Nardo Wick describes himself succinctly: “I’m 19 and I’m wicked.” This sly sense of confidence reverberates throughout “Who Want Smoke?,” the Jacksonville rapper’s breakout single that ponders the titular question to his opposition, and unabashedly asserts himself (“You could send your best man, you gon’ lose your best hitta”) as a rising threat to the rap game.
Released in January, the solo single enjoyed a successful streaming run on its own as it hitched itself onto the rocket ship that is TikTok virality. A snippet of the song’s memorable stomping (“What the f–k is that?”) line served as a backdrop to numerous comedy videos on the platform. Atlanta rap superstar Lil Baby is also a noted fan of the song.
But it’s in the recently-released “Who Want Smoke??” remix — featuring guest verses from Chicago’s Lil Durk and G Herbo, alongside Atlanta’s 21 Savage — where the song’s commercial potential reached its apex. Released on Oct. 8, the remix helped the song zoom to an impressive top 20 debut on the Billboard Hot 100, coming in hot at No. 17 for the week dated Oct. 18. Most remarkably, Wick landed in the top 20 in his debut as a leading artist, an accomplishment that most new artists aren’t able to claim.
“The energy of the song is just raw and natural, it’s perfectly put together,” The 19-year-old rapper tells Billboard of the remix’s hot start. Already a menacing and grimy cut on its own, the addition of established MCs like Durk, 21 and Herbo — whose individual styles align perfectly with the song’s eerie trap production and intimidating atmosphere — has made the remix a playlist staple and repeat-listen candidate across streaming platforms. Now with over 28 million views on YouTube, the remix’s Cole Bennett-directed music video has comfortably surpassed the original’s 23 million from its January release.
Below, Billboard speaks with Wick about the song’s No. 17 debut, how he got his start with rapping and his upcoming debut project.
Let’s start with “Who Want Smoke??” and the remix’s debut at No. 17 on the Hot 100 in its first full week of tracking. How have you reacted to that?
It felt good. Real good. It’s still surreal, a little bit.
Do you think the remix has the legs to hit the top 10 in the next couple of weeks?
For sure. Of course.
The original version had a lot of success on its own. Did you know at the time that it would it was gonna be the hit that it was?
Yeah, I expected that, just based off the engagements I had off my snippet.
What about the original do you think really contributed to its popularity?
The stomping, for sure. It’s the creativity of the song. It was different, it didn’t sound like anything else. Nobody heard anything like it.
There’s a kind of horror movie influence to the song. Was that intentional?
Honestly, no. That’s just what came out. It’s just coincidence.
How did the idea for the remix come about?
I always knew I was gonna remix it. I just had to put it together the right way [with] the right people, and build those relationships. And then I got them on the song.
How did that lineup of Durk, Savage and G Herbo come together? Why those three in particular?
Like, you sit down and you think about a rapper that can go on that song, and really they were the only three that fit the song perfectly. I feel like it was perfect.
Did they record their verses on their own or were you in the studio while they did it?
I was in the studio when Durk did it, and I was in the studio when Herbo did it. I wasn’t in the studio when Savage did it.
What was that experience like watching Durk and Herbo record their verses?
Sitting there and seeing them come up with it, it was raw. I knew they were going to do what they did on it.
They all appeared in the music video and you had scenes with all of them. What was it like being on camera with them for the first time?
That s–t was raw. It was raw. Like I totally felt like it was kind of surreal. Now it’s regular. But like I told you, if I really sit down and think about it, it’s different. I’ll be like, “Damn, I really used to see these guys on the internet, [hear them] on the radio.”
How did the Lyrical Lemonade collaboration come about? What was the experience like being shot by Cole Bennett?
Really, that was Durk’s idea. After he recorded his verse, he was like, “Cole wanna shoot it.” S–t was raw, it was like a movie. Shooting a movie.
What has been your favorite moment throughout this period of revitalized popularity and attention that the song is getting now that the remix is out?
So far, my favorite moment is the Billboard [top 20 debut], For sure. That’s like, big. Billboard? And I’m 19, I’m not supposed to make Billboard period. And it’s top 20.
I read a little bit about how your dad has been a big supporter and a big influence. How has he helped you kickstart your career and what kind of artists did he play in the car growing up?
He wants me to learn as much as I want to learn. He wants it just as much as me. He used to play Gucci. A lot of Gucci. Like old Future, Astronaut Status and Back to the Future. He used to play Yo Gotti, a little bit of T.I. He used to play Rick Ross, s–t like that. Yeah, but mainly Gucci.
Where did you learn how to rap?
That’s been natural. I don’t know. That always came to me easily, like I always understood it. A lot of people don’t understand that it’s a difference from knowing how to rhyme, [and] really like, understanding it and making sense. I always understood it real young.
You only have a couple singles out right now. What do you think fans will be getting with your upcoming debut project?
Me. They’re going to get me. Expect enjoyment. They can expect what they can expect. Expect the unexpected. For more, you gotta listen to the tape.
Is there a timeline for when fans should expect the project to come? Do you have any collaborations in the works?
December. [And] yeah, I got features on there. Like, four or five features, something like that.
Who do you have your eye on for future collaborations?
Nobody, really. I got all the collaborations I wanted. Unless it’s somebody like Drake or something.
What’s next for you? Where do you see yourself in the next year or two?
More and more success. Greatness.
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