Rapping Dad Goes Viral for Spitting Rhymes With His Kids
A rapping dad is going viral for putting his own twist on classic hip-hop songs in wholesome videos with his kids—all while performing with a children’s sing-along microphone.
Wade Shaver, 40, uses his TikTok account to bridge the gap between himself and his three young children, Evie, 6; Juju, 4; and Wade III, 2. Videos showcase the father MC at home rapping to songs by Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Method Man and Redman, among others, as his kids eat meals at the dinner table and serve up rhymes right along with him. The Coatesville, Penn. native’s mic of choice is attached to a blue boombox decorated with the characters from Disney’s Frozen movie. Talk about kid-friendly.
“I’ve been a rap fan my whole life and always try to learn the words of rap songs because that increased my enjoyment of the music,” Shaver tells XXL. “I just thought it would be fun to do it for the kids.
Several of his videos have gained popularity across social media for how eager his children seem to participate in a bit of rap history. Millions of views prove people are tuned in. Many of the social posts include hip-hop gems from some revered lyricists. In one clip, he asks, “Who wants Daddy to rap?” and his two daughters raise their hands as his son plays with a paper towel. “Are you sure?” he asks again before dishing out the lyrics to Eminem’s “Superman.”
Another clip includes his eldest daughter Evie singing Rihanna’s chorus on Jay-Z’s “Run This Town” while Shaver delivers Hov’s bars.
“My kids don’t have any favorite rappers yet,” the family man shares. “I guess they like what I like at this point.”
For the rap tracks that contain expletives, Shaver censors himself and replaces the lines with appropriate content for his kids’ age groups. Take for instance his performance of Wu-Tang Clan’s classic “Triumph.” Instead of opening with Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s lyrics of “What y’all thought y’all wasn’t gon’ see me?/I’m the Osiris of this s**t/Wu-Tang is here forever, muthafuckas,” Shaver replaces it with, “What y’all thought y’all wasn’t gon’ see me?/I’m the O’Daddy of this stuff/You know daddy love you forever, little buddy.”
He even does his own freestyles over beats like the one DJ Premier produced for Nas’ “N.Y. State of Mind.”
“Dad, wannabe rapper and steady paycheck,” Shaver’s TikTok bios reads.
Wade Shaver first began sharing videos on TikTok in 2022. Over the last few months, his social posts have reached countless eyes and ears after going viral across TikTok and Instagram. So what inspired him to take his talents to the internet? “I’ve always rapped songs in the house, but just started recording them,” he says. “I recorded my first one as a goof because I thought my family and friends would find it funny.”
This family is clearing having a good time.
Check out Wade Shaver’s rapping daddy daycare in the videos below.