Newport (Ymerodraeth State of Mind)

Last updated

"Newport (Ymerodraeth State of Mind)" is a parody version of the 2009 "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Recorded by singer Teresa Wainwright and rapper Alex Warren, the 2010 music video was directed by MJ Delaney. The word "ymerodraeth" means "empire" in Welsh. The song features extensive references to the city of Newport in South Wales.

Contents

Production and release

The video was directed by filmmaker MJ Delaney, and featured singer Terema Wainwright and rapper Alex Warren. [1] The lyrics were written by Tom Williams, Leo Sloley and MJ Delaney, and feature numerous references to the city of Newport and Welsh popular culture. [2] Warren and Wainwright performed the song live at the 2010 Newport Cityfest. [3]

The video was published on 20 July 2010, and amassed over 2 million views on YouTube before it was taken down due to a claim by EMI Music Publishing on 10 August, who stated that the uploader did not seek permission from the original songwriters. [4] [5]

The lack of a fair dealing exclusion for parody works, exercised by EMI in their takedown notice, was cited in the Hargreaves Review on Copyright, commissioned by the Newport-based Intellectual Property Office. [6] The review evolved into the Copyright (Public Administration) Regulations 2014. [7]

Responses

Newport-based rap group Goldie Lookin Chain released a "parody of a parody" video in response titled "You're Not From Newport", alleging that their rivals lacked local knowledge. [8] [9]

The song was the inspiration for actor Russell Gomer's parody "Ain't Seen Ruthin Yet", based on the song "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman–Turner Overdrive and the town of Ruthin in Denbighshire. [10]

In 2011, a new parody version, also directed by Delaney, was filmed and broadcast on Comic Relief. It featured numerous Welsh celebrities lip-synching to the original version. It starred Josie d'Arby, Steve Jones, Paul Whitehouse, Siân Lloyd, Connie Fisher, John Humphrys, Gethin Jones, Helen Lederer, Robbie Savage, Anneka Rice, Ruth Madoc, Tim Vincent, Howard Marks, Gareth Jones, Lisa Rogers, Helen Adams, Max Boyce, Joe Calzaghe, Dirty Sanchez, Wynne Evans, Goldie Lookin Chain, Colin Jackson, Grant Nicholas, Shakin' Stevens, Michael Sheen, Imogen Thomas, Bonnie Tyler, Alex Jones and Ian Woosnam. [11]

Related Research Articles

Paul Julian Whitehouse is a Welsh actor, writer, presenter and comedian. He was one of the main stars of the BBC sketch comedy series The Fast Show, and has starred with Harry Enfield in the shows Harry & Paul and Harry Enfield & Chums. He has appeared with Bob Mortimer in the BBC series Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, and has also acted in films including Corpse Bride (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2010), and The Death of Stalin (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newport County A.F.C.</span> Association football club in Newport, Wales

Newport County Association Football Club is a professional association football club in the city of Newport, South Wales. The team compete in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system. The club's usual home colours are amber shirts and black shorts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newport, Wales</span> City and county borough in Wales

Newport is a city and county borough in Wales, situated on the River Usk close to its confluence with the Severn Estuary, 12 mi (19 km) northeast of Cardiff. The population grew considerably between the 2011 and the 2021 census, rising from 145,700 to 159,587, the largest growth of any unitary authority in Wales. Newport is the third-largest principal authority with city status in Wales, and sixth most populous overall. Newport became a unitary authority in 1996 and forms part of the Cardiff-Newport metropolitan area, also known as the Cardiff Capital Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Wales</span> Music associated with Wales

The Music of Wales, particularly singing, is a significant part of Welsh national identity, and the country is traditionally referred to as "the land of song".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldie Lookin Chain</span> Welsh comedic rap music group

Goldie Lookin Chain are a Welsh comedy hip hop group from Newport, south-east Wales. The group produces humorous, and often explicit songs that satirise hip hop, today's consumer society, the "chav" culture and life in Newport and South Wales in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlets</span> Rugby team based in Llanelli, Wales

The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby competitions. The club was originally named the Llanelli Scarlets but was renamed at the start of the 2008–09 rugby season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragons RFC</span> One of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales

Dragons RFC are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup/European Rugby Challenge Cup. The region they represent covers an area of southeast Wales including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen with a total population approaching 600,000 and they are affiliated with a number of semi-professional and amateur clubs throughout the area, including Pontypool RFC, Caerphilly RFC, Cross Keys RFC, Ebbw Vale RFC and Newport RFC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsunami Relief Cardiff</span> 2005 charity music contest in Wales

Tsunami Relief Cardiff was a charity music concert held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 22 January 2005, in aid of the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which had occurred the month before. The concert raised £1,248,963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavin Henson</span> Welsh international rugby union player

Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh former professional rugby union player, who played as a fly-half, fullback and inside centre.


