MRWRT Speaks on Painting Polaroids
WORDS WITH WORD$ INTERVIEW #37
Yo, it’s the Pope, 1000WORD$.
This past summer, I threw a gallery show of my images at Frank’s Chop Shop in Rochester with the talented MRWRT, an accomplished and prolific painter known for his emotive portraits of other creators. For the show at Frank’s, WRT recreated a few of my most celebrated Polaroids with canvases and paint. Below is his recreation of an image of Eto that I captured in Rochester during the pandemic.
Today, I am bringing you our interview conversation from our show at Frank’s. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, MRWRT told me about how he first got into art while in elementary school, making drawings of “The Boondocks” for his friends on the playground.
He also talked about his relationship to music, learning about Lil Wayne from his dad, and how he first heard about Griselda. We discussed food spots in Baltimore and dug into how his artistic perspective has been shaped by his upbringing and what he has planned next.
This is WORDS WITH WORD$.
1000WORD$: What's going on, man? It's 1000WORD$. I'm here with a young legend, man. Let the people know your name and where you from bro.
MRWRT: Yo, my name is Mr. WRT. Spelled WRT I'm from Baltimore, Maryland. And I’m right here at the Frank's Chop Shop in Rochester.
1000WORD$: How old are you if you don't mind me asking?
MRWRT: I'm 21, about to be 22, November 6th.
1000WORD$: Okay, fire, I remember after the cookout already. The crib.
MRWRT: Oh yeah, the crib at, uh, Providence.
1000WORD$: Dope, look, that's crazy. I got the shirt on. That's crazy.
WRT: Yeah, and I was like, Yo, nah, I can't miss this on my birthday, though. That was the craziest. That was a crazy experience. That's my first time seeing al.divino perform first time seeing, who else was there, Avenue?
1000WORD$: Facts.
WRT: Yeah, that's how we connected.
1000WORD$: Facts, shout out to Avenue, shoutout to Boston. You know, I'm 35. So I was born in 1988. So we have different, we have like, as far as... I'm just basing it off, like TV shows and shit like that, you know, and knowing about life 'cause anybody can go through a crazy life at any age?
WRT: Word.
1000WORD$: So, how was it growing' up in Baltimore?
WRT: I mean, for me, like, there’s a major misconception about being from like a rough neighborhood because of The Wire type shit, so they think most of Baltimore is from that show, so they probably think like, "oh, you used to" and I'm like "nah, nah, nah." But me, it was kind of like, calming, I would say,
1000WORD$: Okay.
WRT: Weird. Just kinda a weird period because like, every kid probably like before me was like, mostly outside, you know what I'm saying doing normal stuff like playin' around at the ballpark. Like, me and my... I had two sisters, two older sisters. We were more like, just, well, other than my oldest sister. We were just like, you know, home kids. Like he wasn't mostly inside. So I was like, especially, I'm the only boy in my family, and my family, they're like, like, really protective of that. Cause I'm the only boy and the youngest. So it was like, I don't want this. You know, within like anybody else. You feel me? So? But yeah, growing up, it was it was pretty, it was pretty average. You know me it wasn't really like,
1000WORD$: How was the culture in your house? Like what were your parents listening to?
WRT: Well, my father, like, when we used to, he had like the minivan for us. He would play Tha Carter III front to back. Tha Carter III and Tha Carter IV. He still has Tha Carter III merch from the live show. So yeah, that was...
1000WORD$: That's fire!
WRT: Nah for real. He still has it.
1000WORD$: You should wear some of that stuff bro.
WRT: Nah for real he probably. Yo. Yeah, he will play Lil Wayne. Um, Gucci, also. Like he would just play a bunch of trap shit, like, you know what I mean, like he was into that type.
1000WORD$: He was into trap shit? What else?
WRT: He was into trap shit. And he was, like, so everyday he listened two hours listen to it. So that's why like, I'm not necessarily into the whole, like, new, "wave of sound" like the Uzis and the Travis Scotts and all of them. Not saying I don't listen to them. But like, Some of them are not digestible, you know what I'm sayin'.
1000WORD$: Some of them are not digestible.
