Have you ever wondered what your teachers listen to? If Mrs. Hawkesworth rocks out to hip-hop on the way to work? Or if, beneath that unsuspecting aura, Dr. Mecca jams out to reggae? In this new feature, “Mustang Mixes,” we’ll bring you a bit closer to your teachers through their choice in music. This week: math teacher Mr. Stephen Whitcomb.
Many Mason students are familiar with math teacher Stephen Whitcomb’s status as a Taylor Swift fan, but are unaware that he enjoys other artists and genres. Whitcomb “definitely [has] a bias towards more modern music,” and another one of his favorite artists is Blink 182. “They’re amazing,” he said. “I really love Blink 182.”
Whitcomb also has a fondness for rap, describing Nikki Minaj as “the greatest female rapper of all time.” and Kayne West as “the best rapper of all time.” He also adds that he “love[s] Kayne West…he’s so good” and while West calling himself the modern Shakespeare may be a little exaggerated, according to Whitcomb, West is a lyrical genius. West’s 2008 album “808s & Heartbreak is the best album of our time; it’s the best album made since you were born,” he said.
Interestingly enough, Whitcomb is a fan of both Taylor Swift and Kayne West, despite their rocky history. When asked about it, he said “Hey, Kayne had a point, Kayne had a point.” Though “he did not approach it in a healthy way, his doing that made a pretty great song.” said Whitcomb, adding that “Mean was a great song. Thanks Kayne.”
Without further ado, check out these songs for a look at Whitcomb’s taste in music,which he describes as “far superior to your generation’s.”
- Change by Taylor Swift
“[The song] defines my love for Taylor Swift music. It’s incredibly catchy, and she’s just a great person to want to support. I purposely made [these songs] not all Taylor Swift songs- three of them would have been (Change, Long live, and Mary’s Song.) [Bad Blood] was really good, too. The music video was even better. SO good, because it had other artists in it and other celebrities, so it was like her fam, if you will,” said Whitcomb.
- Language by Porter Robinson
“It has good rise and fall; it’s intriguing. It’s very different from Taylor Swift, because it’s like electronic-trance music. It’s very mellowing and not Taylor Swift; there’s no crushed hearts and broken dreams. Not even in Porter Robinson’s wildest dreams would he write a song like Taylor Swift,” he said.
- Always Alright by the Alabama Shakes
“It’s got a good rhythm, and it’s really catchy. Not overly catchy; not like Taylor Swift catchy, but it’s got a better rhythm than some of Taylor Swift’s songs. It represents a different genre. It’s almost folksy, so it just represents that genre, and me liking some music in that genre. A lot of that genre is really, really bad, and a lot of your generation likes a lot of that really, really bad music, but that song, and the Alabama Shakes, are good,” said Whitcomb.
- The Humpty Dance by Digital Underground
“This came out in 1990, so I was less than one when this song came out. So it wasn’t like I grew up with this song. But like 90’s rap, it’s very different. 90’s hip hop and 90’s rap, compared to now-rap; now-rap is really bad. Language issues, for the most part, but this song is clean, I believe. It’s really good rapping; it’s just a fun song; it’s not overly serious. Hip-hop dance music from the 90’s is dope, yo,” he said.
- Sleepless by Flume
“Flume for the exact same reasons as Porter Robinson. Chill, relaxing music; it’s EDM-y, but doesn’t make me want to rage or something. I don’t want to fist bump, head bang, go crazy from this song. That sort of electronic. It’s electronic, not EDM. There’s no “D.” No dance, no dancing,” he said.
