Look, Vince Staples is hilarious, whether it's on purpose or not. The Long Beach rapper has given the West Coast some of its most introspective and often observational music through projects like Big Fish Theory and Ramona Park Broke My Heart. However, outside of the studio, he's just like the rest of us: questioning everything, everywhere he goes.
Whether it’s in interviews or during his performances, Staples has a way of making people laugh. Also, not many rappers can say they have their own comedy on Netflix. In 2024, the “Big Fish” hitmaker teamed up with the platform to bring "The Vince Staples Show" to life with five episodes full of humor and chaos.
So, in honor of all the times he’s said exactly what was on his mind, we’re revisiting 13 of Vince Staples’ funniest moments over the years. Check them out below.
1. Explaining what would happen if you jump on his stage
It doesn’t matter how big of a Vince Staples fan you are, do not jump on stage while he’s performing. “If I don’t see the little twink in your eye right away, I’ma fire on you,” he told Big Boy. The rapper said he gets that celebrities like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock “could’ve offended somebody,” but in his words, there’s no reason anyone should be running up on him mid-set.
2. Explaining why nobody has his address
In a sit-down with Speedy Morman, the rapper told the host why he doesn’t let anyone know where he lives, not even Uber Eats drivers. “You seen how they’re living? You want them to have your address?” he asked. “You get an Uber Eats out here, from Danielle’s, now it’s four n**gas in a Prius sitting in the alley.”
Morman joked that in New York, delivery usually shows up on a bike. However, Staples wasn’t having any of it.
3. Claiming Ray J is the main trendsetter for Black culture
According to Vince Staples, Ray J is not getting the flowers he deserves. In an interview with Peter Rosenberg, he argued that the “One Wish” singer has had a hand in everything current in Black culture. That includes Kanye West, “Moesha,” and yes, “Love & Hip Hop.” Staples joked, “We don't need a Ray J feature. We [are] not ready for nothing like that. We just need a cosign.”
4. Hilariously throwing Charlie Sloth under the bus
It’s basically a rite of passage in Hip Hop for rappers to show up to a radio show, plug their albums, and drop a freestyle on the spot. Staples, presumably like a lot of artists, isn’t a fan of the whole process. While in London, though, he ended up rapping way more than he bargained for on Charlie Sloth’s "Fire In The Booth."
“Cuz threw on like eight beats. I’m like, ‘N**ga, why am I rapping still?’” Staples recalled on “The Breakfast Club.” He added, “I’m looking at this n**ga Cory like, ‘We f**king songs up now. I ain’t got nothing else.’”
5. Questioning whether JAY-Z gets senior discounts
“Age is everything in this rap s**t,” at least according to Mac Miller at the time. Before he could finish, Staples interjected, “JAY-Z [is] 50,” then asked if Hov gets a senior discount. For the record, JAY-Z was only 43 when this interview came out in 2013, so probably not.
6. “Why you hate yourself, and you tryna bring me into it?”
Ladies, don’t ask Staples how you look in a dress because chances are he probably won’t tell you what you want to hear. "If you look fat, then you are fat and it’s cool ‘cause we fat right now. It’s common sense,” he told Big Boy. “Don’t be trying to use me to help you love yourself.” The room was cracking up, but Staples looked dead serious.
7. “Over/Under” interview
Pitchfork’s “Over/Under” ends up being where a lot of rappers share their hot (and sometimes lukewarm) takes on what's overrated or underrated. For Staples, Bill Nye falls in the latter. He even credited everyone's favorite scientist growing up for teaching people how to properly pour lean: “He taught us these algorithms.” Moments later, he paused and asked, “Is he dead?”
8. Inviting a random fan onstage during his 2024 Lollapalooza set
Having to rap the lyrics of Staples’ “Big Fish” so you don’t look racist has got to be one of the most stressful predicaments to be in. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Lollapalooza attendee Stefan. “You’re here to perform,” Staples told him onstage. “If you do this right, I’m not gonna think you’re racist. If you f**k this up, I’m gonna think you say n**ger when you go home.” Spoiler: Stefan only knew Juicy J’s hook, but it made for a hilarious moment either way.
9. “Your mama raised a good boy. Be that.”
Word of advice from Staples: “Stop trying to be tough.” He gave us plenty of laughs on “The Joe Budden Podcast,” like him hilariously explaining why it’s perfectly okay to be a “good boy.” The rapper said, “You’re embarrassing granny. You got a good heart, my n**ga.”
10. Claiming Toy Story was bigger than Wu-Tang Clan as a kid
Apparently, Staples was a huge Toy Story fan growing up, so much so that he preferred it over Hip Hop. “Rap? Get the f**k out of my face,” he hilariously told The FADER. “Woody and Buzz [or] Wu-Tang Clan? Like, nah, Woody and Buzz.” To be fair, his mom wasn’t letting him listen to rap at one point in time anyway.
11. Eating healthy snacks with GQ
“Black people love cool ranch things ‘cause all ranch is cool,” Staples claimed during his GQ interview, where he sampled veggie chips, butternut squash chips, and a bunch of other “healthy” snacks. “Only old Black people eat beets, like [people] that were alive when slavery was still around,” he added. We hate to break it to you, Vince, but beets are still going strong across all age groups.
12. When his mom interrupted his “That’s Deep” sit-down
While chatting with “That’s Deep” host Yedoye Travis, Staples got a surprise call from his mom. “You’re on speakerphone, say whatever you want to the people,” he told her. “Oh, I just want to say hello,” she replied, only for him to cut in with, “Use your real voice.” The things we do to show love and sometimes lightly embarrass our moms.
13. Every episode of “The Vinces Staples Show”
If you haven’t watched “The Vince Staples Show,” you’re seriously missing out. The Netflix series gave us the kind of dark satire we’ve come to expect from the “Norf Norf” rapper. In Season 1, he walks into a bank to make a deposit, and just his luck, a group of robbers shows up.
Turns out, he knows them. While every other hostage — all of whom happen to be white — is losing it, Staples is catching up with one of the masked men. "How [is] your mom and everything?" he asks. When the robber says she's dealing with arthritis, he suggests, "Man, that’s unfortunate. You know what she should really do, though? Epsom salt bath."