*Content Warning: contains mentions of drug use*

The 17-year-old high school dropout Gunnar Shepardson, known as Nettspend,  has long captivated the ears of thousands of adoring fans across the world. His breakout singles “drankdrankdrank” and “shine n peace” boosted his popularity on platforms like TikTok and Soundcloud, surfing the wave of a new underground jerk-plugg rap genre along with the likes of Osamason and Xaviersobased. 

On Dec. 6, Shepardson released his debut mixtape, Bad Ass F*cking Kid (or BAFK), to mixed reception. The mixtape boosted his monthly listeners to millions on platforms like Spotify and Apple music, which in the eyes of some fans elevated him to the mainstream. 

Despite some listeners’ expressive distaste for the genre or the boy himself, it is undeniable that the way in which this skinny caucasian child from suburban Virginia sings about his expeditions with opiates and his sexual endeavors is captivating. Nettspend does not have the appearance or the sound of a traditional rapper, however he expects you to treat him like one, a dynamic which I find to be the source of at least a few minutes of entertainment.  

The vast majority of BAFK’s tracklist was produced by Ok, which is an admittedly disappointing choice. OK is a producer who for better or worse has been dominating the underground scene recently. Despite Ok’s heavy inclusion, I feel Shepardson truly shines on the tracks “Growing Up” and “Beach leak” produced by Rok and Evilgiane respectively. These tracks feel like a breath of fresh air in a sea of rather average Ok beats. 

The ninth track, “Beach leak,” is particularly memorable. The danceable beat meshes tastefully with Shepardson’s whiny vocals. Nettspend goes on to draw parallels between himself and the well established rapper Future by saying “I feel like Future but gen-z.” The lyric by itself yearns to be listened to again and again. I must admit it stuck in my mind for many weeks after my first listen. 

The eighth track “Skipping Class” is another example of a tolerable Ok beat. Uniquely though Ok, seemingly in a tasteful mood, samples Grimes’s 2012 song “Genesis.” Although the track isn’t as particularly catchy as its sample, it sits as a fun listen and a standout track. 

The sixth track “A$AP” is my personal favorite. Richardson leans into his signature nasally tone to an almost comical extent over a surprisingly good Ok instrumental. I feel the track is symbolic of the direction of the sound of Nettspend and his contemporaries, emphasizing melody over lyrics. This phenomenon has been a long documented and discussed development. 

Some time ago it was a common trope for critics to question Chief Keef’s position on the autism spectrum, echoing a general rejection of “melody focused rap” as a whole. However many underground artists of today have taken the melodic qualities of the style and magnified them to the focal point of their music. BAFK is a perfect example of just that.

Overall, I feel the album is an intriguing project which deserves a listen. Regardless of your opinions of if it’s “good” or not, it is undeniably unique. Nettspend’s future journey as a musician is something I will be keeping an eye on. Almost everyday I contemplate the tragic life of one Gunnar Shepardson. How will his sound grow? How many opiates can a boy really take at once? Overall I rate this mixtape a 5.86 out of 12.