Most people haven’t heard of the man, no, the legend, that is Patrice Wilson.

He’s not at the top of the iTunes music store, nor is he headlining record-breaking films.  Wilson is simply a music producer and singer who founded Ark Music Factory and later Pato Music World.

Many know him as “that one guy who appears in all these music videos hanging out with middle school girls.”

Wilson’s studios are responsible for producing some of pop culture’s most influential and meaningful songs, including: “Friday” by Rebecca Black, its sequel, “Happy,” which Wilson sang by himself, “It’s Thanksgiving” by Nicole Westbrook, and, more recently, “Chinese Food” by Alison Gold.

Wilson has made appearances in all of the singles listed above, all of which are known for their lyrical genius as well as their captivating music videos.

Many criticize Wilson, accusing him of giving young children, usually middle-school girls, dreams of fame and using this to get their parents to pay him to produce a mediocre-at-best song and video.

According to the Los Angeles Times, “For a fee, usually between $2,000 and $4,000, hopeful celebs-in-the-making are given a song to record as well as time with a producer-engineer (Wilson’s partner in Ark, Clarence Jey), a photo shoot, image consulting, a music video and promotion…Considering that low-end costs for major label music videos start around $10,000 or $15,000, Wilson’s fees are a bargain.”

Now let’s analyze some of Wilson’s finest work.

“Friday” tells the story of a hopeful teenage girl, Black, who is “looking forward to the weekend.” Standout lyrics include

“Yesterday was Thursday,             Thursday

Today i-is Friday, Friday…

Tomorrow is Saturday

And Sunday comes after …     wards”

Many criticize lyrics like this for their obviousness and lack of depth, but when compared to the stuff that teens today post on their Twitter accounts, these lyrics sound just about equally intelligible.

Gold’s “Chinese Food” may be Wilson’s crown jewel. It’s the accounts of a middle school girl who, after “balling” and “clubbing,” finds Chinese food  to be her favorite food.

Standout lyrics include the chorus, which is sung,
“I love Chinese food (Yeah)

You know that it’s true (Yeah)

I love fried rice (Yeah)

I love noodles (Yeah)

I love Chow mein

Chow Mo-Mo-Mo-Mo

Mein.” It’s these lyrics, so powerful that they don’t need to be rhyming to send a message,  making Wilson such a gifted musician.

The video has received acclaim for its cute and warm images, such as Wilson himself in a panda suit and 10-11 year-old Chinese restaurant employees. Receiving most criticism is a scene showing Chinese-themed parties in which the attendees are wearing kimonos and geisha makeup, which is Japanese and not Chinese.

I’m sure, however, this was shown strictly to encourage diversity among the youth.

Wilson’s songs speak to all of us Americans. We all love Chinese food, we all like Thanksgiving, we all look forward to the weekend, and we of course debate every day whether we should kick it in the front seat or sit in the backseat while our 13-year-old friends drive us around.

“I’m getting a lot of criticism saying I’m exploiting rich kids and their parents,” said Wilson in the same interview with the Los Angeles Times, “but find me another company that would do all this at a cost this low. I don’t promise anyone fame. In fact, if someone approaches me with their only goal to ‘get famous,’ I tell them they’re not in this for the right reasons.”

Wilson is a true giver, providing America’s youth the opportunity of a lifetime to blacken their name for a bargain of just $2,000-$4,000*.

*Possible side effects of working with Patrice Wilson include: eternal shame, a ruined career, and having your song called “the worst song of all time.”