Posted by Nick Minichino on 01/12/2011 at 3:53 PM News

The Popdust Files: black and yellow, chester hanks, chet haze, lyrikkal, tom hanks, wiz khalifa

That Stargate beat is unstoppable! Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” continues to spawn remakes and spinoffs from pop fans of all stripes. Though it’s nowhere near “Crank That” in the scale of imitation (possible apotheosis: “Crank That Forrest Gump“), “Black and Yellow” has same that combination of charismatic simplicity and ineffable catchiness. Witness:

1. On Friday we reported on the 92Q-sanctioned pro-Ravens “Black and Yellow” replacement, Mullyman’s “Black and Purple,” which local hero Joe Flacco is probably listening to on repeat in preparation for Saturday’s big AFC North game. Now Seattle hip-hop station Kube93 has commissioned the Seahawks-themed “Blue and Green” from local rappers T.N.T. and Smiley G.

This track would probably have followed more closely on the heels of “Black and Purple” if anyone in Seattle had actually believed that the Seahawks would win this past weekend.

2. Ten-year-old Houston emcee Lyrikkal aka Young Lyric, whose phenomenal freestyle over Diddy’s “Hello Good Morning” got notice last month, now offers “Pink and Purple”:

The revelation here (aside from Lyrikkal’s talent) is that the distance between turning one’s swag on and being a princess is actually nonexistent. “Got these labels watching,” she raps, promising “I’ma take it to another level.” We can only hope both of these statements are true. (P.S. She’s also recorded a “Whip My Hair” freestyle: “Whatever I Want.”)

3. Tom Hanks’s son Chester, under the name “Chet Haze,” has premiered the Asher Roth-esque “White and Purple,” about his student life at Northwestern University:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djbCaJLbdNs

He’s not the first to record a NU-themed “White and Purple”—that would be Mo Greene’s Wildcat Football-themed version from two months ago—but his fratty-stoner lyrics probably have a wider appeal, even if his lyrics and delivery are not as strong, especially when he gets away from weed-and-chicks hip-hop tropes: “I’m trying to walk the walk for the major of my choosing.”

VERDICT: Lyrikkal’s version is absolutely the keeper of the bunch. Chet Haze has plenty of room for improvement, but he could get there before the father’s-last-name interest fades. “Blue and Green” is a novelty, but we at Popdust are always in favor of sports pop. And we’re keeping our ears peeled for other notable “Black and Yellow” remixes.