which his sons mocked his musical taste. Motown, Frank Sinatra: how uncool. Now, Steele's trying to sound like a homie, circa 1995, calling for an "off the hook" party makeover as head of the RNC. He "be da man!" says Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).

To reach what he called "urban-suburban hip-hop settings," Steele is sampling from multiple decades of American vernacular.

-- Richard Leiby

1. "Some slum love out to my buddy. Gov. Bobby Jindal is doing a friggin' awesome job in his state." -- To radio host Curtis Sliwa, Feb. 25.

Inspirations: "Slumdog Millionaire," "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

2. "We need to uptick our image with everyone, including one-armed midgets." -- The Washington Times, Feb. 19.

Inspiration: Uh, maybe one-eyed midget rapper Bushwick Bill?

3. "And the American people don't have that kind of bling-bling in their pockets." -- Fox News, Feb. 26.

Inspiration: 1999 track "Bling Bling" by New Orleans rapper B.G. with Lil Wayne.

4. "But, it's real and we've got to get in the real." -- To Sliwa, Feb. 25.

Inspirations: "Got to Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn, 1978; Method Man's 1994 "Bring the Pain." ("Let me know it's real son, if it's really real.")

5. "I know what's up. I know what time it is." -- To Sliwa.

Inspiration: "Timebomb," 1987, Public Enemy. (Flava Flav: "Yo, we gotta let 'em know what time it is!")

6. "There you go, playa." -- To Sliwa.

Inspiration: Outkast's 1994 "Player's Ball." See also: Sonjay Dutt, pro wrestler known as "the Original Playa from the Himalaya."