As Drake said after he concluded his first interview with Nardwuar, a Canadian man who rocks a tartan hat and calls himself the "Human Serviette," "this guy is a legend." There's really no better way to put it: this guy's interviewed everyone from Nirvana to N*E*R*D, and always seems to unearth facts that no other interviewer in the game can. His earnest personality can throw some artists for a loop, but it doesn't take long to realize that despite the quirks, this man is one of the best in the business.
His new interview with Rae Sremmurd is the latest in a long line of Nardwuar interviews that inspire gleeful reactions from rappers. Some give him a hard time, some are unwilling to cooperate, but give him a chance to show his vast knowledge, and you just might wind up wanting to give him your chain. These are his five most memorable interviews with some of hip-hop's biggest names.
Odd Future (2011)
Filmed right at the height of their hype, OFWGKTA's Nardwuar interview kicks off with Tyler, The Creator introducing himself as R. Kelly, and never lets up from there. Combining the group's irreverent antics with Nardwuar's eager tactics may seem like a volatile mixture, but aside from a joking "You with the feds?" reaction from Tyler, they get along surprisingly well.
When it comes to gift-giving time (a highlight of any Nardwuar interview), Tyler shows that his music knowledge isn't as juvenile as his actions, getting very excited over records by Egyptian Lover and Roy Ayers. Skateboarding, pantomimed shitting and more false identities (KRS-One, B. Rabbit from "8 Mile," Taye Diggs, etc.) go down, making for a highly entertaining watch.
Waka Flocka Flame & Wooh Da Kid (2012)
Of all the memorable Nardwuar moments, Wooh Da Kid taking off his 1017 chain and putting it around Nardo's neck might be the best. Hosting the Atlanta rappers in his hometown of Vancouver, BC, he gifts them records by SWV, Sammy Sam and Kilo Ali that really seem to make Waka and Wooh respect the hell out of Nardwuar's research on their music tastes.
"I thought it'd be a gimmick with you on YouTube and stuff man," Waka says, during a particularly incredulous moment, but like many others before him, he learned how legit Nardwuar really is. After Wooh "puts him down with the squad" by gifting him the chain, Nardwuar signs out and we're given one of the best outros he's ever had.
Snoop Dogg (2010)
Of all the rappers who've become fans of Nardwuar, Snoop might be the most devoted. Since 2002, he's been interviewed by the Human Serviette no less than three times, but the best of these came in 2010. It kicks off with Snoop rolling a blunt and then microwaving it (does anyone else do this?), and then the interview begins and centers on Snoop's love of Canada. Nardwuar gets behind the Doggfather's affinity for hockey jerseys and they reminisce about the rap he performed on hockey night in Canada.
Nardwuar also unearths the first video Snoop ever directed, which he seems eternally grateful for. Leaving us with a "rock out with your cock out," Snoop makes it clear that this won't be the last time him and his good friend Nardwuar shoot the shit.
Jay Z (2008)
Of all the interviews on this list, this is the most awkward. It took separate emails, calls and texts from Pharrell to Jay to set it up, and even after the producer sang Nardwuar's praises, Hov still seemed apprehensive about the interview. "You come highly recommended. You called me like a hundred times, I didn't really understand it at first," he says, nursing a stogie and bumbling through his sentences. It's rare to see the legend so out of his element, and that's why this interview is great. For years now, Jay has maintained an impeccably-crafted image (even more so since he married Bey), and it's a rare treat to see him behaving like a normal human in a situation over which he has no control.
Awkwardness aside, Nardwuar does his usual great job of dredging up Jay's oldest memories, interspersing interviews with Questlove and Ice-T to get the full story on "99 Problems" and Jay's writing process.
Drake & Noah "40" Shebib (2010)
Recorded when Canadian rappers were a little rarer than they are today, Nardwuar's interview with Drake has them finding common ground on a number of subjects. Bonding over Canadian rapper Michie Mee, a copy of the "Coffy" soundtrack autographed by Pam Grier (whose pictures Drake says he used to masturbate to), and an Al Green record that some of Drizzy's relatives played on, Nardwuar and the Toronto native really gel on this one.
Perhaps the best gift ever given by Nardwuar to a rapper is the Michael Jackson "red jacket with the zippers" that Drake raps about on "Over," capping off what might just be Nardwuar's best interview ever. Hopefully he can make another one happen with Drake soon.