Ty Dolla Sign Covers Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ For Its 30th Anniversary

It turns out Ty Dolla Sign is a Nirvana superfan. Not only did the LA-bred singer once recreate the 2001 Spin magazine cover featuring Kurt Cobain for the magazine, but he also has a portrait of the rock icon tattooed on his leg.

So it should come as no surprise that for the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s inarguable signature song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Ty would perform a rousing cover of the song to pay homage to it. During what looks like a rehearsal session with his band, the musicians launch into the instantly recognizable riffs, as Ty plays a ripping guitar solo, dreads swinging and fingers flying over his instrument’s strings.

Dolla Sign had a busy 2020 that saw him holding his position as the go-to feature man for hip-hop and R&B’s biggest acts, including Post Malone, with whom he collaborated on “Spicy,” SZA, who made her return to the spotlight after an extended absence, and more. Ty released his own album in the fall, riffing on his well-founded reputation with Featuring Ty Dolla Sign. The warm reception of the album included performances for Jimmy Kimmel and NPR Tiny Desk Concerts.

Watch Ty Dolla Sign cover “Smells Like Teen Spirit” above.

Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.