Canadian music journalist Nardwuar is pretty well known for his research skills, which have allowed him to share fun and quirky facts about Brockhampton and scare the hell out of Lil Uzi Vert, but his latest interview with an American rap star shows just how far he’s willing to go to get a scoop. While interviewing Cactus Jack/GOOD Music rapper Sheck Wes, Nardwuar pulls out a pile of Senegalese and West African LPs, one of which may even have Sheck’s own grandfather on it, prompting the Harlemite to ask, “How did you find this?” Of course, with Nardwuar, information tends to be a one-way street.
Also knowing that Sheck spent a significant portion of his childhood in Milwaukee, Nardwuar brings him a copy of Coo Coo Cal’s 2001 single, “My Projects,” on vinyl, encouraging him to get familiar with the instrumental version. The other rap-related gifts Nardwuar brings the rapper include a copy of Shaquille O’Neil’s first rap project, Shaq Diesel and a Shaq action figure related to Sheck’s single “Mo Bamba” blowing up and the actual Mo Bamba ending up on Shaq’s old team, the Orlando Magic. The pair also discuss Sheck’s old nickname of “Static Shock,” how Sheck was once styled by Erykah Badu, and the “fire fakes” on tap in Africa.
