Straight Outta Fairfax: Another Local Rapper Wants to Challenge 'Arlington: The Rap'

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IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS since "Arlington: The Rap" -- a song by resident Remy Munasifi that paid homage to the county's many tiny dogs and Starbucks shops -- made the rounds on YouTube. That's more than enough time for some competition to crop up, right?

Freelance artist Chris Culosi, creator of the new "Fairfax Rap," apparently thinks so. Express asked the 26-year-old about his rhymes and whether he's looking to start an Arlington-vs.-Fairfax battle royal.

» EXPRESS: So, you live in Fairfax, right?
» CULOSI: Well, I live in Annandale -- but I hang out in Fairfax all the time. I never claimed I live there.

» EXPRESS: When did you first see "Arlington: The Rap"?
» CULOSI: A buddy of mine showed me "Arlington: The Rap" within the first week it dropped. I looked at it and I thought it as kind of funny. I personally don't like Arlington -- I don't like one-way streets and parking on the street. I noticed Remy got a lot of hits. Not necessarily trying to ride his coattails, I was like, "You know what? It can be good for me, as someone trying to put my name out there -- and also good for him to respond." I did the best I could to write something humorous about where I'm from and challenge him in hopes he'll respond. We can brew something locally in a comedic way about our two cities. I think Remy is funny. He's good at what he does. This is my first attempt at doing anything like this. ... It's catching on like wildfire and I'm actually shocked by it.

» EXPRESS: What's your response to those who'd say you're a copycat?
» CULOSI: That's what's funny. The whole opening of the video revolved around the fact that I saw his rap and I'm responding to it. I was never trying to hide being a "copycat." If I were to put a rap video up there or satirical thing about where I'm from then to me that would be copying his idea.

» EXPRESS: Why is Fairfax better than Arlington?
» CULOSI: I like that I can smoke in the majority of the restaurants in Fairfax -- I'm a smoker. Arlington is a place where I feel like a bunch of yuppy people go to hang out and show off their $300 sandals and Polo shirts. I'm more of a laid-back kind of guy. I like bars and restaurants that are more mellow. I like that I can find a place to sit down when I'm at a bar in Fairfax. I don't have to fight through people to get a drink at the bar. I can park in very close proximity to the building I want to go into as opposed to driving around for hours and hours to find a spot, to go there and find out you can't get in. It's a pain. I'm also not a big city guy; I never have been.

» EXPRESS: What are your Fairfax haunts?
» CULOSI: I'm at Uptown [Sushi] Bar & Grill (Fairfax; 9715 Fairfax Blvd., 703-691-7670) three times a week -- I used to run karaoke there on Monday nights.

» EXPRESS: There's nothing more thug than karaoke.
» CULOSI: That's the most gangster thing. I sing "O.P.P." by Naughty by Nature.

» EXPRESS: Anything you want to say to Remy? Want to challenge him to a rap battle?
» CULOSI: I don't take myself too seriously to where I'd actually challenge him to a battle, but I would love to do something with him. Collaborate if he was interested. As far as an actual battle is concerned, if he chooses to respond to what I've done, I'll have something waiting to counter his response.

» EXPRESS: Do you already have something planned?
» CULOSI: I don't have anything yet. Whether [my video] is good or bad, we'll let the community decide. I wrote the lyrics to that in about six hours. The filming of the actual video itself went on for two months. There were certain situations like at Fair Oaks Mall, you can't set up a tripod there because they don't want you to film there at all. So when I'm skipping out with a Build-A-Bear I had a buddy shoot it real quick.

» EXPRESS: Are you attending the Go-Remy party at K Street Lounge on Saturday?
» CULOSI: There's a party? Oh really?! Unfortunately I will be working that night.

» EXPRESS: Any rap videos in your future?
» CULOSI: This is going to sound really weird: I don't want to be penciled in as just as a musical comedian. I'm trying to launch a Web site, Chokeonfunny.com, I know nothing about how to even go about that. I've bought the domain name and that's as far as that. What I'd like to do is sketches that don't actually involve singing. ... It's been my dream since I was a little kid to be a performer in some way. I dance a little bit, I act --but Northern Virginia isn't the best hot spot for being discovered. When I see certain people put the most ridiculous videos on YouTube that I can't even believe people are viewing, and I hear through the grapevine that they offered this guy a part in this movie. I'm going, "Are you kidding me?" Why can't I be just as ridiculous or successful as those people?

» From the school of Starbucks: A Q&A with 'Arlington: The Rap' Star Remy Munasifi.

Photo courtesy Chris Culosi