BLOOD BROTHERS | Yung Heem
INTERVIEW RICHARD PRICE PHOTO FRANKIE KING
VALIDATED: Being from San Jose, California, what’s your earliest memory of Hip Hop culture?
YUNG HEEM: I would say 106 & Park’s Freestyle Friday’s and Rap City The Basement. Artists like Mase, Biggie, Eminem, Snoop and Dr. Dre.
VALIDATED: As a teen you and your brother Cal Major started “Trife Livin Records”, how big of an influence was he on you musically and entrepreneurially?
YUNG HEEM: My brother played a big role in my life dealing with music, life experiences and just about everything. He pretty much showed me how to hustle and do everything in the streets. In the beginning that's what it was based on, brotherly love, just him teaching me the ropes. He was the rapper initially and I just used to make the beats, you know, beatboxing and stuff like that. Eventually he started encouraging me to start rapping. I didn’t want to rap but he got hit with a life sentence and I wanted to represent him.
With Trife Livin Records Inc, the trife is an acronym - truth represent identity facts and expressions. It’s our way of life and we’re expressing our true story. I added my brother as co-founder so he can still be apart of my journey from inside his cell.
VALIDATED: Your ability to paint pictures with your words, when did that talent began to surface?
YUNG HEEM: Probably around the age of 13 because of things I saw and did at such a young age including my incarceration at age 12. I had finally found the confidence and I only knew how to tell my story.
VALIDATED: Your current record label “Youths Under New Genocide” (YUNG), what’s the meaning behind the name?
YUNG HEEM: YUNG explains how the system is designed for people of color and minorities to be disenfranchised, targeted and oppressed forming a new genocide. Such as mass incarceration, the new version isn’t physical it’s more of a systemic oppression that eventually kills a specific generation of people for years to come which is the prison system. The prison system in California is occupied more than certain educational institutions.
VALIDATED: Being a Black man in America, what’s your take on the stereotypes that tend to be placed on us?
YUNG HEEM: I feel it has became more mainstream and commercialized nowadays, you know, when people put Blacks or specific group of people in a box because of a prior experience they had with someone that looked like them. We know in every joke or any comedy there's always some type of truth. We see people laughing and making fun of other cultures because that's just what we do, right? But at the same time we don't take it out of context or mistreat people. Ours is more historical and so it's a sensitive matter. It's more of a thing where they know a lot of African-Americans / Blacks won’t go for that.
VALIDATED: With singles like “Have Nots”, “Culture” and “Poor Role Models” you obviously use your music to shed light on the less fortunate. Do you feel it’s your responsibility as an artist? Why?
YUNG HEEM: Yeah, I feel like what we know historically… Everybody doesn't want to educate themselves and that's fine. But when you in the trenches and you come from the bottom it forces you to find yourself. A lot of my music is my life story, it’s what I'm going through, it’s what I've witnessed. My story has become my passion… I'm trying to impact people with my music because I know other people are probably going through the same thing that I've went through.
I’ve just taken on the role of being the voice of the people that's been through the struggle, especially those that have been to prison and been through the judicial system. I definitely take that responsibility because I feel like a lot of people don't represent it right or exploit it because thats the music people want to hear.
VALIDATED: What does Hip Hop mean to you?
YUNG HEEM: For me it’s pretty much the soundtrack to my life and how I was able to find my identity as a person and artist. Hip-hop isn't just music, it’s culture and a mindset. I don’t see these big name rappers and think “Oh my God, I’m a huge fan.” These are my co-workers and we’ve got a job to do. We’re trying to revive the art and keep the sport alive. That's how I look at hip-hop, a gift that keeps giving and evolving.
VALIDATED: Which artists influenced your style and what if anything did you borrow from them?
YUNG HEEM: I would have to say TI, Lil Wayne definitely. Style of dress definitely TI, lyrics and punchline’s I’d say Lil Wayne. Who you can compare me to would be J Cole because of my story telling, lyrics and consistency.
VALIDATED: Your upcoming album “FreeDaMobb”, what can you tell us about it?
YUNG HEEM: FreeDaMobb is dedicated to my brother thats incarcerated. He was sentenced to life in prison at 19 years old as a result of being falsely accused and misrepresented in court. I feel like his story is relatable as well as mine. I did 10 years in prison behind the same guy who testified on him. So I began to see a pattern within the judicial and prison systems pertaining to young black men in America. After researching I noticed that 1 in every 3 black men will be subjected to mass incarceration which is the prison industrial complex also known as the new Jim Crow, hence FreeDaMobb. Freedamobb is really a campaign against cruel and unusual treatment from the police, unjustified sentencing, etc. FreeDaMobb is also an acronym which stands for Faithful Rehabilitation Each and Everyday Doesn’t Always Motivate Other Black Boys.
VALIDATED: What can your fans expect from the project?
YUNG HEEM: Definitely high energy. Even though the story is sad it’s definitely motivating and uplifting. It’s more pain in the lyrics and you can expect good music, it’s a play all the way through for sure. It took me a whole year to get everything finalized but it definitely helped me get through sometimes listening to it. A lot of people won’t know I was homeless on the run from the law, etc. Going through it with my girl at the time and not to mention jail calls everyday from my niggas still down. So I recorded alot of our calls to get that nostalgic feeling. It’s a reminder for me, you know. Its definitely a conceptual work of art.
VALIDATED: Last year you shared the stage with Hip Hop legends Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, how would you describe the experience? What did you learn about yourself as an artist?
YUNG HEEM: It was different. It was a glimpse of whats yet to come. I never really listened to their music but obviously I listened to Wu Tang. But just being around them was a blessing. The crowd was dope and very welcoming and interactive. My merch did good too and that was probably my second paid show. I learned that everything is on you from travel expenses to meet and greets. They bring their entire support team, designating people to certain positions. It took a lot of work for sure.
VALIDATED: You’re under management with a new distribution deal, how did the collaboration come about?
YUNG HEEM: I’ve been under management now for a year and the distribution deal came about just by signing up. It took awhile to get approved but it will be worth it. The platform is artist friendly and it allows fans to pay what they want for the project. The name of the platform is Even.Biz and LaRussel from Vallejo is one of the pioneers of it.
He’s how I got hip to it. I got tired of putting my music out there and it not being valued. So in the process of creating this fan base I wanted to really know who rock with me. Personally I like to see my fans, sales and results and this platform allows me to.
VALIDATED: What does the second half of 2024 look like for Yung Heem?
YUNG HEEM: Right now we’re working with a few artists on some upcoming features. I got some videos to do and an album release party in October. New clothing line Yung Apparel dropping and will be in locals stores in Atlanta soon. I’m just building these relationships while building this brand.
VALIDATED: Where can people follow and support you?
YUNG HEEM: Follow me on Instagram @tharealyungheem and Yung Heem on all other platforms.