Rapper Swae Lee from Rae Sremmurd is the biggest thing out of his hometown since Elvis.
That is not hyperbole, but a declaration made by Mayor Jason Shelton the top [public] executive in the City of Tupelo, MS, a place that birthed the two music stars. The mayor said this on Saturday, November 21st during the proclamation of “Swae Day,” named after the “Black Beatles” rapper.
“I’m fortunate to be able to stand here today with a superstar, the biggest thing since Elvis Presley,” Shelton said. “When we talked about honoring and recognizing Swae Lee today, we thought well, why not do it here in Fairpark.”
Many of his fans, friends, and family members were there to see this accomplishment. His mother, Bernadette Walker, was there beaming also.
“It feels amazing as a mom to watch my son accomplish so much in a short amount of time,” she said. “As a kid, he was always energetic and full of energy,” she continued. “But he was always focused on his music. Whenever he focuses on something, he really focuses on it and his thing was music.”
Not leaving out his brother, she doted on both of her boys, “I am definitely very proud of them. I think they’re amazing.” In response to the honor, Swae Lee shared in his city pride, remembering how the city has held him down over the years.
“It feels good to be out here on my day,” Swae Lee said. “I would like to thank the mayor and my mom. You all have always supported me. I see a lot of my friends, classmates, and old neighbors out here.”
He also encouraged them to chase their own dreams, working hard, and being steadfast on their goals.
“I hope everything that I’m doing just shows you that your dreams are possible,” the “No Flex Zone” rapper said. “You can reach your dreams. All you have to do is work hard, stay determined, and stay focused. Keep your head high and don’t let nobody get you discouraged.”
“Always believe in yourself. It might take a year, it might take 10 years, but you can be on top of the world no matter what your circumstances are or no matter where you are from.”
