Recordbreaking rap benefits virus relief
Watsky finds alternative to postponed tour in 33hour marathon
At about 11:56 a.m. on Thursday, May 7, San Franciscoborn poet, author and rapper George Watsky broke the Guinness world record for the longest continuous rap performance.
How did he celebrate? By rapping some more.
Relying on a combination of strawberry smoothies, water and a microphone attached to his shirt so he could rap while using the bathroom, Watsky ultimately freestyled for 33 hours, 33 minutes and 33 seconds. The feat smashes the previous record of 25 hours, 56 minutes and four seconds, set in 2016 by Pablo Alvarez of Miami’s Good Bison.
Having first come to national attention with a 2007 appearance on HBO’s “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry,” Watsky has subsequently released six albums and a bestselling book of essays titled “How to Ruin Everything,” and he even found time to act in the 2018 Oaklandset film “Blindspotting.”
A fan of blurring the lines between mediums, Watsky said his attempt to break the freestyling record was an innovative solution to having to postpone his “Placement” tour due to the COVID19 pandemic.
“We had this idea of trying to solve our postponed tour situation by having a worldrecordbreaking attempt be the hook. We knew it had a chance to capture people’s imagination, but not at this level,” Watsky told The Chronicle by phone from his home in Los Angeles the day after his achievement.
Billed as a gift to fans as well as a fundraiser, the special livestreamed performance was a huge success on all fronts. Using an interactive format in which viewers could donate for a chance to win shoutouts, original artwork, outofprint vinyl and more, Watsky’s successful Guinness world record attempt also raised more than $140,000 for charity.
Watsky plans to divide the money among three causes: a fund for his bandmates and crew; one to support fans, a relief fund Watsky kicked off with $10,000 of his own money; and Sweet Relief, a nonprofit providing financial assistance to musicians and music industry workers affected by the coronavirus shutdown. He announced that “zero money will be kept by me.”
Streamed live on YouTube, Twitch and Facebook, Watsky’s marathon freestyling session served as an excellent showcase of his rhyming prowess and uncanny endurance. If most lines weren’t up to the multitalented artist’s usual caliber, the overall quality of his freestyling was still far from subpar.
“It’s wild to go to sleep all night, wake up and realize that Watsky has been rapping THE WHOLE TIME,” posted YouTuber and author Hank Green.
Other notable figures, including “Hamilton” creator LinManuel Miranda, also voiced their support for the onetime slam poet as he closed in on his goal.
“He just rhymed ‘hurl it sir’ (with) ‘wurlitzer.’ Good Lord,” Miranda gushed on Twitter as Watsky entered into the final minutes of the stream.
Watsky’s biggest issues were, not surprisingly, technical in nature. At one point, the camera used to stream the performance failed. Fortunately, another camera running for the Guinness world record officials was not affected, and the glitch was quickly fixed.
Overall, Watsky’s effort was largely a relaxed affair, with the rapper occasionally consulting rhyming dictionaries and often commenting on his own progress in fourbar bursts. Be it the appearance of a familiar name in the chat or the discomfort of his own bladder, Watsky took fodder and fuel for his quest wherever he could find it.
“I went through waves,” Watsky explained. “About three or four hours before I hit my personal goal (of 33 hours), I felt like I was being zapped with a lightning bolt by an angry God. I was also worried because I have epilepsy. I started having dark thoughts, like ‘I’ve done so well and now I’m going to have a seizure onair.’”
Based on rules established by the Guinness Book of World Records, Watsky was also allowed a fiveminute break for every hour of his attempt. He opted instead for the sanctioned choice to consolidate those breaks into larger chunks of time so he could take a shower and eat. But beyond the two breaks Watsky did take, he successfully freestyled for a jawdropping 33 hours straight, officials confirmed Thursday.
By stretching so far past the mark previously set by Alvarez, Watsky has also squashed the unofficial record of 31 hours reportedly set by Pittsburgh rapper Frzy in January. The title is now his alone, though what Watsky will do next — aside from taking a welldeserved rest — is anyone’s guess.
Whether he’s writing a bestselling book, acting in an acclaimed independent film, or breaking the Guinness world record for freestyling, Watsky’s flow remains unmistakably his own.
“As a performer, the only emotional experience that I can compare this to was when I played the Fillmore for the first time in 2013,” Watsky said. “We sold it out five minutes before the show started. It was my dream accomplished. It was the greatest moment of my life as a performer. I haven’t felt anything like that again until yesterday.”