Biography
Long recognized as a fixture among Chicago’s street figures, the rapper Sharkula has built his reputation on abstract rhymes that unfold through free association alongside an unfailingly affable presence. Tirelessly promoting himself, he routinely circulates through Logan Square and Wicker Park, distributing flyers and stickers while selling his own recordings directly to passersby. Although his spontaneous, fractured verses often veer into surreal or off-color territory, his demeanor remains distinctly nonthreatening and nonviolent. Observers have frequently drawn parallels between his style and that of Kool Keith, with whom he has worked, as well as Wesley Willis and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Having issued material under his own auspices since the 1990s, he has earned occasional praise for widely circulated projects such as the 2004 album Martin Luther King Jr. Whopper with Cheese and Dirty Caviar from 2015. A 2010 documentary, Sharkula: Diarrhea of a Madman, further documented his activities.
Brian Wharton first began frequenting hip-hop performances in 1987 and soon took up rapping himself, in addition to breakdancing and creating graffiti. Starting with the 1997 release I Wonder, he has sold self-produced cassettes and CD-Rs on Chicago sidewalks and train platforms. Although primarily identified as Sharkula, he has also performed under the names Thigahmahjiggee, Thig, and Dirty Gilligan. Several of his recordings later appeared on vinyl, among them 2003’s Thigahmahjiggee vs. Sharkula and 2008’s The Diagnosis of Sharkula. The Chicago Reader selected his 2004 album Martin Luther King Jr. Whopper with Cheese among the year’s strongest releases and has repeatedly listed him among the city’s notable street characters. In 2010 he issued the collaborative CD-R Awesome Black Mountain with producer Jeremiah Jae, and filmmaker Joshua Conro completed the documentary Sharkula: Diarrhea of a Madman that same year; its subsequent DVD release broadened his audience beyond Chicago. He has also worked with Willis Earl Beal, who frequently cites him as an influence, and with his stylistic counterpart Kool Keith. Originally tracked in 2005, Dirty Caviar appeared in 2015 via Atomic Mouse Recordings. After completing a Midwestern tour alongside Kool Keith in 2018, Sharkula recorded Prune City with experimental electronic artist Mukqs, Max Allison of Good Willsmith, which Hausu Mountain issued in early 2019.
Brian Wharton first began frequenting hip-hop performances in 1987 and soon took up rapping himself, in addition to breakdancing and creating graffiti. Starting with the 1997 release I Wonder, he has sold self-produced cassettes and CD-Rs on Chicago sidewalks and train platforms. Although primarily identified as Sharkula, he has also performed under the names Thigahmahjiggee, Thig, and Dirty Gilligan. Several of his recordings later appeared on vinyl, among them 2003’s Thigahmahjiggee vs. Sharkula and 2008’s The Diagnosis of Sharkula. The Chicago Reader selected his 2004 album Martin Luther King Jr. Whopper with Cheese among the year’s strongest releases and has repeatedly listed him among the city’s notable street characters. In 2010 he issued the collaborative CD-R Awesome Black Mountain with producer Jeremiah Jae, and filmmaker Joshua Conro completed the documentary Sharkula: Diarrhea of a Madman that same year; its subsequent DVD release broadened his audience beyond Chicago. He has also worked with Willis Earl Beal, who frequently cites him as an influence, and with his stylistic counterpart Kool Keith. Originally tracked in 2005, Dirty Caviar appeared in 2015 via Atomic Mouse Recordings. After completing a Midwestern tour alongside Kool Keith in 2018, Sharkula recorded Prune City with experimental electronic artist Mukqs, Max Allison of Good Willsmith, which Hausu Mountain issued in early 2019.
Albums
Singles
