More than the golden dumbbells: Getting to know Nappy Vereen
If you have spent enough time driving down Anderson Ave. in Manhattan, chances are you have seen him.
Golden dumbbells in hand, music playing and often a camera nearby, Bryan “Nappy” Vereen has become one of the most recognizable figures in the Manhattan community. Some know him simply as “the dumbbell guy,” but Vereen’s story extends far beyond his workouts.
He is a musician, author, bodybuilder, clothing designer, content creator, lifelong Manhattan resident and, above all, someone determined to use each of those roles to inspire others.
Vereen joined Wildcat 91.9’s “Evening Drive” to talk about the person behind the golden dumbbells, his newest album, his clothing brand, an upcoming documentary and what he hopes his hometown remembers about him.
Vereen had quite the list of how he would introduce himself to people who only know him from seeing him around town.
“Bryan Nappy Vereen, aka Topic,” he said. “A proud representer of Manhattan, Kansas. Never been ashamed of where I’m from. Bodybuilder, author.”
Then came clothing, social media, music and a documentary, a list that continued growing as the interview went on.
Becoming a Manhattan staple
Although Vereen had already been doing his signature dumbbell walks for years, he said 2018 was the first time he realized those workouts were impacting others.
That year, the Manhattan Mercury featured him on its front page.
“I was just doing what I love,” Vereen said. “And then when somebody reached out and was like, ‘You inspire me.’ I’m like, I never thought about that.”
For years, Vereen thought music would be what made his name recognizable in Manhattan. Instead, it was simply going outside, working out and doing something he enjoyed.
More recently, the Kansas State Collegian featured Vereen in “The Man Behind the Golden Dumbbells,” giving readers another opportunity to learn the name and story behind the familiar face.
Vereen said the article brought even more attention his way. During one of his walks shortly afterward, someone approached him and told him he had never met anyone famous before.
“I know that a lot of people have seen me before,” Vereen said. “But I think with that article, it gave more people more insight with a name behind it.”
The King of Wild City
That connection to Manhattan is also at the center of Vereen’s newest album, “The King of Wild City.”
Vereen said the title was not one he gave himself. It was a name others gave him, and one he considers an honor.
“I’ve heard for a while that some people have said whenever they think of Manhattan, I’m one of the people that pop up,” he said. “That’s kind of crazy to be a monumental part of the city that I was born and raised.”
Growing up in a college town has naturally made its way into his music. Songs such as “K.S.YOU!” and “Fake Patties” reflect parts of life in Manhattan, from the energy surrounding K-State to memories of Aggieville.
Vereen described Manhattan as both a place where people come to have fun and a place where they are working toward something greater.
That same balance appears in his music.
“I got party songs in there, I got life songs in there, I got deep thinking songs,” Vereen said. “But it’s a mixture of just life. You want to have fun, but you also got to be serious at the same time.”
"The King of Wild City" is Vereen’s fourth album, and he said one of the biggest differences between it and his earlier work is the amount of time he spent developing it.
The album took more than three years to complete. Vereen wrote far more songs than ultimately appeared on the finished project, cutting tracks that did not work as well in the studio as they had in his head.
Rather than focusing on creating one viral song, Vereen said he still cares about creating a full album with a mix of sounds, subjects and emotions.
His growth is also obvious to him when he listens to his older work.
“There’s something I wouldn’t say now,” Vereen said of revisiting past songs. “But my main thing is just actually rehearsing, taking the time and just making sure that not every song that I write is going to be on this album.”
Creating without limits
Music is only one part of Vereen’s creative identity.
He has also turned his sayings and personality into apparel, describing clothing as another way to promote what he creates.
“Everything is a walking billboard,” Vereen said.
Some of the shirts feature phrases he comes up with in everyday life. His habit of creating his own expressions has even led to what he calls “Ebono Slango,” his personal collection of slang and sayings that comes from hearing the distinct language of artists from different regions of the country.
But whether it is a shirt, a song, a book or a workout video, Vereen said the larger purpose remains the same: inspiration.
He uses the word “OUTspire” to describe that philosophy.
“Everything I create is to inspire people, just to let them know that they should not be limited,” Vereen said. “Why limit yourself to one thing when you can do so many different things?”
That idea also shapes how Vereen sees his growing collection of projects. While music, clothing, books, fitness and video can each stand independently, they also contribute to one larger mission.
“It all equals up to one thing, and that’s to keep people inspired and motivated,” he said.
Telling the story on film
Soon, audiences will have the opportunity to see another side of Vereen through a documentary that has been approximately four years in the making.
The project began after Vereen attended a Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills meeting. There, a videographer approached him after recognizing him as the man who walked around Manhattan with gold dumbbells.
The conversation turned into a much larger project.
What was originally expected to require only a few filming sessions eventually grew into seven or eight as more of Vereen’s story emerged.
The documentary explores parts of his teenage years, including time spent in a boys home, as well as his experiences in Kansas City and different parts of Manhattan.
“It shows people Manhattan, not only from hearing it, but also that everybody has a story,” Vereen said. “You could turn your trauma and your tragedies into something inspiring and motivating.”
The documentary is expected to release this fall.
For Vereen, looking back on his life for the project has also meant confronting how much has changed and thinking about people who are no longer here to see where his work has taken him.
“It’s just crazy to look back and like how far that I’ve come and how many people I’ve lost along the way, too,” he said. “There’s so many people that I wish I could still show them, ‘Look what I’m doing.’”
Turning doubt into motivation
Almost every part of Vereen’s career has had someone doubt it.
Bodybuilding. Music. Clothing. Writing.
Instead of allowing that doubt to stop him, Vereen said he has spent years using it as motivation.
He compares the process to bodybuilding.
“The amount of weight that I’m lifting now, I wouldn’t have been able to lift when I first started,” Vereen said. “But it takes progression.”
He believes creative work functions the same way. One bad song does not mean someone is destined to be a bad artist, just as struggling with a weight the first time does not mean someone will never be strong enough to lift it.
“You keep working on it, and you get better,” he said.
Despite everything Vereen has already created, he is quick to say he does not believe he has reached his peak.
“I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but this is not even the pinnacle,” he said. “There’s so much more to go.”
A legacy bigger than the dumbbells
When Vereen imagines what his connection to Manhattan could look like decades from now, he does not think small.
He said he wants a statue or monument in town someday. More importantly, Vereen hopes people remember someone who refused to let his hometown, circumstances or other people’s expectations determine what he could accomplish.
“What I want people to remember me as is that guy that came from a small college town ... that didn’t allow where he was from or the stigmas or the circumstances stop him from doing what he wanted to do,” Vereen said.
In an era where someone in Manhattan can instantly reach someone across the country or around the world, Vereen sees little reason to think small.
“Nothing is impossible,” he said.
As for what’s next, Vereen plans to continue promoting his music while representing the city that has shaped so much of his identity.
He also teased something “big” coming soon, although he refused to reveal exactly what it is.
“If you’re on social media or if you’re out in Manhattan, you’ll see,” Vereen said.
People can find Vereen across social media, including Instagram and TikTok under nappyvereen, as well as the Nappy Vereen Fan Page on Facebook. He also posts on YouTube, Snapchat and Fanbase.
And for anyone who has ever watched Vereen carrying those gold dumbbells down Anderson Ave. and wondered exactly how many curls he is doing, Wildcat 91.9 finally got the answer.
During one counted walk, Vereen completed approximately 1,800 reps. His highest recorded total was around 2,100.
Most days, though, he said he doesn’t even count.
He just walks.
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