Baba Brinkman - Twin Studies lyrics

Hi, is this, uh, Baba Brinkman?

Yeah, who’s this?

Baba Brinkman the "rapping evolutionist"

Yeah

Twin: I’m not sure how to tell you this
It’s a bit awkward, but, um
I’m your identical twin baba: No shit?

Yeah
I tracked you down with a Google search
I’ve known for about two years, but I thought
No, it’s just too weird

What?! No way, what’s your birthday?

It’s October 22nd 1978 the same as yours
I tracked you through an adoption agent
I’ve been watching you since about 2008
I can’t say why our biological parents
Would want to separate us
But anyway, I thought we should, you know
Get acquainted

I’m sorry, i just don’t know what to say
I’m shocked, I can’t wait to talk to my mom
And dad and ask them what
The hell they were on
Giving up an identical twin for adoption
But, I guess they probably had their reasons

So I guess that means
You’re a pretty easy-going guy
‘cause I thought you might
You know, be angry, or maybe even cry

Well
Maybe when I see you I might need to dry
An eye but for now
I’m just completely surprised
And curious as hell, I mean, what’s the deal?
What do you do, do you have kids
Do you take care of yourself?
Are you married? I mean, this is very surreal
Have you ever read about "twin studies"?
It’s, like, the only way we can tell
Which elements of the
Personalities we develop
Can be called the result
Of the environmental field
Compared to the part that’s
Beem genetically built
Yeah, I’m not so into science
But my job is that I teach creative writing
At a community college
And yeah, I have a little girl
And a beautiful wife
We’ve been married since 2005

Creative writing?
When you were a kid did your adopted parents
Read to you at night

No, they weren’t really "book people", why?

Oh, it’s just that my dad always
Likes to take credit
For my success as a rapper
‘cause he read to me as an infant
But, I always wondered whether my
Language instincts were genetic
And this is evidence

I really pictured this
Reunion as having a bit
More emotional resonance

Yeah, well, you’re not exactly pouring
On the expressiveness yourself

I know, I’ve never seen the necessity
My wife tells me it’s
An "emotional repression" thing
But, I’m not unaffectionate
It just seems excessive to me
Yeah, that could be a description of me

Okay, if we’re questioning
What about you, wife, girlfriend?

No
I’m not really a relationship type of person
I mean, it’s not like an aversion
It’s just that I’m always on tour and
It’s tough to imagine how to even
Try to work it in

Twin: But rapping
You must get some attention from women

Attention, sure, but, I’m not indiscriminate
I mostly tour colleges campuses
You can picture it in town for one night
Most women just aren’t into it i mean
There’s been an occasional
Grad student incident

My wife is a grad student

Yeah, well, I’m envious
I wish I could have that kind of connection
Intimate
My lifestyle could hardly be more itinerant

You came to my college, in 2006
You rapped the Canterbury Tales for the
Medieval English class

What? Why didn’t you contact me?

Because I didn’t know
I only tracked you two years ago, remember?
Plus I was on sabbatical, me and my wife
We had this whole… that time was stressful

Oh, sorry bro

Look, it’s not your fault
It’s just that i turned into this guy
This safe provider type
And I panicked, and I left my wife
And I moved to the other side
Of the planet, to Europe
But it just didn’t fit me
I was just an anonymous writer in a big city
And I wasn’t confident with women
So I lasted six weeks

And your wife took you back, huh?

Yup, I guess that’s love
And then nine months later
Along came little Rebecca

Nine months later?

Yeah, give or take
It’s funny how our lives have
Developed in different ways i mean
I envy your lifestyle
It looks pretty flat-out
I decided to contact you when I
Saw you on Rachel Maddow

Yeah, she’s fantastic… so you and your wife
You’ve been happy since your
Little European crisis?

Yeah, she’s a good mother
I’m lucky to have her

And you’re never tempted to, you know
Stray from the pasture?
Hook up with one of your students maybe
I don’t know do something crazy?

Yeah, I’m tempted, occasionally
But it’s a two-way street, right? I mean
Basically
How can I trust her if she can’t trust me?

And you trust her?

Yes, now, but, I’ve had some jealous times
I mean, when Rebecca was like two and half
I took her to the clinic and
I got a check-up and I
Asked the doctor to give her a
Paternity test on the side

Really
Why? Does she have like an "ethnic vibe"?

No, she looks like me
She’s freckled and white
She was just born a bit
Quickly after that difficult time
And I didn’t wanna be suspicious, but I

And the verdict?

The doctor said she’s definitely mine
One hundred percent DNA test certified

Oh, that’s great then
I’d love to meet your kid

And my wife

Yeah, I was gonna say that next
Okay, look, I have to go
There’s this thing for the Fringe
I’m writing this play about

Yeah, Human Nature, yes
I’ve been tracking you through
Your Facebook friends
I’ll be interested to hear what you
Have to say about twins

Yeah, well, as soon as I can
I’ll come visit you

Okay, Baba
Just call me when you’re ready to