WRT: That's why, you know, I fuck with this underground shit. Cause like, say, back to my father. Like he would just play a bunch of shit. Like old shit like 90s to, like early 2000s. And uh, that's, he would play Wu Tang. He would play Eminem. He was playing Jay Z and all that, like he was playing like, oh, since I was like into those lyricists type shit. And so I went through that period of like, Yo, I need to find these people back because I'm just there listening to like Wu Tang like Ghostace, like one of my favorite rappers of all time type shit.
1000WORD$: Fire.
WRT: And um. Yeah, and I was and I was just like, yo, there's gotta be more people in there like. Apple Music recommended me Westside Gunn Supreme Blientele. I didn't know it. I was like "Who the fuck is this guy?" He's got the Fendi mask And yeah, you know, the gun he had, I was like "Who the fuck is this?" Then, he started playing, what was it, "Gods Don't Bleed." Nah, when Benny started that shit? Crazy, that was some crazy ass shit, and I guess that's how it started. It all started for me like my music tastes from my dad's side and on my mother's side, like, she was like into a bunch of R&B. Her favorite singer is Jill Scott.
1000WORD$: Okay.
WRT: So I would just listen to her stuff. Like, everything I listen to nowadays. All transcends to like my mother and my father because he was like into that hardcore shit, but my mother was into that soulful "Lodi Dodi" type shit you feel me? And it's been like that. I would say.
1000WORD$: What was the first CD you can say or mixtape or something that your father passed down to you?
WRT: Not necessarily passed down but like the first CD I ever bought was Watch the Throne. Oh, That was the first ever CD I bought from my own pocket like I know what. I fuck the cover type shit, and like I was also one of the kids that went through a phase where he was only listening to what artists... I was only listening to Kanye West. I was only listening to Jay Z at the time. I was like "oh shit" and my dad was like... Jay Z probably in his top three maybe? Maybe. I don't know. But like yeah, he would always play that shit, so I'm like hmm. These two motherfuckers I fuck with, alright "N****s in Paris," alright. That shit like, you know what I mean? Otis was, like, the shit. It still is the shit I still listen to it. But like...
1000WORD$: That shit's a classic.
WRT: That shit is a classic.
1000WORD$: What was the first concert you went to?
WRT: I'm gonna sound like a dork for this, but Chance the Rapper.
1000WORD$: Nah that's cool. Chance had it on lock for a minute.
WRT: Chance had it good like you know I used to be a fan of Chance the Rapper I used to be like fan of him. Who else? J.I.D. I used to bump this shit. [It's] like "heavy" heavy. So Chance the Rapper was the first person I went to he went for, uh, Coloring Book. I think it was Coloring Book.
1000WORD$: How do you feel now? That J.I.D. did a song with Westside Gunn?
WRT: I mean, shit. From the snippets? Yeah. Those shit's fire man.
1000WORD$: Knowing that you listen to J.I.D, do you listen to J.I.D as much as you used to?
WRT: Not as much I used to like I said, “Supreme Blientele” that was just a rabbit hole for me. Then I started seeing the people that was featured, I was like, "Who the fuck is CRIMEAPPLE? Who the fuck is Roc Marciano? I was just like, you know, exploring those type shits. Like am I missing out on shit? But it was like. Yeah, you was. Yeah. I missed out on a lot of shit. Like, yo, like, I said, my dad wasn't listening to like Lil Uzi and none of that. But like, I was still listening to it because it was like, filler, type shit. You know what I mean, like, I had to be like, more with the other stuff, but I also fuck with the shit. You know, it's I remember the time nobody was fucking with Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly." No one was rockin' with what they were doin'. They said "No one wants to hear that jazzy shit, or whatever type he was doing." But um, yes, I was like, alright, let me just blend in with the people or whatever. So when today, like I said, you know, Supreme Blientele, then I started listening to Roc Marciano then I started listening to CRIMEAPPLE and Jadakiss more honestly, like, I never listened to a Jadakiss like full project. But like after that Gods Don't Bleed record, I was like, nah, I gotta pay more attention.
1000WORD$: Kiss Tha Game Goodbye and Kiss of Death are crazy. At what age did you discover your talent?
