One of the greatest parts of every interview from Nardwuar the Human Serviette is his generosity, offering subjects gifts they undoubtedly treasure as an extension of his unparalleled fact-finding. However, a gift to the journalist from Lazer Dim 700 is certainly among the greatest presents ever exchanged on camera.
Nardwuar met with the fast-rising American MC earlier this month at Lyrical Lemonade's Summer Smash festival in Bridgeview, IL, where they spoke about Lazer Dim's early rap beginnings, having a home studio in second grade, making music on the go using his phone, early adventures in photo editing and much more.
Toward the end of the chat, the artist tells Nardwuar how they sought to find him a replacement skull cap — famously stolen from him in the '90s by an irate Sebastian Bach — that preceded his now iconic tartan tam.
While that accessory didn't make it through the mail in time, the artist and his management instead presented Nardwuar with a photo album with snaps of his late mother — including one where she's seated at a typewriter, proving media skills run in the family.
It's a Nardwuar-level bit of gift-giving, and he's near speechless as he flips through the pages, saying, "It's great to see my mom, who has passed away, again. She'd be so stoked to be in the middle of the interview."
Gifts for Lazer Dim 700 include a Lil Wayne action figure and 2007 issue of XXL with that artist on the cover, a compilation CD of fellow Cordele, GA, native Buster Brown, a Home Alone Christmas vinyl LP and an LP of 13 James Bond themes.
You can find the photo album appearance around the 28-minute mark.
So far in 2024, Nardwuar's interview subjects have included Jack Antonoff, 21 Savage, Renee Raps, Skepta, Ken Carson and more.