`Chocolate Rain` (CD single)

 Review

Common Sense Media says

YouTube award winner has smart racial commentary.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this single is the winner of the 2007 YouTube Video Awards in the music category, and has become hugely popular. And while the lyrics are a bit cryptic, the singer himself admits to racial undercurrents.

  • There's racial commentary: "Chocolate rain/the same crime has a higher price to pay chocolate rain/the judge and jury swear it's not the face" and "Chocolate rain/made me cross the street the other day/Chocolate rain/made you turn your head the other way."
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

Twenty-five-year-old grad student Tay Zonday has quite a hit on his hands with over 15 million YouTube viewers of "CHOCOLATE RAIN" as of the end of February 2008. The almost five-minute song is a repetitive, programmed keyboard and drum loops that could be labeled as pop, but sounds unlike anything out there right now. There are also a whole lot of deep lyrics.


Is it any good?

 

Zonday's distinctively deep voice doesn't exactly match his boyish, leaning-towards-nerdy appearance, but "Chocolate Rain" doesn't really have a match, either. The video itself is plain with Zonday singing in to a microphone, doing nothing to spice things up, and after two minutes (of an almost 5-minute-song) boredom sets in. Perhaps what people find most interesting is Zonday's throaty voice and trying to figure out exactly what he's saying about "Chocolate Rain."


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the power of YouTube. It has made stars out of some people who were relatively unknown. How do people become so popular so fast? Is it because the general public is infatuated with fame and the famous?


This review was written by Maria Dinoia
Kid, 10 years old
March 11, 2010
 
Same beat, different words.
He says '' Worse than swearing''

Flag as inappropriate 
Educator
December 6, 2008
 
What?
This song is not raciest

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Teen, 18 years old
July 15, 2011
 
I Laughed Out Loud When I Saw A Review Page for This on CSM
I didn't expect this website to have a review page for basically a viral video. xD Regardless, I think this song is pretty good. It's repetitive, but I enjoy it. The tune and beat are really catchy. I also like the metaphors used in the song. Plus, it's funny that Tay Zonday looks like a 12 year old but has the voice of a 40 year old (that's pretty much the reason this went viral).

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
September 5, 2010
 
EVERYONE
nothing wrong with it!

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Teen, 16 years old
August 1, 2009
 
Awesome, must listen!
The song IMPLIES rascism, but not in a racist way. Nothing bad, and a very good song.

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Teen, 17 years old
February 4, 2009
 
RACEST !!
this young boy is a horrible influence. He is talking about how whites used to hurt the "cholate rain" I will never alow my children to watch this ! I saw it for my self and i was amazed !

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This review was written by Maria Dinoia
Artist:Tay Zonday
Release date:March 28, 2008
Genre:Pop
Parental advisory:No

This review was written by Maria Dinoia
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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