ABM: What is your Rap name? Tell us the story behind your hip-hop name?
Young Yeama: Young Yeama. A rapper named “Yang Gang Shootie” from Richmond came to my studio in Vallejo back in the late 2000’s. This nigga got on the track and was like, “Yeama!!! Yea Imma Bitch! Yang Gang Shootie Nigga!” We fell in love with the moto. “Yeama!” Yang Gang Shootie was calling himself a bitch before BasedGod. And then “Yeama” (pronounced ‘yeah-ma’) evolved. Yeama is now a statement that we say which can be greetings or farewells, could be “yeahs” or “hell yeahs!” This the Bay, we creators. Yeama is in our everyday vocabulary!
ABM: Has anything happened in your life that led to the decision of becoming a musician?
Young Yeama: Bryan Ryals, my third grade teacher introduced me to hip-hop. He was like a father figure to me and would take me out when one day I heard that Aaliyah and Timberland joint, “Are You That Somebody.” The baby winning with them knuckles rattling along with the beat. Fire! That beat sent me somewhere no music had ever done before, despite me only knowing Negro spirituals. When I heard that song I said to myself, “I wanna do that!” Inspiration at its finest!
ABM: How did you get your start in the hip hop scene?
Young Yeama: Hip-hop is a culture. I was born into street entrepreneurship, street fashion and street knowledge. Hip-hop, to me, is way deeper than music. I got my start in Hip-hop when I was born as a Black male in America! This is Hip-hop.
ABM: Where are you from, and what was it like growing up there?
Young Yeama: I was born in Oakland, California at the naval hospital they torn down some years back. Mama took me to Alvingroom projects with my bum ass father in the Navy. They shipped him out to sea and we followed moving to Richmond, Virgina. Spent a couple years there and then moved to Kansas City where my father’s family had moved after Felix died. Then I moved back to Oakland when I was in the 8th grade and been in the Bay every since.
ABM: What do you typically rap about?
Young Yeama: Pussy, weed, God, Black shit, selling Molly, heartbreak, shit I read about, hitting licks, pimping, religion and other things that don’t necessarily coincide. Real diverse and eclectic from the many adventures life throws at us.
ABM: What are your last full length releases people can go check out right now?
Young Yeama: Shit, “East Oakland,” “West Oakland,” “North Oakland” and Tretorns albums are available on all music outlets. Slaps for days! “Randbiy” was an album recently released featuring some of my older music. I do most of the production with my music and I’m learning to let others use their strengths to help further everyone involved. But even J. Prince tells us in his new book, “The Art and Science of Respect,” that in this world there are, “Leaders, followers and loners.” Imma loner.
ABM: What are you currently working on?
Young Yeama: Releasing all my old music! I’m sitting on about 400 songs and I just need to release it, hence my latest release “Randbiy” which was recorded and produced between the years of 2008 – 2012. All my beats done on fruity loops and all my recording done in the basement! Be your own inspiration! And I’m also collaborating with a lot of artist and trying to develop marketing tools to build a solid fanbase. Steady work.