WRT: I mean hella young, honestly. Like, there'll be stories, but I was just painting on my grandmother's walls type shits, you know, saying I was three. I was three. It didn't my father wanted to whoop my ass but my grandma was like, "Nah. You know what I'm sayin'? Let him do it and all that."
1000WORD$: Let him express himself.
WRT: Right, let me express myself, but then um, you know, just growing up, I always thought like, making crazy shit in general was dope to me. I feel like most kids that paint are like more creative, but they like, lose their touch when they get older. They're like, oh, used to be fun, but it's like what's the purpose of that? But for me, I always felt like art was a purpose for me type shit. You know?
1000WORD$: What's the first piece you could remember painting that you were like, "Oh, shit I did this right now?"
WRT: Like a painting?
1000WORD$: Nah, a painting or something you drew that you was like, "Oh, shit I did this right now?" Like when did you know you was nice?
WRT: Oh shit, oh my. There was a, like the piece. But me and my homeboy. we did like the comic strip back... I forgot what it was called. I think it was called "Pie Guy" type shit. It was just a regular pie with like legs and all that stuff, but like the drawing of it, if I can find it, I will send it to you. But like, the drawings of it, I was like "Oh shit I think I'm gon' do something with this you know like because like everybody was fucking with it. You feel me? I was fuckin' with that shit. Of course, everybody wants to pitch in their ideas, so shit was like, nah I always just loved drawing shit. Whatever it was, whether it was a doodle, whether it was.... just everything I just love [it].
1000WORD$: Now goin' to school did you have people request you to like paint stuff and stuff? Did anybody ever request you to paint anything for them at school?
WRT: Shit not necessarily. Like before the painting I was a drawer. Okay, I was drawin'.
1000WORD$: Oh, yeah, that's what I mean. Did people actually draw on their stuff?
WRT: They would also ask me like, just simple shit. Like, "Oh can you draw a flower can you draw like, you know, a cartoon character. I liked this guy." Everybody fucked with The Boondocks, I would always draw like Riley and like, he'll be in all of them. Yeah. Imma just let that dry type shit. But um, but nah, like, like I said before, I was just a drawer. And I was like, drawing really good even though like I look back at it that was trash. But everybody was like, "Oh, this, this kid he can draw." You always had them kids that's like oh, he's the class clown, or, you know, he's the popular kid. I was like, "Oh, he's the artist of the class." And the first drawing like, I was just doing shit for free and for people's, you know, amusement type shit, you know what I mean. It wasn't about the money or type shit. It was just like, oh wow, I can make these people feel some type of way.
1000WORD$: Facts.
WRT: Or even though it was just a cartoon character. They was lik "Oh, wow. You're really that good at that." Like people I've never even heard of they telling me "Yo can you draw this.
1000WORD$: What's the weirdest shit you ever drew?
WRT: I'm not gonna lie. It wasn't weird, but like there was this there was this painting that I drew that was like... She had like pink hair. She had blue skin type shit. She had red eyes. She had like eight red eyes or something like that. I was like, "Yo, what the fuck am I doing with this shit?" I mean, like, it was it was like, not creepy, but it also kind of like pretty too like a bunch of like, pink light type shit. And I wasn't used to, I was into that gritty dark type shit, and this was like a complete 180 for me. I was like, "Ugh nah, not disgusted, but that was like a cringe one for me." Yeah.
1000WORD$: Okay. Now, fast forward. You're just listening to like, you know, Westside Gunn CRIMEAPPLE. Who else?
WRT: Yo, I was. I'll fuck with the whole Griselda crew.
1000WORD$: Benny, Conway.
WRT: Actually, I heard Benny before Westside. It was Big Ghost LTD. and Ghostface Killah. That collab tape. And there was on the second track. Benny and 38 Spesh. I was like "Yo who the fuck are these [guys]?" That was always me when I was the new child, like "Who the fuck are these people, yo." I don't know how, like I said, like, Apple just recommended me Westside Gunn and then Benny was on that shit too. And I was like, oh shit. He's soundin' crazy on these beats like them like sinister as simple as beats. I was like what the fuck. And it's crazy because like most of the people my age don't listen to Westside Gunn. Did you share that info with your dad? Oh, yeah, he's been sayin. He would text me like "Yo did you listen to this Benny and what's his name?" And I was like "Yes dad." Yeah, he fucks with them. He fucks with them heavy. Because it reminds him his era type shit. He was bumpin' to Wu Tang and Mobb Deep and all them people. So, for me this is like a time capsule. Exactly. Exactly. And it's also like, Griselda's my Wu Tang, you know, type shit or like, you know, such as such is my Mobb Deep type shit. So it's like, you know reflecting those type eras.
