PSA: Fatboi Sharif is destined to be a 400 Pound P**** Cyborg star
The ‘Public Service Announcement’ series aims to spotlight the things you NEED to be paying attention to, as a fan of the culture.
In light of Fatboi Sharif and Roper Williams’ recent innovative live performance music video/Chinese food vlog (shown above), one thought came to mind that I wanted to discuss.
Hip-hop has been home to many notable “characters” throughout its lifetime. You had Tupac Shakur, the magnetic revolutionary. Snoop Dogg, the silky smooth pimp. MF DOOM, the mysterious comic-book villain… and now ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to officially add another to the list:
Fatboi Sharif, the 400 pound porno cyborg.
Sharif first entered onto my radar late in 2020, as I began to enter into this new world of the underground that I did not know previously existed, through my discovery of Iceberg Theory’s music (check my interview with Iceberg Theory here). From the moment I first heard Sharif on his guest feature on Iceberg Theory’s Dispatches from the Kali Yuga, I was hooked.
… actually, no that’s a lie. I didn’t even love that song, or even Sharif’s performance on that song when I first heard it. With time surely, I grew to appreciate his over-the-top delivery on that song, but the real point is that even when I wasn’t in love with Sharif’s feature at first, I could tell there was something special there. There was something in his energy that immediately told me to run that song back again. There was an ‘it factor’ that resonated with me since day one.
Not only is Sharif a great talent, but I would put my imaginary hip-hop bucks on the bet that Fatboi Sharif will be a star… sooner than you may think.
Here are four key reasons why:
Reason #1. His personality is one-of-a-kind.
A key ingredient in the formula of a notable figure in any field, is that they tend to possess something in their personality that is unique and resonates with people. Fatboi Sharif certainly possesses this.
I had the pleasure of being able to experience his ultra charismatic and inviting personality firsthand, when him and [one half of] Roper Williams joined the show for an interview earlier in 2021. Immediately, he entertained and made the conversation light and lively. Finally, through the insight he provided into his music, and the way he generally views the culture of art as a whole, Sharif made it abundantly clear that there is substance to his persona, within this entertaining artistic package.
Sharif’s oddball personality colours his music with a novel feeling, that leads to strange vocal deliveries and downright twisted lyricism that very few could pull off, such as the following:
“Trump winning, Cosby lust women, Gandhi loves children, government drugs filled them”
Above all, this dynamic personality is clearly 100% authentic. Therefore, I fully expect Sharif to give us unique artistic output that will continue to keep us on our toes for years to come.
Reason #2. He understands the totality of the 2021 hip-hop artist package.
Evidenced by this fantastically immersive live performance video/Chinese food vlog, it shows that Sharif understands how to stay true to himself, while creating content that promotes his work and further builds his enigmatic persona.
Additionally, through the fact that he is promoting his Gandhi Loves Children almost a full year after it originally released, Sharif sees the value in thoughtfully keeping his music alive within the current avalanche of hip-hop music, where new music is dropping at an insanely high rate. Sharif has moved in a way that ensures his music doesn’t get lost in the mix, while finding a balance between creating new content and preventing oversaturation.
In speaking with him in our interview, Sharif is keenly aware of how important the creative elements outside of the music truly is towards building an experience for fans to gravitate to. That’s why you see album covers, music videos, and merchandise from the Fatboi Sharif camp that are carefully crafted, and stand out amongst the crowd.
The Gandhi Loves Children album cover and audacious title supports this ‘it factor’ I previously mentioned, where I was so strongly intrigued to figure out what the hell this album was all about. Even his GLC merch is marketed with his now trademark Chinese food paraphernalia in the mix. This dude just gets it.
Every major piece of content we get from Sharif contributes to this magnetic and fun persona of his in a genuine way. Without getting too business nerd here for a second, this is what you would call strong ‘brand consistency’ in practice.
This thoughtful approach to the marketing side of his career will serve Sharif well in navigating the rap game in 2021 and beyond.
Reason #3. He approaches his craft with a meticulous attention to detail, and is constantly evolving.
The third reason contributing to Sharif’s impending stardom, which is supported by Shairf’s ‘it factor’, is that he’s the type of artist that, without forcing this feeling on his listener, compels listeners to keep pressing play no matter what.
Whether it’s rocking a zany high-energy, catching the pocket in a boom-bap feeling beat, or getting psychedelic and rocking the lower register of his voice in mesmerizing fashion… he always remains an intriguing figure because you simply do not know what to expect. It’s the idea of hearing something that is simultaneously so entertaining and fun, yet twisted and complex that makes his music so high in replay-value.
The way Sharif achieves this variety is due to a strong knack for taking care of the little things, related to his vocal tone, beat selection, and how he structures his music. These well-groomed elements provide a distinctly fresh quality to his music.
As seen through his pre-Gandhi Loves Children work, and in his recent guest performances, Sharif is only further experimenting and uncovering new ways to push his sound forward.
Reason #4. He is on more than just my radar.
Finally, it is clear that I am not the only one who sees the rising star that is Fatboi Sharif… because he is everywhere these days. Whether it’s through a plethora of recent features, or live performance bookings, everyone seems to be tapping into the New Jersey native.
His latest feature on Steel Tipped Dove’s fantastic Call Me When You’re Outside is evidence of that point alone, performing well and rubbing shoulders with the best of the famed Backwoodz Studioz ecosystem.
The Fatboi Sharif stock is rising. Be wise, and invest now!
Buy Gandhi Loves Children here and stream below.
For more quality hip-hop content, listen to/watch The Rap Music Plug Podcast wherever you’d like: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube.
