Before the guy who thought the rent was too damn high thought the rent was too damn high, he was a damn soul singer in the 1970s.
Jimmy McMillan, with his stellar gray mutton chops and aversion to
high-priced real estate now known virally, was a one time a performer
with a popular single in 1975. And on Election Day tomorrow, McMillan
will be releasing a digital version of his debut album The Rent is Too DAMN High (Volume 1),
a collection of tracks tackling the rent issue in nearly every single
song, bringing awareness to his political party and that snazzy suit of
his.
McMillan originally recorded under the moniker Jimmy Mack years ago, and
his single “A Woman So Hard To Understand” became a radio favorite
while he was signed to Hamster Records. Fifteen years later, he would
start The Rent Is Too Damn High political party in New York, which
nominated him for a mayoral seat in 2005 and 2009 before catapulting him
to superstardom in 2010, when he appeared during a debate on TV for the
governor's race where the now-infamous “The rent is too damn high”
catchphrase made its way to the masses.
New single “What Is This?” from the album, which was leaked to the likes
of The New York Times and Village Voice, will also join gems like “My
Place” which describes where he wants to get busy (“I know you didn’t
come to talk/Let’s get it on/We can do it in the hall, in the kitchen/We
can do it while I’m talking on the phone/We can do it while I’m moppin’
the floor”). And for a guy who cites both Ronald Reagan and Otis Redding
as influences, I think I know what everyone's stocking stuffer will be
this Christmas.
