Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer
Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer (real name Jim Burke) is a parodist who is one of the pioneers of Chap-Hop — Hip Hop delivered in Received Pronunciation. Mr. B raps, or "rhymes", about high society, pipe smoking and Cricket while playing the banjolele. His appearance is that of a dapper chap from the 1920s, complete with period mustache and pipe. He has become quite popular in the Steampunk community with his parody of N.W.A.'s "Straight outta Compton" called "Straight Out Of Surrey."
He is currently[when?] in a rap feud with fellow Chap-Hop artist Professor Elemental.
Not to be confused with Mr. B Natural.
- Affectionate Parody: Most of Mr. B's songs, most notably "Straight Out Of Surrey" and "Chap-Hop History."
- Aluminum Christmas Trees: No, he did not invent the "banjolele". It's a real instrument well predating Mr. B.
- British Accents: Mr. B rhymes in the Received Pronunciation.
- Chap-Hop
- The Dandy: A prominent trope in his flavor of Chap-Hop, as seen in "Just Like a Chap".
- Dashingly Dapper Derby: Mr. B often wears one.
- Distinguished Gentleman's Pipe
- Fish Out of Temporal Water: Deliberately so, as part of both his personal style and the Chap-Hop aesthetic. As he sings in "Just Like a Chap":
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Like Terry-Thomas on a balcony milady |
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- Neologism: At the start of "Just Like a Chap", he addresses the listeners as "chumrades", a Portmanteau of "chums" and "comrades".
- Nice Hats: Mr. B always sports a nice hat, be it a newsboy cap, bowler, boater or trilby.
- Pipe Smoking Is Cool
- Protest Song: Mr. B complains about not being able to light up his pipe in a pub in "Let Me Smoke My Pipe!"
- Quintessential British Gentleman
- Sharp-Dressed Man
- Spot of Tea: In the video for his song, "Mr. B's World Cup Song," Mr. B escapes some kidnappers by enticing them into having a cup of tea with him (and later a game of cricket).
- Stiff Upper Lip
- Take That: "Whatever Happened To Timothy?" is a Take That at Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood, mocking him for his Pretty Fly for a White Guy persona.
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Whatever happened to Timothy? |
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