Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

BYU Student Raps For 30 Hours Straight In World Record Attempt

A young man poses with a goat-shaped sock puppet.
Derek Crane
Joshua Palmer of Cedar City poses with his sock puppet “Scruffy.” He rapped for 30 continuous hours during a November world record attempt at Lowes Xtreme Airsports in Provo. ";s:

Utah has a reputation for good powder and weird liquor laws. But now, it may be known for rappers, too. 

That’s thanks to Joshua Palmer, a 24-year-old music student at Brigham Young University, who recently attempted to break a Guinness World Record by rapping continuously for 30-straight hours. 

The previous record of just under 26 hours was set in Los Angeles in 2017. 

“I wasn’t super concerned with my ability to actually finish,” Palmer said. “It was more just all the logistics. Everything has to go right for Guinness to accept it.” 

Palmer — who also goes by his stage name Jee Mingus, a nod to jazz legend Charles Mingus — told KUER that the world record-keeping organization placed strict requirements on his attempt.

For his effort to qualify, he could go no more than five seconds without rapping at least one syllable and could not repeat the same song twice within a four-hour window.

However, Guiness does permit breaks during rap marathon attempts: Rappers accrue five minutes of rest-time for each completed hour, which they can use as they please.

Palmer said he waited until 19 hours had gone by before taking his first break, managing to eat and drink within the permitted five second gaps instead.

There are strict documentation guidelines, as well. 

The record-keeping organization required him to perform in a public place, record audio and video and have at least two witnesses in the room at all times.

Originally from Cedar City, Palmer is also the founder of Sockhampton, a sock-puppet rap group that he said is influenced by “90s-style, boom bap” rap. 

He said he closed out the 30-hour marathon by performing the group’s debut track “Actual Goat.” 

Palmer said he’s still waiting on official results but he hopes the accolade will help set him apart as he endeavors to enter the music industry after graduation.

“It’s just that little step up that if someone knows that I did this, then they understand that I’m dead serious about what I’m doing," he said.

Palmer has set his sights on other world records, too. Next up: the world’s biggest gathering of sock puppets.

David is a reporter and producer working on Sent Away, an investigative podcast series from KUER, The Salt Lake Tribune and APM Reports.
KUER is listener-supported public radio. Support this work by making a donation today.