• Developers, The Rap (Featuring Steve Ballmer, Naturally)

    Mg Siegler

    MG Siegler is a general partner at Google Ventures and a columnist for TechCrunch, where he has been writing since 2009. Previously, MG was a general partner at CrunchFund. And before TechCrunch, MG covered various technology beats for VentureBeat. Originally from Ohio, MG attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. He’s previously lived in Los Angeles where he worked... → Learn More

    Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

    One upon a time, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer interrupted a speech at a developer’s conference with a chant that would set the Internet ablaze. “Developers, developers, developers, developers” was quickly put on the web and just as quickly mixed, remixed, and placed on the mantle of pure Internet gold. But to the best of my knowledge, no one has ever crafted an actual song around it.

    Until now.

    Mobile developer Cory Smith shot us an email today pointing us to a song he wrote and recorded. “I’m contrasting developing music and developing software in a hardcore rap kinda way, pretty entertaining,” he notes in his post. “The Steve Ballmer sample is the icing on the cake,” he notes in his message to us. Indeed.

    Listen to the song below. It’s awesome. And below that, find Smith’s lyrics.

    If Microsoft is smart, they’ll use this to kick of Ballmer’s next speech much like Apple used an awesome song we posted to kick off the Antennagate presser. After all, the talk is that Microsoft is putting a heavy focus back on developers. The song is perfect.

    Smixx - Developers (feat. Steve Ballmer) by Smixx

    I’m a developer
    in many senses of the word
    cause I make these applications
    but I also use these verbs
    to make this music
    I construct it line by line
    just like when I’m coding
    another software design
    in both cases
    its about design patterns
    anyone can get the job done
    its the execution that matters
    I have many interests
    sometimes they conflict
    my creativity can usually be a benefit
    but sometimes it keeps me
    far too busy
    but I can’t complain
    because my life is hardly gritty
    so I think i’ll sit back
    and pen myself another ditty
    why is it that Linus Torvalds
    the only one that Gits me
    did you get that reference I was using
    or is the thought of source source control too confusing
    may just lay myself down a Team Foundation
    so I can test the objects of my creation

    Chorus (Steve Ballmer)
    Developers Developers Developers Developers
    Developers Developers Developers Developers
    Developers Developers Developers Developers
    Developers Developers Developers Developers

    not a fan of jewelry
    except for Ruby on Rails
    I can use my skills
    to increase my online sales
    capitalize on the popularity of Facebook
    or grill up some beats
    so they declare me a great cook
    never really been a big fan of insects
    so I track down bugs
    remove them when in test
    make sure they never get pushed to production
    but sometimes deadlines decide they get rushed in
    I’m the same way
    when it comes to my songs
    perfection is the goal whenever the mic is on
    I don’t want a bad verse to slip in the mix
    cause it could look really bad
    for Cory or smixx
    only a fan of your behaviour
    if its driven development
    theres no sense of
    adding features for the hell of it
    complexity is irrelevant
    whether its with music or software
    your users have stories so you should be telling them

    Chorus (Steve Ballmer)
    Developers Developers Developers Developers
    Developers Developers Developers Developers
    Developers Developers Developers Developers
    Developers Developers Developers Developers

    seeing my creations
    on others devices
    after years of concentration
    is nothing but priceless
    whether its with software
    or a song just like this
    I put myself out there
    so go on and hype this
    Running 3 external monitors
    off of my macbook
    currently reviewer on a Windows Phone Pact book
    now I got Steve Ballmer
    and he’s bombing on this tracks hook
    of course my QA’s on me
    cause this app just crashed look
    when I write my raps
    never use a marker
    constantly refactor
    like I’m using Resharper
    doing ad hoc deploys
    and I’m always deliverin’
    and I made that choice
    regardless of dividends
    creating all this noise
    in some form
    until the bitter end
    stating with with my voice
    theres no norm
    that I can fit within
    haven’t been sleeping
    but using lots of REST
    pass the mic back to who rocked it best

    Company: Microsoft
    Website: microsoft.com
    Launch Date: April 4, 1974
    IPO: NASDAQ:MSFT

    Microsoft, founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, is a veteran software company, best known for its Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software. Starting in 1980 Microsoft formed a partnership with IBM allowing Microsoft to sell its software package with the computers IBM manufactured. Microsoft is widely used by professionals worldwide and largely dominates the American corporate market. Additionally, the company has ventured into hardware with consumer products such as the Zune and...

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    Person: Steve Ballmer
    Companies: Microsoft

    Steven A. Ballmer is Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and was the first business manager hired by Bill Gates. Since then, Ballmer’s leadership and passion have become hallmarks of his tenure at the company. During the past 20 years, Ballmer has headed several Microsoft divisions, including operations, operating systems development, and sales and support. In July 1998, he was promoted to President, a role that gave him day-to-day responsibility for running Microsoft. He was named...

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