“So Many Feelings:” Meet Nettspend, Gen-Z’s Underground Savior

“It gets weird growing up,” declares 17-year-old rapper Nettspend in the first line of Badassfuckingkid, his debut album that after months of anticipation, speculation, and leaks, dropped early December. The Richmond, Virginia native—born Gunner Shepardson, had been dabbling in music since grade school, but it wasn’t until he got expelled in 2022 (a beloved Grime-sampling track on the new LP is called “Skipping Class”), that he found support in another community, a group of rappers and beatmakers including NOVAGANG, 1c34, WitchGang, and reklusl1ve. The following year, Nett broke out with a series of singles that showcased his ability to marry a hazy flow and feral bars about pills, bitches, and drank to blown-out beats and swirling samples. An early mixtape, Kickdoor, and a supporting slot at Bushwick’s Market Hotel marked a step up in visibility, and before long, even The New York Times was on board. A wild coming of age story indeed. 

By his 17th birthday, Nettspend’s little kid look gave way to a bleached-blond, rock n roll glow-up, and the fashion industry took notice. Recently, the rapper attended Vogue World in Paris, was featured in a Heaven by Marc Jacobs campaign, and started working with Venice Beach design multi-hyphenate Eli Russell Linnetz on visuals. Subsequently, fans have been making comparisons between the teen and icons like Kurt Cobain and Justin Bieber. But Nett reminds me of figures from the “alternative nation” era of the 1990s, like the late actor Brad Renfro and Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns—young, controversial talents who I interviewed during my 18 year tenure as a correspondent for MTV news. But Nett is first and foremost a rapper, and is more interested in his hip-hop forbearers like A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, and the late XXXTentacion. As he says on “Beach leak”: “I feel like Future but Gen Z.”

With contributions from Ok (William Minnix), Kenny Beats, Surf Gang’s Evilgiane, reklus1ve and more, Badassfuckingkid leans into Nettspend’s teenage rage. It’s carefree, exhilarating, and made for mosh pits, and many formed and collapsed repeatedly on the second night of his BAFK TOUR! at NYC’s Irving Plaza. Before the show, I caught up with Nettspend in the green room. He’s friendly, down-to-earth, and soft-spoken, with a slight Virginia twang and on this night, a bit of road rasp—though he’s not a big talker in interviews. Whether this affect is due to a preservation of mystery or genuine reticence, one thing is clear: he’s a creative. Things catch the rapper’s eye and ear in an instant, and just when you think you might have lost him, he’ll be back with an observation about something refreshingly real. Nettspend also seemed, understandably, a bit overwhelmed by the moment he’s having. And who wouldn’t be? It gets weird growing up.

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JOHN NORRIS: Well, Nett, congratulations! This is obviously a big moment, not only with the record coming out, but with the tour starting last night. How was last night? Was it different from the live shows you’ve done in the past?

NETTSPEND: Yeah it was. It was like my first, it was the night of my album coming out.

NORRIS: So did you feel pressure for the show last night?

NETTSPEND: Yeah I did, but I felt doing that show took a lot of pressure off me.

NORRIS: And you’re performing almost all the new songs. Just based on last night, are any of the new songs really going off with people?

NETTSPEND: Um, I feel like it’s really brand new right now, but I think—[Looks at creative director John Ross].

JOHN ROSS: “Shut Up?” Yeah, “Shut Up.”

NORRIS: I can see how everybody would love “Shut Up.” So as far having Badassfuckingkid out—because I know it was pushed back a couple times?

NETTSPEND: [Shakes head].

NORRIS: Wasn’t it originally going to drop in September?

NETTSPEND: Nah.

NORRIS: Okay, because there was a clip on Lyrical Lemonade’s TikTok in September, when you said it was gonna drop in I think two weeks? 

NETTSPEND: I don’t know. [Points at Norris’ boots] I got those same boots.

NORRIS: You do? These may be different because I don’t wear leather, I’m vegetarian.

NETTSPEND: I feel you. I tried to be pescatarian a few weeks ago.

NORRIS: And it didn’t work? You like meat?

NETTSPEND: I’m still trying.

NORRIS: So tell me about the record and people’s response to it. Do you go online and see what people are saying orr would you rather not?

NETTSPEND: My phone’s been broken.

NORRIS: [Laughs] So that’s a no. I’m sure these guys [his team] see or hear what people have been saying.

NETTSPEND: Yeah, it’s just lit. I hear it from them, and friends, and people that I meet. So that’s really what I look for.

