Sheck Wes took the world by storm during the summer of 2018! Not only did his “Mo Bamba” single go viral, his debut Mudboy album peaked at #17 on the US Billboard Top 200. The artist was one of the many rappers who seemingly came out of nowhere in 2018. “Mo Bomba” began to pick up traction in mid-2018, leading to his work with Travis Scott on ASTROWORLD and his subsequent signing to Cactus Jack Records, Interscope Records as well as GOOD Music. He briefly took the world by storm but has been quiet as of late. Despite this, the rapper still does numbers! His furious style of rap has kept him in the mouths of listeners, hopefully continuing for years to come.
Sheck Wes was born Khadimou Rassoul Cheikh Fall on September 10, 1998, in New York City to Senegalese immigrants. When he was five years old, Fall and his mother moved to Milwaukee, WI, where they lived during the winters for 9 years (going back to New York during the summers due to his mother’s business). They moved back for good when Fall was 14 years old, and when they were settled, he was quick to get to work. He grew up playing basketball with his friend, Mohamed “Mo” Bamba, who is now a rookie in the NBA. The two were both born to African immigrants, and have stuck by one another’s side since childhood. Fall also got into rap when he was a teenager and would often go to Ebro’s pop-ups at Footaction, spitting quick freestyles while they shopped.
Sheck Wes started making music around the age of nine. He was part of a small rap group with his friends called the MillYorkers, in which he was Kid Khadi (a combination of his government name and the rapper Kid Cudi, who he cites as an inspiration to him). At age 16, Sheck modeled for Yeezy, where he was able to meet Lil Yachty, Ian Connor as well as Young Thug, helping motivate him even more with his music. This led to quitting basketball and focusing mainly on music and fashion. As Sheck continued to gain momentum, his mother sent him to a religious education center in Africa (only thinking it would only be for a few days). Once he arrived, however, his mother told him that he’d be staying there for a few years. Although this somewhat strained their relationship, Wes said that it helped him get more in touch with himself and his spirituality. Once he came back, he finished high school and built up his music collection. With his 2017 “Mo Bamba” single, Sheck Wes was able to rise to stardom, working with the likes of Travis Scott and Kanye West.
One unique thing about Sheck Wes is definitely his sound. Instead of taking the route of many of today’s rappers and sticking to simple, repetitive rap, he took a different approach. In his raps, Sheck Wes chooses to be loud and offensive, shouting lyrics over beats that are often gritty or distorted. This is seen in songs like “Live Sheck Wes and F**k Everybody,” where he screams lyrics such as “Bitch, I’m Harlem boy Sheck Wes, bitch, I always been the man” and “I only fuck with a couple of real niggas bitch. You ain’t a real ni**a so I call you bitch.” His unique sound is what set him apart from other rappers, as his loud and explicit behavior on songs is something rarely seen in today’s rap music.
Recently, Sheck Wes faced domestic violence allegations stemming from his ex-girlfriend, Justine Skye. Although the rapper denied these accusations, he lost his spot in a Major League Soccer campaign and has suffered a backlash from the situation.
Sheck’s career began to take off with his feature on Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD album as well as his hit song “Mo Bamba,” helping project the rapper to stardom. Will he continue to do numbers or will he be forgotten? Only time will tell! Until then, fans hope that he continues making gritty and explosive music.
