Sheck Wes tells stories of his life in debut album ‘MUDBOY’

Last Friday, Sheck Wes dropped his debut album, “MUDBOY.” The featureless album includes 14 tracks, all of which document Wes’ life and his newfound fame.

Wes is one of a few artists signed to Cactus Jack Records, a record label founded by Travis Scott in 2017. Being under the wing of one of today’s hottest rappers, Wes is establishing his identity and making a name for himself in the world of hip-hop.

He’s a Renaissance Man to say the least. Born to Senegalese immigrant parents, the 20-year-old Harlem native grew up rapping, playing competitive basketball and modeling, before deciding music was his future.

Wes started gaining traction with his breakout single, “Mo Bamba.” The hard-hitting, mosh-pit-provoking track was written for Mo Bamba, a rookie center for the Orlando Magic, and Wes’ childhood friend. His other previously released singles — “Live Sheck Wes” and “Chippi Chippi” — are also on the album.

“MUDBOY” is somewhat of an autobiography of Wes’ life thus far. In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 Radio, he said: “I kind of want ‘MUDBOY’ to just be only Sheck Wes and (the album) is going to talk about how I became a mudboy … a mudboy is just somebody who came from nothing.”

The album has an overall aggressive sound. The leading track, “Mindf**ker,” gives off an alien-like feel through the use of its looming and suspenseful electronic undertones. “Gmail,” “Chippi Chippi” and “F**k Everybody” also use similar sounds.

“Jiggy With The Sh***s” is where Wes primarily touches on his trip to Africa. Toward the end of high school, Wes was sent back to Senegal by his mom in hopes of him learning discipline. Wes said it was something of a religious journey — it’s clear through the title alone his trip was the motivation for his album.

“When I was in Africa, in the rain, I (walked) around in, like, mud, you know, the sand would turn to mud and you are not getting out of that,” he told Lowe.

He also nods to his love of both basketball and modelling in “Kyrie” and “Vetement Socks.”

“MUDBOY” isn’t bad for a debut album. For an artist who’s backed by Scott and Kanye West, you can only see Wes going up from here. After watching a few of his interviews, it is evident that Wes has a story to tell, and he used “MUDBOY” to do just that. Wes has an authentic personality that resonates through his loud and aggressive flow, ultimately revealing his passion for the craft.

Cydney Lee is a junior psychology major. Her music column appears biweekly in Pulp. You can email her at cmlee100@syr.edu or follow her on Twitter @cydneylee_.