1.
By Joe Price
The internet is a really, really strange place. In an age where Swedish kids can mumble-rap in broken English and people are all over it, nothing is surprising anymore. Where you’re from is a moot issue at this point, but age is a different story. Earl Sweatshirt wowed everyone back in 2010 at the age of 16, with a DOOM-inspired flow and shockingly explicit lyrics about severe subject matter.
Now it’s 2014, “internet rap” has taken on a new meaning, and we have Lil Shark, an 11-year-old rapper from Augusta, Georgia. He raps about cocaine and making girls “wet like a waterspout,” and he’s mastered the weird Tumblr aesthetic. Read the YouTube or SoundCloud comments on any one of his songs and it’s clear that people are into it. It must be reiterated: he’s 11.
With the assistance of producer Psymun and Spooky Black, I set up a GChat conversation with Lil Shark.
How have you been?
Can my brother type for me since he does it fast? Great, just chilling, school’s over tomorrow so my tape comes out in a couple weeks.
What inspired you to get into rapping in the first place?
Okay well my brother started rapping a couple months ago and got a microphone. I like his music and I like rap music so I asked if I could rap. He said sure bro and we found some beats and he helped me write to them since I’m not that good at writing. Then we released it and he showed it to his friends on twitter. Then cold hart hit me up and asked to do a song so I sent him my verse and we made “Awesome.” Then a week later we have 10,000 plays and my favorite artists are following me.
That’s insane.
Yeah I made a Facebook for my fans to add me on and I made a Twitter. So I got messages from a lot of people but my bro told me to do a song with Cold Hart cause he’s awesome. So we did it. It is awesome that I’m 11 and a lot of people listen to me.
Why the name Lil Shark?
I like sharks a lot and I’m little.
Why the name Lil Shark?
I like sharks a lot and I’m little.
I suppose it makes sense. Sharks are cool.
Sharks are pretty awesome. I love going to the Atlanta aquarium.
Aquariums are cool, but have you been to a rap show yet?
No, but my brother is opening up for Bones, Xavier Wulf, Chris Travis, and Eddy Baker next month so that will be my first one
You ever think of naming one of your projects an aquatic pun of some kind? Like, maybe Great White Rapper?
Haven’t thought that far ahead.
I must ask, are your parents aware of your music at all?
Yes they know I rap and my mom thinks it’s fine as long as I’m not actually doing what I rap about. Lol.
Spooky Black specifically asked me to ask who your “main ho” is, so feel free to answer that if you want.
That’s hard to decide since I have so many. Hmm if I had to pick one it would be Iggy Azalea.
Is a track with Iggy the dream?
Maybe, but right now I’m going for Bones and Black Kray lol.
Bones is killing it, could definitely see you collaborating with him at some point. I’m guessing Yung Lean is a collaborator you’re also interested in?
Yung Lean is awesome but I think he’s too famous for me right now. Maybe when I blow up Lil B would be cool too.
Well I accidentally acquired The Based God’s phone number recently so if that happens feel free to hit me up.*
*Please don’t email me asking for Lil B’s phone number.
5.