Andrew Major, known professionally as Maggot, is a Welsh rapper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do</span> 2004 single by Goldie Lookin Chain

"Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do" is a song by the Welsh hip hop group Goldie Lookin Chain from their Greatest Hits album. In August 2004, the song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. With the tagline "The gun is the tool, the mind is the weapon", in this track the band satirised the perceived link between American hip hop and gun violence, referencing several rap murders.

<i>Slow Life</i> 2004 EP by Super Furry Animals

Slow Life is an EP by the Welsh alternative rock band Super Furry Animals, released in 2004. The EP was made available as a free download and also saw a limited CD release, bundled with remix album Phantom Phorce. Lead track "Slow Life" appeared on the 2003 album Phantom Power and was originally composed as a purely electronic song by keyboardist Cian Ciaran several years earlier. The band were keen to finish the track and Ciaran encouraged them to jam over his original version—this jam was then edited and made into the finished song. The track "Motherfokker" is a collaboration between the Super Furry Animals and rap group Goldie Lookin Chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire State of Mind</span> 2009 single by Jay-Z

"Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). It was released on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic originally wrote it as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. The following month, they submitted it to Jay-Z's label Roc Nation, whose reviews were discouraging. They later took the suggestion of an associate of EMI Music Publishing and resubmitted it to Jay-Z, who kept the "New York" singing part on the hook, changed the verses, and recorded it. The song's title, similar to "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel and "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas, is a wordplay and tribute to New York's nickname "Empire State" and could also be a reference to the Empire State Building in Manhattan.

Russell Gomer is a Welsh actor who has worked extensively in television roles. He is best known for playing Yanto in the Sky1 TV comedy drama series Stella.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Newport</span>

The Newport music scene, in and around Wales' third city, has been well documented and acclaimed for cultivating bands, singers, and famous music venues. Newport has been traditionally a rock city since the 1970s, but it has evolved over the years to include forms of punk, 1990s alt-rock, and more recently metal and hip-hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horizons Gorwelion</span> Welsh music scheme

Horizons is an arts scheme and music festival launched jointly in 2014 by BBC Cymru Wales and the Arts Council of Wales to develop new independent contemporary music artists. It is curated by BBC presenter Bethan Elfyn.

Mike Bubbins is a Welsh comedian, writer and actor. He has appeared in various TV projects as himself and acted in several BBC sitcoms. Bubbins makes regular appearances on radio and has performed stand-up comedy throughout the UK, supporting Rhod Gilbert and Rich Hall. Bubbins has performed his stand-up show Retrosexual Male at the Edinburgh Festival and appeared on Stand Up at BBC Wales.

Welsh hip hop is a genre of Welsh music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in Wales.

MJ Delaney is a British director. She is known for her work on Ted Lasso, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2022.

References

  1. ↑ McCarthy, James (25 July 2010). "Jay-Z video rap spoof set for its millionth hit". Wales Online . Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
  2. ↑ "Spoof 'Newport State of Mind' video becomes web hit". BBC News . 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ↑ "YouTube stars return for Newport Cityfest". South Wales Argus . 9 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Newport State of Mind removed amid copyright claim". BBC South East Wales. 10 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024.
  5. ↑ McLaren, James (10 August 2010). "Newport State of Mind: why has it been removed?". BBC . Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Hargreaves Review on Intellectual Property" (PDF). Intellectual Property Office. p. 54. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
  7. ↑ "New exceptions to copyright reflect digital age". GOV.UK.
  8. ↑ "Goldie Lookin Chain respond to spoof Newport video". BBC. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  9. ↑ "NEWPORT STATE OF MIND (YOU'RE NOT FROM NEWPORT)" – via www.youtube.com.
  10. ↑ "Spoof actor ain't seen Ruthin yet". BBC News. 10 August 2010.
  11. ↑ "Comic Relief cast". BBC.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.