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Photo: WSB-TV Atlanta

 

Though we see myriad cases of lyrics appearing in the classroom every year, and of course, all sorts of necessary coverage of how pissed off parents are about each instance, this particular homework assignment from a Newton County, GA elementary school is a little valid, the way of parental uproar.

As part of a lesson on sentence structure, an unnamed language arts teacher asked students to breakdown grammar and syntax themes laced around the word ‘Twist’. Among ‘tornado’ and dancing questions for some hilarious reason is the history of the Chicago rapper, Twista, and how the young talent’s ascension to fame would be not possible without appearing on Do or Die‘s “Po Pimp:”

Terrell Mitchell, better known by his stage name Twista, was born in 1972. Nineteen years later Mitchell’s first album, “Runnin’ Off at Da Mouth,” debuted. In 1997, after appearing on Do or Die’s hit “Po Pimp,” Twista was signed to Atlantic Records. Under that label he released “Adrenaline Rush” and formed the group Speedknot Mobstaz in 1998. His 2004 album Kamikaze went to number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart.

This is an example of chronology, kids. But, to token pissed off parent Scott Tolleson it is also a vulgar rhetorical question: “What is po pimp? Try to explain to a fourth-grader what po pimp is,” the Newton County, GA resident pleaded to the superintendent and members of the school board, upon getting asked by his son what a ‘po pimp’ is. 

To be fair, it’s pretty damn left field. There are plenty of other ways to showcase chronology to a 10-year-old. But, the lyrics aren’t physically on the assignment. And kids have the internet, parents of the nation. If you don’t explain things to them, a computer machine will. So humor this teacher who will probably get suspended because you don’t know how to explain the world to your kids.

In any case, little dude from Newton County, GA, a ‘po pimp’ is a poor pimp. Which is something you’ll learn in high school when you see a bunch of kids without money steal girls from you. Which a young Twista is actually pretty great at explaining:

Well a motherfucker might be broke and shit
And then collecting no dough from tips
But I be spittin mo’ game than a mouthful of poker chips
To get them hoes with the Oprah lips and the provokin’ hips