Vince Staples Explains How Ja Rule and Ashanti Saved His Life in New Nardwuar Interview

With a new album en route and a tour underway, Vince Staples is aiming for yet another stellar year. During a recent stop in Vancouver, Staples was subject to The Human Serviette treatment, courtesy of Nardwuar. The Long Beach rapper was adorned with gift-after-gift, including a rare copy of a civil rights era issue of The Militant, sparking a moment for Staples to reflect on the corniness of gang-banging. Elsewhere Staples recounts how Ja Rule (featuring Ashanti, of course) saved him from a near-death experience as a child and points out a logical incongruence in how The Eastsidaz opt to throw up W's instead of E's. All good fun and predictably sharp from Staples, who lands in Nashville tomorrow night for the next set in his The Life Aquatic tour with Kilo Kish. Peep the full interview down below and jump back to hear Vince Staples' kinetic new single "BagBak."

Tour Dates:

Mar. 7 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works

Mar. 8 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage

Mar. 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Mar. 17 – Milwaukee, WI @ Rave II

Mar. 19 – Chicago, IL @ Metro

Mar. 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe at Old National Centre

Mar. 22 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall

Mar. 23 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre

Mar. 24 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre

Mar. 25 – Montreal, QC @ Corona

Mar. 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

Mar. 28 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

Mar. 30 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

Mar. 31 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

Apr. 3 – Norfolk, VA @ Norva

Apr. 4 – Birmingham, AL @ The Saturn

Apr. 6 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

Apr. 7 – Dallas, TX @ Southside Music Hall

Apr. 9 – Phoenix, AZ @ Phoenix Lights Festival