SA:

Yo, thanks for takin a sec to sit and chew on this interview man

YUNGTOWN:

Ah man it's no big deal S.A anything for my site... *laughs* Nah man what's up?

SA:

Aiight well since this is the first ever D2S based YungTown interview, I wanna give the fanbase an idea of who you are. So gimme a brief synopsis on who you are as an artist?

YUNGTOWN

Well to start off I am a christian rapper which is the most important because you set that example to everyone on who you are, and especially what you do and who you do it for! I'am basically like any other christian, just trying to fufill my purpose and to do anything I can for the Lord. That's why alot of my songs are based on struggle on the path that God has me on, and the certain obsticles and how I face them later on. Who said following God was going to be easy?

SA

It's not, that's truth. Why a Christian rapper though? Why is it important to show your beliefs through your music?

YUNGTOWN

I cant honestly see it any other way. The fact that there are so many rappers out there as it is that are the most known and have the most fame, and use that to complete waste. It kills me inside to see that. The fact that I am called to this particular ministry, and the fact that I want to do something different. Something with purpose that people can actually relate to and get out of, other then just learning new dance moves all the time or talking about how low your chain hangs... Just a waste....

SA

How is that transcending into your album, now that I'm bringing that up...What is "Renaissance" all about?

YUNGTOWN

"Renaissance" is about the rebirth of my skill, status, and mostly spirit. Though the moment you first accept Jesus into your heart you feel as if your whole life is a new. Which it really is for you are clensed of everything from that moment, and start as a new whole. Well through out the past i've gone through some tough times spiritually, and havent been as strong as I should've been about my faith and relationship with Christ. When my album was at it's early stages I was just doing music to make hot tracks that I knew people would listen to.

Once I finished these tracks they sounded alright, but just as if something was missing like as the whole puzzle was finished except for one piece. As stupid as I am it took me a long time to figure what was up, till I realized that I was a christian guy that happened to be a rapper and just wanted to make tight clean tracks people would bump. Then I re-dedicated my music to the Lord and then felt renewed. So at that point I decided to call it the "Renaissance". And since then... I felt like i've finished the puzzle on all of my tracks *laughs*

SA

lol That's hott. What kinda songs do u got in this album?

YUNGTOWN

The songs I have done now are mostly in a serious type manner, because they are based on my emotion and how i've felt on certain times on my path with Christ. Whether it's discouragement, heart broken, feeling worthless, overwhelmed, stress, or just expressing my love for God and encouraging everyone to do all things through him.

SA

Do you carry any expectations with the upcoming release of this album? How you feel people will accept this album based on what you've done already?

YUNGTOWN

Dang bro that's a tough one... I honestly cant tell you from my perspective, because I am my worst cridict but... From what people have told me about what they've heard I think this album will be a sucess. I have aleast one person everyday asking me when it's dropping sad to say I never can give them a reply on that, because I was constantly changing things around with it. Overall I think people will be able to related to what I say, because we've all been through the same stuff. And when people listen to your music they dont take it through the artist's eyes, they take it through their own to see if they can find any material in which they can relate to. So yes, I think they should accept it.. I hope they do!

SA

lol man they will, def Let's take it back a second and let me ask just for people's awareness...how long have you been rapping and what got you into it?

YUNGTOWN

Wow time for a flash back! ok ok... i'll start with that!

Any ways ever since I was littler I was influenced by Hip-Hop. If you have listened to one of my single's from the album "Growing Up" it basically explains it all. I was inspired by the movie Space Jam which that theme was the first rap song I ever learned. Then in 5th grade I wrote my first rap and it was actually the complete opposite of what mainstream is today. This cop came into our 5th grade class talking about how smokeing, drinking, drugs, and gangs were all bad and how people ruin there lives once they get involved with something as that. The nice nice police man gave us all a little handbook where we did activities in it each night. Well one of the activities we had to do was write a poem talking about how all these things were bad. The 5th grade version of "your's truley" got all inspired some how and I stayed up each night for three nights writing it.

Dang.. I'll never forget that actually how much I got into it, laying on my bed writing lyrics for the first time... *laughs* man it's crazy thinking of "a first" such as that at a time like now and how much it's elevated. The day it was due, our poems that is the cop asked the class if there was anyone who wanted to share their poems. No one answered, but me being really proud of what I wrote raised my hand and slowly walked to the front of the class... ohhh man.. I'll never forget that moment... it was just about as long as a regular rap verse and the look on my Teacher and the cop's face when I was done was priceless. The cop studdered asking me "How.. how Long did it take you to write that?" and me having a real country accent at such a young age I said, "Three NIIIIggghts". Then my lil posse who I hung out with started laughing at my accent... *laughs* just sumthing i'll never forget

SA

LOL.

YUNGTOWN

Oh and to answer ur question I've been rapping seriously for about 3 years now

SA

Awesome

SA

Are there any collaborations in this album to watch out for? What are your favorites from your album?

YUNGTOWN

SA

My personal fav's are def "My Spirit" "Fly Away" and "Worthless" because they are all good tracks expressing powerful emotion. Especially "My Spirit" that is my all-time favorite thus far

YUNGTOWN

Haha thanx S.A I appreciate that bro

SA

Who would it be a dream to collab with in the future?

YUNGTOWN

aw man.. Toby Mac, Kj-52, and Kirk Franlin!!! I love their music.. especially Toby, and Kirk ahh man if I could do one with them..whew. lol Oh Oh and Stevie Wonder!!! I love his music

SA

Hahaa man you remind me of Braille. Him and his obsession with Tom Jones...hah ok... maybe im not that bad...wait, it wasn't Tom Jones it was someone else...nevermind!

YUNGTOWN

Now that just "Unusual" lol

SA

Much luvv to Braillebrizzy though

YUNGTOWN

ofcourse ofcourse

SA

What kind of conflicts have you faced with creatin this album?

YUNGTOWN

Aw man.... That darn Satan! He's been my number one conflict! Always trying to talk to me saying how "That aint a hott track" "Nobody in their right mind would bump that garbage" "You sound like Vanilla Ice" yeah and that one got to me! hah but you know you always have to block him out, quote scripture whatever you have to do to get rid of him. Oh and ofcourse at times i've had just overall bad recording days where I can spend hours at a time on recording for one song and I just lose my voice completly and get totally un isnpired by that

SA

word man I know that feeling haha. Aiight well to bring it all to a close I just wanna ask you to leave off the readers with some advice on what a real Christian MC needs to be successful. What makes you and drives you to push on?

YUNGTOWN

The fact that this is what God has blessed me with, and I need to use it for him regardless on what happens in life. Also hearing other christian MCs' doing their thing that encourages me no matter how wack they are. Just seeing people praise our Lord like that I absolutly love it. To be completly honest it's God who pushes me on, even at the times I feel down and that all hope is lost for me... He still never fails to push me on and continue on what I need to do. To the kid's out their who are aspiring artist never lose faith! That is the main Key!

SA

Aiight that's what's up! thank you for your time homeboy God bless you and I wish you the best with the upcoming release of this album!

YUNGTOWN

Ah man thank you for having me bro, anything to support D2S baby yeah ha! God Bless you to man

SA

YungTown's "Renaissance" will be hitting international release through online stores this Fall, 2006 exclusively through Death2Self Records, Yungtown Productions and Cafepress. 1 Luvv!