NORRIS: My overall impression is it’s a record to be played live. It feels like a record made for the mosh pit, except for, I guess, “Growing Up.” 

NETTSPEND: No, definitely. That was one of my main intentions for the album was like, with the songs that are on there I was mainly trying to put music out that I could really show in my concert.

NORRIS: That would work live?

NETTSPEND: Yeah.

NORRIS: And as far as producers, Ok did most of the record, right? Like ten or eleven tracks?

NETTSPEND: Yeah.

NORRIS: Did you want to mainly work with just one producer?

NETTSPEND: I did, but the music like—it wasn’t really a thought.

NORRIS: It wasn’t thought out like that? It just kind of happened?

NETTSPEND: Yeah.

NORRIS: Were you working on the record throughout the year, or was there an intense period of time where you were just focused on the album?

NETTSPEND: Yeah the whole time, even before that. Even before a year ago. There’s music on the album from four years ago. 

NORRIS: Everybody seems to have a different favorite song, and one of mine is “Beach Leak.” I’ve been on Reddit a lot in the past 48 hours just to see what people are saying and that seems to be one that people are gravitating to.

NETTSPEND: Yeah

NORRIS: Just because the vibe is a bit different.

NETTSPEND: For sure.

NORRIS: Is that because of Giane? [Evilgiane, of New York’s Surf Gang, co-produced the track].

NETTSPEND: Evilgiane, yeah, since working with him—he brings it out definitely. If I’m working with one producer, and then I work with him, it’s gonna sound different. But also with the music I just put out, even if you’re not perceiving it as what it is, you can get so many feelings off of it.

NORRIS: That track, “Beach leak,” has a line, “I feel like Future but Gen Z.” And throughout the whole tape there’s references to icons. You’ve got a track called “Project Pat,” you’ve got “A$AP” which has a little reference to Don’t Be Dumb [A$AP Rocky’s expected next album].

NETTSPEND: Yeah

NORRIS: And I think it’s in “Birdbox” where you say, “I’m gonna die lit” [Playboi Carti’s debut album is Die Lit]. So I feel like throughout the whole thing there are references to other icons.

NETTSPEND: One hundred percent.

NORRIS: Were those references just something you wanted to work in?

NETTSPEND: I just talk a lot about how I think on that, so yeah. It was just in the music.

NORRIS: The opening song “Growing Up” you’re not doing in the show, but it’s got a different feel to most of the record. And I don’t know if you consider it more of an “intro” than an actual track? But the first opening line, “It gets weird growing up”—these past two years, is “weird” a good word to describe how it’s been?

NETTSPEND: Yeah [Laughs]. It’s really weird!

NORRIS: Mostly, in a good way? Or are there bad aspects?

NETTSPEND: It’s just weird.

NORRIS: Are you getting more used to it?

NETTSPEND: Yeah.

NORRIS: So it’s not like there’s now people in your ear saying, “You should do this, you should do that? The record should sound this way?”

NETTSPEND: I got people around me who give me input, and help me out. But everybody got that.

NORRIS: You seem like somebody who can tune out what people are saying. But I would read things this year like—because people like to be dramatic—and they would say things like, “Badassfuckingkid, it’s make-it-or-break-it time for Gunner!” You know?

NETTSPEND: Yeah

NORRIS: And I’m like, it’s his first tape. Unless we count [early 2023 mixtape] Kickdoor, which we can.

NETTSPEND: Yeah I don’t gotta count that.

NORRIS: But do you feel like people tend to exaggerate? You’ve got this tour just starting, your biggest tour yet. I just feel like people are being very dramatic talking about how this album has got to be a game-changer, you know what I mean?

NETTSPEND: I just feel like it’s gonna be a game-changer for them if they want it to be a game-changer for them. Like, if they want to get all the feelings, feel all the feelings off of the music—that’s all up to them. And all that “make-it-or-break-it game,” it’s not what I’m doing. I don’t even know what they be talking about.

NORRIS: I think people like to write and think in exaggerated terms about everything. The same people who say that this record either has to “change the world” or—and I’m talking mainly about media people or fans online. But I also think it speaks to how passionate your fans are.

NETTSPEND: Yeah.

NORRIS: They hang onto your every word. There were periods this year when you were, not quiet, but maybe not putting out a lot, before “Fuck Swag,” maybe September, October?

NETTSPEND: I really like how you said I want to change the world. It’s art. And you’ve got to roll with the punches and stay tunnel vision, no matter what. All the other shit? That’s just not what I do it for. But I get what you’re saying. It’s a big part of me, it’s a big part of what everybody sees and all that, but that’s just what I want to do.