1000WORD$: How did you figure out this community that we're in? Like how did you bump into it?
WRT: Yo, honestly, like I was I used to be on Instagram 24/7 type shit, and so I was just on the explore page, and I saw one of your polaroid pics I forgot who the fuck it was, but I was like damn that's actually kind of hard. I went to your app I was like "Damn What the fuck this man got like 10,000 random people and that's how I also started you know listening to people like Flea Lord, you know what I'm sayin', and then also n****s like BoriRock you know it's like then I started drawing him type shit, and he's hitting me up about like "Yo what the fuck can I use this one song and I was like "Yeah sure whatever type shit."
1000WORD$: Shoutout to BoriRock.
WRT: Shoutout to BoriRock. That last project. Yeah, yo, that shit was hard. And the one with Grubby Pawz.
1000WORD$: That shit was crazy.
WRT: Yeah, that shit was crazy.
1000WORD$: Where were some of the places you'd display your work like you know in your neighborhood? Have you done like old gallery showings and stuff?
WRT: It goes like here and there type shit. I'm like I'm always on my own time with anything I don't like to rush with shit, honestly. But like, stuff I display, yeah I've displayed to some like areas in like, not bad neighborhoods but you know people consider bad neighborhoods type shit. I had a painting win an award at a museum when I was like I want to say 15? 16? It was inspired by the Fly God cover because I was depicting myself as Baby Jesus type shit. The same thing as Westside Gunn did. That won an award at The Walters Art Museum. That's a museum [where]they go through the different eras and cultures and religion type shit. They have those you know. My painting actually won that award, so I'm in high school winnin' awards!
1000WORD$: Where is that painting?
WRT: It's back my closet type shit because I'm just holding it you know what I mean because it could...
1000WORD$: Bring that thing!
WRT: That's what I'm saying. It's already framed but I need it in like a Renaissance frame type shit. That would be hard.
1000WORD$: You got to take it somewhere like those vintage places and stuff.
WRT: Word, deadass. Yeah, I'm trying to find a picture today. All good. Wow so man so your work got honored. Facts. It is.
1000WORD$: Oh fire bro. Wow that's a beautiful painting bro.
WRT: Appreciate it man. Appreciate.
1000WORD$: Salute to you and now bro look. I met you in Philly.
WRT: Yes you did.
1000WORD$: I met you in Philly, and you handed me a portrait of myself that you painted on your time and fast forward to now you recreated five images of people that I've taken Polaroids of. Elite MCs that are from Rochester. Ones from Buffalo.
WRT: Facts.
1000WORD$: You know what I mean? And we're going to display it in the community of Rochester You know what I mean? So those stories behind those pictures and you bro knowing your background now that I'm getting to know you a little more.
WRT: Right. Yeah.
1000WORD$: Man. Can't make this shit up.
WRT: Can't make it up. For real you can't make this shit up like I was like one of the people that was like "Yo I just want to do shit for like just for fun type shit." Like once you invited me to the first cookout, hyou asked me to do the poster and all that. I was like "Yo I want to keep living this type of experience," but it's just like everybody's just so... They there for one thing you feel me, and they all enjoying themselves type shit you feel me?
1000WORD$: The Cookout was crazy.
WRT: The first one was crazy. Even though I wasn't there because I had to catch the Mega Bus type shit, so I couldn't watch Estee Nack perform. I couldn't watch the main two people perform. Damn oh my god I was so upset. I had to leave at the time. Um, but nah that shit was crazy.. At least I went to the crib. Then I saw Estee Nack you know spitting type shit I was like "Damn what the fuck!"
1000WORD$: Crazy, you know. So then you recently had a couple album covers right?
WRT: Yeah.
1000WORD$: Name 'em.
