Sheck Wes has emerged with his hit song, “Mo Bamba,” the break-out single from “MUDBOY.” The song, named after a 7-foot, 258-pound NBA player from Sheck’s hometown of Harlem, was originally uploaded without his knowledge.

A friend posted the 20 minute freestyle to Soundcloud, and it blew up online. It hit number 27 on the Billboard charts (Sept.8) and gained attention after artists and athletes started to play the song on social media. Drake even gave Sheck a shoutout on Travis Scott’s latest hit “Sicko Mode.”

Critics are calling “MUDBOY” a coming-of-age album that represents Sheck Wes’ life growing up in Harlem. The album is gritty and raw, mixed with punk raps and stories about the hardships of growing up in the now gentrified Harlem. Sheck is telling us what he’s been through dealing with bootleggers, scammers, and drug dealers.

Sheck Wes was born  Khadimoul Rassoul Sheck Fall from Senegalese parents. His time split between Milwaukee and Harlem in his  summers, and when he got into trouble, his mother would send him to Senegal on a pilgrimage to study Islam. Sheck saw it as a banishment and betrayal, but now understands it as an awakening. When Sheck was old enough, he moved back to New York to play high school basketball. Sheck caught the eye of a fashion agent and began modeling.

He was torn between modeling and playing basketball, but ultimately chose to model and ended up doing so for Kanye West,now known as Ye in YEEZY Season Three, in Madison Square Garden.Sheck claims the decision to go to this event over basketball was one of the best decisions he ever made.

“I wanted to be a part of this thing people are gonna talk about forever and it was some sh#t nobody ever did before. So I was happy I did Yeezy Season 3 because it opened up a lot of doors for me” he said in an interview with pigeonsandplanes.com.

Sheck Wes brings us into his world  in the song “WANTED.” This rocky song gives the feeling of riding in a subway full speed as he details his life in Harlem. Identifying different avenues in his city, and claiming he was wanted.

The mood of the album with the song “WESPN,” a homage to the sports network. Once again Sheck is bringing us into his life of playing sports in Harlem during his youth. The lyrics are direct, with a melodic flow.

“Skip my game for the fashion show (For the show)/ One of my best decisions (Facts)/ Backwood addiction (I got it)/I got a Backwood addiction. /Ain’t the THC, that’s facts, non-fiction/ Or is this shit fiction?”

In “Live Sheck Wes,” he gives us a head banger that is a mosh-pit ready tune only a real rocker would love. This song could easily be his second single as it serves as a great runner up to “Mo Bamba.”  The same energy is present in “WESPN” but with more hard hitting lyricism to balance it out.