Fun with AI: A rap battle between Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson
This sketch is the only evidence of a rap battle between the two architectural giants. (Image produced by DALL-E using the prompt “ink sketch of Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson in a rap battle”)
The crowd fell silent as the two greatest architects of their time stepped into the arena. Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson had come to prove their superiority in the ultimate rap battle.
The first lines were spoken and the audience erupted, captivated by the lyrical genius of Mies. He threw down his rhymes with a speed and intensity that seemed to come straight from his architectural designs. Philip Johnson responded with a clever and witty line of bars, inspiring roars of approval from the crowd.
The battle continued back and forth, an epic clash of words that showed just how deep the rivalry between these two greats truly was…
Mies van der Rohe
I am the king of less, with clean lines and finesse
While you, Philip, are all over the place, a mess
My buildings stand the test of time, forever divine
While yours are just a flash in the pan, a trend on decline.
Philip Johnson
Hold up Mies, you play it safe.
But I'm not afraid to take risks and make waves
My diversity sets me apart, while you're stuck in your ways
You may have "less", but I have more to say.
Mies van der Rohe
My "less" is not minimal, it's essential
Your designs lack purpose, mine are intentional
My buildings stand the test of time, while yours are a fad
I am the king of minimal, you just play dress up, my friend.
Philip Johnson
You may have your "less is more" motto
But mine is "less is a bore," I want more
I take from the past, and bring to the future
While you're stuck in the present, a true architectural torture.
* * *
Human author’s note:
All of the above text was generated with OpenAI’s ChatGPT using the prompts “describe a rap battle between Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson” and “make a rap battle between Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson.” It is unedited.
There’s a lot of fretting about AI among artists and writers right now. Some of the concern is justified. Much of it is, I think, overblown — at least for now. Either way, it’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s interesting to explore and hack at it until you see the boundaries where things start to break down. After four verses, this “rap battle” got repetitive, but I’m impressed and surprised at how it captures the basic worldview and common criticism of each architect.
I’ve been experimenting with AI a little in my professional work. Mostly as a first draft machine for blog posts. Sometimes to get a fresh voice or perspective from the digital corpses of William Faulkner or Stan Lee. Results are inconsistent. But I think the technology is promising. To quote Stan Lee…
Excelsior!
