A rap dad is going viral for incorporating his classic hip-hop songs into wholesome videos he made with his kids, while also performing with their kids’ sing-along microphones.
Wade Shaver, 40, uses his TikTok account to get closer to himself and his three children, Evie, 6. Zhu Zhu, 4; and Wade III, 2. The video shows dad MC at home singing songs by Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Method Man and Redman, among others, while listening to his children eat and serve food at the table with him Rhyme together. Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The microphone chosen by the locals is connected to a blue speaker decorated with characters from the Disney movie “Frozen.” Talk about kid-friendly.
“I’ve been a rap fan my entire life and always tried to learn the lyrics to rap songs because it increased my enjoyment of the music,” Shaver told XXL. “I just thought it would be fun to do it for kids.
Several of his videos have become popular on social media as his children seem eager to take part in some rap history. The millions of views prove that people are paying attention. Many of the social posts feature hip-hop gems from some of the esteemed lyricists. In one clip, he asked, “Who wants dad to rap?” His two daughters raised their hands as his son played with tissues. “Are you sure?” he asked again before uttering the lyrics to Eminem’s “Superman.”
Another clip included his eldest daughter Evie singing Rihanna’s chorus on Jay-Z’s “Run This Town” while Shaver delivered Hov’s bar.
“My kids don’t have a favorite rapper yet,” the family man shared. “I think they like what I like now.”
For rap tracks that contain profanity, Schaeffer self-censors and replaces the lines with age-appropriate content. Take his performance of the Wu-Tang Clan classic “Triumph” as an example. Instead of opening with the old bastard’s lyrics “Did you think you wouldn’t see me? / I’m this bastard’s Osiris / Wu-Tang is always here, muthafuckas,” Shaver replaced it with: “You thought you wouldn’t Will you see me?/I’m the daddy of this/You know daddy will always love you, little buddy.”
He even creates his own improvisational style on the beat, like DJ Premier did for Nas’ “NY State of Mind.”
“Dad, I want to be a rapper and have a steady income,” Shaver’s TikTok bio reads.
Wade Shaver first started sharing videos on TikTok in 2022. His social posts have gone viral on TikTok and Instagram over the past few months, catching the eyes and ears of countless people. So what prompted him to put his talents to use online? “I’ve always rapped songs at home, but just started recording them,” he said. “I recorded my first fool because I thought my family and friends would find it funny.”
The family had a great time.
Check out Wade Shaver’s rap dad daycare in the video below.
