San Francisco’s Frak Has Been ‘Wild ’n Out’

San Francisco rapper Frak has been putting points on the board this year.

His 2024 scorecard boasts of appearances on Sway in the Morning and On The Radar. He’s dropped comedy skits and made music with hip-hop legends. He’s worked with peers to highlight hip-hop talent, and he’s gotten praise from rap veterans from across the nation. 

This week, on Sept. 12, Frak will be in Oakland with the crew of Co-Founders, a hip-hop musical, for a screening of his latest venture: VH1’s current season of Wild ’n Out. 

The show, which has been in production since 2005, pits two teams of talented MCs against one another to rhyme insults in front of a live studio audience. In the latest season, which debuted in late July, Frak joins a star-studded cast that includes Nick Cannon, N.O.R.E., NLE Choppa, Mariah the Scientist and Saucy Santana.

Altogether, Frak says five of the episodes he filmed will air this season. But he almost took himself out of the game before even trying out.

Three days before auditions, Frak sprained his ankle playing basketball. He doubted he’d be able to perform to his full ability since he couldn’t dance or move comfortably on stage. But on crutches, with his right ankle in a boot, he nervously auditioned in Atlanta.

The injury ended up being a nonissue, and actually made room for more clever quips. “All the producers were like ‘Nah, he’s going to be able to flip this thing,’” Frak recalls. 

Frak’s years as a battle rapper prepared him for his Wild ’n Out debut. Yet he admits the show’s brand of comedy is a bit different from his usual flavor of heady, niche and esoteric puns. Ultimately, the challenge pushed Frak to better his craft. 

The cast was a tight community, and they’d have late-night cookouts where they would freestyle and share tips. “The OGs, they’d roast the hell out of you on stage, but off stage they were all really cool and humble,” he says. “It was a great vibe.”

Even before he broke the news about his Wild ’n Out appearance, Frak returned from filming motivated to be consistent with his music and content. He’s been entrepreneurial, too, reaching out to potential collaborators, unafraid to try new things. 

Case in point, in June Frak noticed actor Wayne Brady liked a number of his posts on TikTok. So Frak sent him a DM asking to meet in person. “I wasn’t even thinking about freestyling,” says Frak. 

Brady invited Frak and his girlfriend to meet outside of a theater in New York where Brady was set to perform. “He was about to do The Wiz matinee in 20 minutes,” Frak recalls. “He came down and we freestyled, and he went back up and performed.”

It was a random but significant moment for Frak, whose early influences include Kanye West, MF DOOM, Lupe Fiasco and — oddly enough, Brady himself. Brady’s improv game show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, was a big part of Frak’s childhood. 

A sponge of the game, Frak took lessons from actors, local artists and well known battle rappers. He came up through the Bay Area’s Youth Speaks program, shined in the organization’s MC Olympics, and was propelled toward battle rap byway of his involvement with the Ruckus Revival variety show (formerly known as Tourettes Without Regrets).

Years later, Frak is no longer the underrated battle rapper he once was. “I’m getting the looks and the compliments,” says Frak. Last month, Murda Mook, who Frak calls “the all-time icon of battle rap,” sang Frak’s praises after seeing him battle John John da don.

The compliments extend beyond the battle rap arena. During a recent interview on The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, Bay Area rap star G-Eazy shouted out the kid from Frisco with the ill wordplay. “I have a private friendship with G-Eazy,” says Frak, “but the fact that he decided to say that publicly means something.”

It does mean something: Folks are seeing the numbers he’s putting up. And still, even with the recent high praise and national success, Frak is diligent about surrounding himself with a wave of Bay Area talent.

As part of the collective Family Not A Group, he makes music and performs at local events, including an upcoming show on Sept. 26 at KQED.

Frak’s Four Square Instagram series, where artists rapidly trade off bars over dope beats, has brought about more opportunities to collaborate with other Bay Area artists. He recently filmed one with acclaimed Oakland actor and lyricist Tia Nomore, and is on the verge of dropping one with rising MC 1100 Himself. 

Frak says that it’s really all about creating a platform so everyone can eat. This is his way of giving back to the soil that fed him.

There’s a chance Frak could make a cameo at the Chase Center on Sept. 14 for Wild ’n Out’s national stadium tour. But he’s really focused on his event in Oakland on Sept. 12, where tickets are just $1.

“I’m so grateful for the Bay Area events … all these Bay Area things I’ve been a part of that got me to Wild ’n Out,” says Frak, noting that this upcoming screening event is his way of thanking the community in real life. 

“I didn’t know I was building toward something,” he says, reflecting on his path. “I felt like I was just doing this because I love it.”

For Frak, and any artist for that matter, there will inevitably be times where there aren’t a bunch of viral moments and praise from legends — instances where the points on the board aren’t reflective of the work you’re putting in. But Frak is on to something: His commitment to his lyrical craftsmanship, knack for satire, ability to collaborate and willingness to be outside are all acts of love.

Win or lose, it’s a lot easier to play the game when you love it.

Frak’s Wild ’n Out watch party is on Sept. 12 from 7-10 p.m. in Oakland. RSVP and more info here.