Long before he started Limp Bizkit, Fred Durst was still rapping and dancing and living it up as a teenager.
Nowadays, Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst is on some strange wavelengths: be it on a “Dad Vibe” or starting a podcast about UFOs. But long before he was turning Limp Bizkit into a quasi-art project, he was a kid trying to sincerely make it as a rapper.
Fred Durst’s Rap Career Before Limp Bizkit
Recently on social media, an extremely old video of Durst’s time pre-Bizkit has been circulating, showing off his earliest days rapping. The video originated from VH1’s Before They Were Stars, which dove into contemporary celebrities’ early careers. In Fred Durst’s case, this video is from 1989, depending on when it was taken Durst was 18 or 19 years old.
The video, as you can see below, features Durst rapping and rocking a haircut not unlike Vanilla Ice’s flat top. Durst’s rapping is extremely ’80s, mostly about dancing to the song’s beat.
For our viewing pleasure, Durst does bust out a bunch of moves during the video, showing the early stages of his future moves and time as a breakdancer.
Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst Rapping + Breakdancing in 1989
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Limp Bizkit Frontman Fred Durst’s Tattoo Artist Career
Fred Durst didn’t immediately move from breakdancing rapper to lord of nu-metal. Before he started Limp Bizkit, Durst was making his way around Florida as a tattoo artist, working at multiple shops in the mid-90s before fully forming Limp Bizkit. In 1994, Durst would wind up jamming with longtime friend John Otto and met future guitarist Wes Borland. The rest was history.
What Are Limp Bizkit Doing In 2024?
Today, Limp Bizkit are going harder than ever.
Recently while playing Lollapalooza in Argentina, the Biz got a crowd of over 100,000 people to absolutely lose their minds while they played through their classic hit “Break Stuff.” It’s a hell of a sight to see, and proof of how enduring Limp Bizkit’s music is.
Every ‘Big 4’ Nu-Metal Album, Ranked From Worst to Best
Between Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and System of a Down — indeed, the “Big 4” bands of nu-metal — how do all their albums stack up when ranked together? It’s no walk in the park pitting these discographies against each other. Read below to see every album by nu-metal’s “Big 4,” ranked from worst to best.
Gallery Credit: Philip Trapp + Chad Childers