MIDDLEBURY - Sam Robinson's first rap went viral.
Robinson, a 20-year-old economics and philosophy major at Middlebury College, is having a moment in the spotlight because of "Midd Kid," a tongue-in-cheek rap about life at the school whose accompanying video has been embedded across the blogosphere. YouTube showed the video with 226,720 views as of Tuesday night, with remixes and alternate versions beginning to appear. The song is also available on iTunes.

The song could be called an exercise in product placement, with descriptions of what Middlebury students eat, drink and wear referencing enough brand names for an entire season of "Mad Men."



One verse describes trying to pick up a woman in the library. Another is dedicated to Quidditch, the fictional game from "Harry Potter" books and movies that Middlebury students have managed to turn into a genuine intramural sport.

Another verse is dedicated to the "lax bro," a species of lacrosse player native to Northeastern prep schools.

News reports on the video have described it as controversial, with some decrying the images of partying and lacrosse players saying their feelings were hurt.

Student government at Middlebury did not respond to e-mails seeking a perspective on the campus' attitude. Robinson claims the controversy was largely manufactured.

"People thought it was funny," he said. "They took it for what it was. People recognize me around campus —it's not like they're spitting at me or anything. Everybody likes it. Everybody knows it's a joke."

Robinson said he started working on the song last semester.

"I was just messing around, scribbling lyrics literally on a napkin," he said. "I told (a friend) about the idea of the song. He went to class, came back with a verse."

Over fall break, Robinson started working on the music, which he said he made using a computer in his dorm room. Then he rounded up a group of friends to rap on it. He said he also recruited his brother to help him write the "lax bro" verse.

"The lax bro stereotype is kind of a universal thing," he said. "I knew I wanted to have (that) part of the song."

After he started playing the recording for people, Robinson said a film major told him she would love to make a video for it, but that she was about to go abroad. She helped put him in touch with Aaron Becker, a Middlebury senior who co-owns a Los Angeles production company.

"I was like, 'Beverly Hills! I'm down. Let's do it,'" Robinson said.

Director Aram Rappaport flew out from California, Robinson said, and a crew of about 20 students would start work each day at 7 a.m.

Robinson said the effort was not sanctioned by the school.

"I never thought the school would support it in any way," he said. "I knew they couldn't. What I didn't want was to get permission and have them censor it. There was going to be drinking in the video — there was going to be all that because it was going to be funny."

While they got a small amount of student funding for the video, Robinson said it was produced mostly for free.

"The production company — I was kind of wondering what kind of incentive they had to do this," he said.

Becker, a Middlebury senior majoring in international politics and economics, said he co-founded Windward Entertainment with childhood friend Rappaport. He said that while the company was not making any money off "Midd Kid," they expect to get plenty out of the effort.

"First, we're getting good exposure," he said. "Second, we're kind of entering the Middlebury network."

The video garnered a lot of praise from parents and alumni, Becker said, and he expects some of those fans could become business contacts.

"Neither of those intentions were there from the beginning," he said. "The song was so professionally done, I thought it would be a disservice if the video wasn't to the same standard."

Becker would not say how much "Midd Kid" cost.

"We'd really rather not talk about the budget," he said. "From our standpoint, it leaves more options open for music videos. I can say it's considerably less than anybody's expectations."

Becker said he and Rappaport have done other music videos — though not anything anyone is likely to see, and that they plan to shoot a film — a "classic summer romance" — in Cape Cod over the summer.

Becker said he has already recruited Robinson to do the soundtrack.

gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com