'Hamilton' and 'Star Wars' collide in your dream jam session
Lin-Manuel Miranda performs his 'Star Wars' composition with J.J. Abrams.
Unless you've been living under the proverbial rock for the last year or so, you've likely heard of the musical sensation Hamilton (16-time Tony nominee) and its creator / star Lin-Manuel Miranda. As it turns out, Miranda isn't just an American history buff -- he's also a pretty serious Star Wars fan. He managed to squeeze time into his busy schedule last year to compose a song for The Force Awakens called "Jabba Flow," heard in the cantina in Maz's castle.
The song wasn't included on the film's official soundtrack, but in celebration of the marketing-fueled "May the fourth" Star Wars celebration, you can hear the tune Miranda composed and performed with director J.J. Abrams on the official Star Wars site today. You can also stream it on Apple Music or buy it on iTunes if you really need to own the short, odd ditty.
But Miranda took things a step further today. Last year, Miranda and various cast members and musicians would hold short, impromptu performances outside Hamilton's theater. It was part of a phenomenon called #Ham4Ham at which lucky would-be attendees could win tickets to the show as part of a lottery. The lottery has since moved online, but today Miranda and Abrams performed "Jabba Flow" live for the assembled masses. Before performing the song, Miranda confirmed that the song was written in Huttese, the language of Jabba the Hut. "It translates as 'no, lover lover, it wasn't me,' Miranda says in the middle of the video. "It's literally a Shaggy intergalactic remix."