NORRIS: Fans want a lot of content, all the time. Even early last week before the record dropped I saw fans on Reddit saying, “There’s no promo. Is he gonna postpone the record again?” 

NETTSPEND: Mhmm.

NORRIS: Does that get to be like, “Enough already, I don’t need to be sharing something every day?”

NETTSPEND: Yeah, I thought that too, but before the album dropped we definitely fucked with them and started letting out what they wanted.

NORRIS: Yeah. And then you did the pop-up in L.A.

NETTSPEND: That was a big part of it as well. And even with the covers, and all that shit. All I wanted is for the music to just speak for itself, rock these shows out, and keep it rolling. 

NORRIS: So I wanted to ask you about the guy in charge of the artwork for the project and the creative—Eli. Was the cover, a baby smoking a cigarette, his idea?

NETTSPEND: Nah that was our idea.

NORRIS: I thought it was so genius. I’ve seen the original, with the blue background, and then the newer one with all the shit going on around the baby? And then is there a third cover? The one with the armless woman?

NETTSPEND: [Looks at his manager, Nolan Riddle]

NOLAN RIDDLE: What are y’all talking about?

NORRIS: About the album art, and whether there’s three covers?

RIDDLE: There’s like eight!

NORRIS: Really?

NETTSPEND: There’s like 20 covers.

RIDDLE: There’s so many.

NORRIS: Are we gonna see those ones though?

NETTSPEND: Maybe, if I post them.

NORRIS: So when the first one leaked a few weeks ago, with the blue background and the baby, I thought it was so genius dude. I’ve been around a long time and I like things that have a punk aesthetic. But some people were shocked to see a baby with a cigarette. Are you surprised people reacted like that?

NETTSPEND: No.

NORRIS: You thought they would find it shocking?

NETTSPEND: We knew. 

NORRIS: [Laughs] I thought it was awesome. And then the newer one, with everything going on in the background, that one looks like a real baby but the one on the blue background looked like an AI baby. 

NETTSPEND: Same baby. A real baby. A real cigarette.

NORRIS: And the “Bad” logo, which is prominent in the other cover, which is like your side tattoo. You know what is funny about that? When people post about it, they mention your “Bad” tattoo but they don’t mention it’s the same font as Michael Jackson’s BAD.

NETTSPEND: Yeah.

NORRIS: But I’m old, so maybe that’s why I recognize it. Dude, when you were like negative-14 years old, a long-ass time ago, I was at Neverland Ranch talking to Michael.

NETTSPEND: For real? I love Michael Jackson.

NORRIS: He was awesome. Do you have a favorite song?

NETTSPEND: Um, probably “Man in the Mirror.”

NORRIS: It’s great. And then I have to ask you about the photo of you on the cross that came out the other day. People were pressed about that! I had to go on Twitter and point out how many other rappers in the past have presented themselves on a cross, or as Jesus.

NETTSPEND: What’s the word again?

RIDDLE: Blasphemy?

NETTSPEND: That’s it. 

NORRIS:Or “blasphemous.” Were you surprised at that reaction?

NETTSPEND: Not really.

RIDDLE: Just make sure they know he loves Jesus.

NETTSPEND: I love god.

NORRIS: Are you a religious person?

NETTSPEND: I believe in god. I just think the universe is so big, and our planet is so small.

NORRIS: It’s hard to imagine we’re the only planet with life on it.

NETTSPEND: We’re not.

NORRIS: You’ve dropped like four videos already this year. Is there gonna be a new video with this project?

NETTSPEND: Multiple videos. One will probably come out before this will come out.

NORRIS: Is it gonna have your favorite co-star Mazzy [Joya] in it? She’s been in three now, right?

NETTSPEND: You’ll see.

NORRIS: Is that a theme, having her in them? She was in “nothing like uuu” and “That One Song” and “FUCK SWAG.” 

NETTSPEND: She’s just there. That’s my wifey.

NORRIS: Finally, can you say anything about your HBO special? The trailer dropped the other day, and it’s coming out next month.

NETTSPEND: Soon.

NORRIS: So it’s real? Did HBO have a camera crew following you for months?

SAM HADELMAN: You have to ask HBO.

NORRIS: Okay, well Sam [Nettspend’s publicist] is wrapping me. Listen, I appreciate the time. I’m a genuine fan, I think the record is fire. Good luck with everything.

NETTSPEND: Thank you bro.