Who Is Allen Hamlette?
The music world contains many enigmatic figures whose talent, motivations and inspiration are intriguing to the general populace. Wondering how Jeff Mangum could produce a work of such great power as "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," or what exactly was going on inside Brian Wilson's head as he composed Smile back in the sixties are simply two of the mysteries that the average music fan wonders about on a routine basis. To me, however, there is no figure more enigmatic, no greater diamond in the rough talent-wise than former Virginia Tech student Allen Hamlette.
Allen was first called to my attention by a friend who had received an MP3 from his friend who attended Virginia Tech. It was a freestyle rap by a friend of his from high school, and it became the stuff of legends amongst my friends at the University of Virginia. The rap was set crudely recorded, obviously done in a crowded dorm room over a cd playing Biggie's "Hypnotize", but it was incredibly clever, vulgar, and contained enough slang and references that were then incorporated into our own culture of inside jokes. "Crazy Vocabulation," "I Got Two Nuts" and "Pat's Room" (where the recording evidently took place) were just a few of these catch phrases. A second, shorter freestyle was released, and while it could never hope to capture the lightning in a bottle of the first rap, it was reassuring that Allen was still putting his talent to use.
Now over five years have passed since the first freestyle was recorded, and despite my best efforts, I have been unable to find anything but the most basic and uninteresting information about Allen Hamlette. All I have been able to track down on the internet is that he once received the "Most Spirited" award for the Robinson High School marching band. Based on the freestyle, one can also conclude that he lived in or nearby the "Slusher Wing" dormitory in Virginia tech, pictured below:
Slusher Wing Dorm & A Slusher Wing Dorm Room, Possibly Pat's
Unfortunately, after these two items, the trail quickly goes cold. So I put this plea out there to anyone who may know what Allen Hamlette is up to today: Send whatever information you have my way. An email address, a photo, any other recordings you might have. The man has talent, and it ought not to be the sort of thing that people only realize once it is too late.
Below are links to the two freestyles. The first, longer one, was evidently recorded on 10/29/99 and the second one a year later, on 10/02/00. I have also attempted a rudimentary remix that I created using the lyrics of the first freestyle with the beat to Jesus Walks by Kanye West. If anyone else is interested in composing their own remix of either freestyle, I would be eager to see the results of what someone with more talented mixing skill could do to Allen Hamlette's work.
All songs are in MP3 form, right click to save: First Freestyle, Second Freestyle and Jesus Walks Remix.
Comments
lol.... THIS IS ME!!!! I thought this was LONG gone, as it was something I did when I was CRAZY bent at VT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! All the way to San Diego???? Whoever you are, you're my muthaf**in DUDE! Diamond in the rough? DAMN RIGHT.
Posted by: Allen hamlette | February 20, 2006 06:08 PM
Man these were good times up in the wing! I vividly remember this epic freestyle, and can definitely attest to Allen being crazy bent...
Posted by: Brett Baskin | March 27, 2006 08:28 PM