Every small town has its local legends. For Manhattan, its most recognizable figure works out on the go. With his golden 40-pound dumbbells in hand, music artist Bryan “Nappy” Vereen takes on the Little Apple with a simple mission: spread love and positivity.
While his heavy lifting attracts viewers, his true creative origin traces back to high school, where his love for music began and an unyielding hairstyle sparked his signature persona.
“Back in high school, I had the nappiest afro, and what that means is like your hair is super tough to pick out,” Vereen said. “I was selling CDs in JC [Junction City], and I went to a country bar. One guy bought my album, and then I saw him the next week, and he said, ‘Man, you need to do something with your name; it’s like a boring stage name.’ So, I added Nappy Vereen on there and stuck with it ever since 2012.”
That local name carried him through years of music-making, giving him the identity for a career that now spans four albums with the recent release of “The King of Wild City.”
“I’ve been writing since I was 16, but I didn’t take it seriously ‘til my 20s, and I just felt like all the rappers I listened to were relatable,” Vereen said. “I try to explain my life to some people, and they get uncomfortable. It’s like, man, I can’t control the things I’ve been through or experienced. So, a lot of the rappers that I listened to were relatable, and that’s what got me into writing.”
Vereen’s deep roots in Manhattan are clearly stated through his music pieces, but his connection to K-State isn’t what most locals would expect. Rather than taking the traditional route through university halls, his relationship with the campus started through summer programs.
“I was never really a college student here,” he said. “I went here for Upper Bound, which is a summer school that gives you extra credits for the next year. … I’m born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas, and have been here ever since. I just got a lot of pride out here, so I’m one of those people that never had to hide where he was from.”
Despite not being a student at K-State, Vereen feels a sense of dignity towards his city, with tracks on his newest album like “Fake Patties” and “K.S.YOU!” The pride he has for Manhattan eventually crowned him with a new alter ego — one born not out of his own planning, but from the Manhappenin’ Magazine giving him his most influential name yet: The King of Wild City.
“I was in the Manhappenin’ Magazine in 2021, and she [the magazine staffer] was asking me all these names that I go by,” Vereen said. “I was giving her all these names, and I guess they weren’t college-appropriate … so she went with none of those. Then she’s like, ‘Okay, so I got the magazine title ready, and she said it was ‘The King of Wild City.’ So we went with that.”
That title came with big ambitions. For Vereen, making music is an unfiltered outlet — a way to process his personal journey while staying connected with listeners through unexpected moments.
“My brain just works different,” he said. “I’ll just wake up one day, and then all these ideas pop up in my head. … I think everything inspires me. … A lot of people don’t dream big. I’ll say stuff, and they say it sounds unrealistic, but man, look at all the things I’ve already done.”
That boundary-pushing mindset doesn’t stop at the recording studio; it flows directly into his workout routines. With his love for fitness dating back to high school, Vereen found himself discovering new ways to challenge himself.
What began as simple apartment dumbbell curls quickly morphed into walking reps across town, turning a routine weightlifting session into his signature fitness movement.
“When I first started doing my dumbbell walk, 98% of people thought it was a joke,” Vereen said. “I’m not doing this for attention. I’m doing it because it makes me feel good. I’m doing it because I’m actually feeling my muscles rip and everything. … Same with the music. I’m gonna be that person that does something great for Manhattan, Kansas.”
Whether he is on his dumbbell walk or working on his music, both pursuits serve the same purpose for Vereen: to maintain a clear mind, work through grief and push past the doubters.
“One thing I realize is that you have to be more level-headed the more you are known, because there’s gonna be people that dislike you,” Vereen said. “I upload positive stuff, and 90% of the time, it’s a positive comment, positive feedback, but then you always have this one person that you don’t know if they’re a bot or if they’re just an angry person. … So, it’s just to keep me sane, keep me healthy, live long and also to be the best version of myself.”
For Vereen, every dumbbell curl and song lyric ultimately serves a purpose of self-improvement and spreading positivity to anyone who needs a boost. Fans looking to check out his latest work can stream his music on YouTube or track down physical copies on CD directly from the proud Manhattan artist.