WRT: Shit, me and Chubs. That's my twin right there. You know, as he'd say it was for the moment him and Remain Raw shoutout to Remain Raw. And it was the one with him and Machacha. I did those. And all that.
1000WORD$: How does it feel to see an album and then it gets pressed on vinyl?
WRT: Yo like, shout out to Keep the Fall man we was just talking like A couple of months before that shit happened he was like "Yo our art deserves to be on vinyl. Like for real." It's just such a wasted opportunity that he got his first vinyl from Ja'King the Divine, and then my first one was with Chubs.
1000WORD$: I know that feeling man. It's an amazing feeling.
WRT: Just like speaking into existence.
1000WORD$: Knowing that your parents had vinyls back in the day.
WRT: Facts.
1000WORD$: Got like full circle you did a living product with your art on it.
WRT: Facts.
1000WORD$: You know what I'm sayin'? So that's crazy. You're 21 years old.
WRT: I'm 21 I'm young as fuck. I keep reminding myself.
1000WORD$: What are some good places to eat in Baltimore?
WRT: Oh my gosh. There's a place called Stokos. Oh my gosh. They make like... Not saying they the best ones but they make some mean ass subs type shit. There was a Chinese place I used to go to called Bo Bo's Kitchen. Had like the yaka mein type shit. You know what I mean. This was all the shit I was eating as a kid yo, when I was like, you know with my father. Like he would always go to Bo Bo's. He would always go to China Wok for like Chinese shit. You know? Get some dirty yaka. Some dirty yaka mein with the extra egg and that shit. I'm trying to figure out like some good ass [shit]. The people when they think about what they know the crabs I'm trying to figure out which crab spots.
1000WORD$: Stokos?
WRT: I would check that out. China Wok and Bo Bo's Kitchen. They're probably like a different name now. I don't know if they still like around now type shit because it's been a minute since I've been around them. But nah, they still open. Then you might as well go ahead yeah.
1000WORD$: Let me ask you what are some of the things you working on next? Or what are you hoping to like, what are you hoping for? What are you trying to get?
WRT: I mean I'm just trying to elevate, you know what I mean.
1000WORD$: This is a big elevation right now. Frank’s Chop Shop.
WRT: Nah for real. I told myself years ago, I just wanna put my art in galleries type shit, and now it's happening now, you know?
1000WORD$: There's a Frank's Chop Shop in Japan. There's one in New York.
WRT: That's what I'm sayin'.
1000WORD$: And with this whole secret stash thing.
WRT: That is crazy. But yeah, I'm down for whatever honestly. Pause. But you know what I mean?
1000WORD$: Who's in your top five?
WRT: Of like what Hip Hop? My top five? See it always changes.
1000WORD$: Right now currently.
WRT: Right now currently? Like not up all the time but right now.
1000WORD$: Yeah right now. All time and right now if you can.
WRT: All time and right now? Goddamn I mean Nas was killing it with his whole Black Magic run before Hitboy, but I wanna say top five. I fuck with Rome Streetz.
1000WORD$: Shoutout to Rome Streetz.
WRT: So he's up there. Wayne. Stove God Cooks.
1000WORD$: Shoutout to Cooks.
WRT: ANKHLEJOHN. I wanna put al.divino up there 'cause I fuck with his shit heavy.
1000WORD$: Shoutout to my brother al.divino. One more!
WRT: And this is not like from least to best. This is just my top five like overall.
1000WORD$: Whatchu listen to regularly?
WRT: Oh, I listen to regularly? Goddamn.
1000WORD$: Answer the fifth that was four.
WRT: That was four goddamn. I do fuck with Ransom. I guess Ransom.
1000WORD$: Fire. And you know these are all some of my favorite rappers too.
WRT: Yeah, I know, yeah.
1000WORD$: You know, man, I'm very impressed, bro. You traveled out here to Rochester 10 hours away from your crib. You know what I mean? And you know, it's this is 6 to 7 from mines, and we're going to give the people from Rochester some dope experience with some dope art. Some dope stories behind the art. I want to thank you we're gonna keep collaborating. We're gonna keep working.
WRT: For sure. I told you I got you.
1000WORD$: Thank you my brother.