No Jumper - The Young M.A Interview

Episode Date: September 30, 2019

Young M.A’s debut album "Herstory in the Making" drops September 27, which comes over three years since her breakthrough 2016 single “OOOUUU”. She sat down with Adam to talk about her journey and how she firmly chose to stay independent. --- FOLLOW OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST! https://spoti.fi/2vi9lsD CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! http://www.nojumper.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new interviews (and more) weekly: http://bit.ly/nastymondayz Follow us on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nojumper and iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/no-jumper/id1001659715?mt=2 and follow us on Social Media: http://www.twitter.com/nojumper http://www.instagram.com/nojumper http://www.reddit.com/r/nojumper JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Q3XPfBm follow Adam22 as well: http://www.twitter.com/adam22 http://www.instagram.com/adam22 and follow adam22hoe on Snapchat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No jumper, coolest podcast on the world. And today, I'm incredibly honored to have the one and only young MA in here. How are you doing? What's your good, boss? I'm just excited to have you in here, man. This is a very momentous occasion. I was watching the later stuff, the latest stuff, that big video. That song is ridiculous.

That song is huge. Thank you, thank you, thank you. That song is it. Yeah, it was something different for me to video-wise, you know what I mean? Shout to a videographer. I kind of, of course, came up with the theme. It just made sense to make everything big in the video, you know? You mean it was different just in the sense that you want a little bit more cartoonish, animated?

Yeah, it was like, yeah, fun, you know what I mean? It was something different, even with the girls in the pool, shaking their behinds. Like, people know they always think young inmates are so serious. You know what I mean? I just wanted to show them, like, yeah, like, we have fun. Do you think your fans want you to deliver what you normally deliver, which is like straight up street? Or do you think that sometimes because you might have more of a young female audience, that they might sometimes want that sort of more goofy fun stuff?

Is that something that you think about? Yeah, you know, I get so much different, like, feedback from my supporters. They just basically, they don't put me in the box, you know what I mean? They don't keep me in one position. They like everything for me. You know what I mean? And I know there's a few, a lot of outsiders that be like, yo, it made about them bars and stuff like that. And then there's other people that just want to see different sides to me

and different things that I'm able to do. and, you know, that's, that's me. A lot of people need to know that. Do you feel like, because it's weird being an artist like you who has this gigantic single early on in their career because then forever for the rest of your career, you're kind of sort of trying to live up to that initial momentum, right? Yeah.

Is that taxing mentally? You do go through it, definitely. You know what I mean? Like, I've been through it. But I didn't stick to it, you know what I mean? Like, eventually I got to a point. where it was just like, because it was all new for me, man. You know what I mean?

Like, this is like fame just really hitting me now. I was always known from just starting from the street, hustling from the streets, and just trying to get my name out there and get heard and then boom, when everything happens. It just all happened. It just happened. Were you getting approximately like no heat before that video popped off or did you have like a little wave going? Oh, I had a whole wave. Oh, okay, because I don't remember.

I knew about you as of that song, but so you had a thing going, but it was like, Yeah, I had a whole thing on. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I had the whole New York, the Connecticut, New Jersey, like, Philly. Like, I was known. I was doing shows prior to Owe. You know what I mean? Like, selling out of shows.

You know, so I was out here moving. So Owe just happened to move me commercially. You know what I mean? Cross me over type of up. And so now I'm experiencing the bandwagon. You know what I mean? Everybody pulling me here, pulling me there. And, like, oh, we need her.

We need her there. So it wasn't more so about hustling and working hard to be hurt. now is like it's coming to me now. It was like the easy way. But at that point you don't know that this is going to slow down at some point. Yeah, exactly. I don't know. You know what I mean?

Exactly. I don't know. You know, I'm fresh in it. I didn't sign to no label. I stayed independent. So anything I experienced was more so just off of my personal way of going about it and saying I just,

I'd rather handle it how I want to handle it. You know what I mean? But it's just crazy because when I listen to that new song, the big song and like a couple of the other videos you have recently it kind of just makes me think about that fact that when you explode as big and as quickly as you did it then becomes kind of a weird thing where it's like then you know the public finds out about you so rapidly they go from not knowing anything about you to knowing everything or like knowing your face and everything and then it just kind of becomes all about the music and i feel like that's what's sort of interesting about

this is i feel like you really do just go in there and make crazy ass songs that can actually carry the momentum that you need. Exactly. And I just, that's what I say I'm blessed, man, to just even just being independent. And at the same time, a lot of people don't know how difficult that is, you know, if you're not in that position. You know, the labels, they have more of a machine, more power.

And you're basically competing with the... You got the Hennessy? Oh, yeah, not on camera, though. Oh, no? Yeah, yeah. Oh, okay. No, no. Well, you want to put it in a cup and we'll pretend it's something else? I got the snapple shit, right? Take the snapple brand on. You can put it. Damn, you can't even drink nothing without having the brand deal in place, huh?

Yo, man, it's because I was, you know, promoting that just spontaneously for so long, not understanding the branding thing and never got paid for it, you know what I mean? So it was like, oh, that's a dub now. Yeah. You know, you learn from that. It's all new. It's all fresh. So, yeah.

That is kind of a weird thing because there's so much stuff that you might want to do for free. And then as soon as you start to get the option to get paid for doing something like that, it kind of taints the whole thing. Yeah, it's like, yo, you already helped us. Thank you. Right. You know what I mean? We don't need you.

That's why the designer companies are so smart because Gucci is like we're never going to give you anything for free ever so that you're always going to have to pay for it. Wow. Fuck you. That's basically their attitude. Basically, right. Exactly. Unless you become like some mega celebrity.

They might give you something out. Right. Exactly. Yeah. So, yeah, but talk about that. Like that, you felt like you kind of became the enemy of the labels by not signing because they are basically trying to like fill the role that you're then sort of inhabiting with their own artists?

I'm not too sure on that on that situation, really, with the labels thing about me. I mean, I still have labels wanting to sign me, though. You know what I mean? Like right now to this day, it's just something I have to, like, feel like I'm ready for because I've been independent for three years straight, you know what I mean? Like, not even counting prior to all my come up, you know what I mean, just doing everything within my team, within my circle, and just me. So, I know they see.

You know, I know they like, yo, like, I'm, like, I'm really doing numbers. This ain't no, this ain't no pretence of. Like, this is natural numbers. This is like my supporters going to see this is people really watching. Like, my video big is at like almost 20 million right now. I think it's well over, though. It's almost 30 million? No, not yet.

Almost, I wish. But yeah, and that's just in one month, you know what I mean? No major radio, no radio promo, like, it's just we're moving. You know what I mean? That's just streams on YouTube. We're not even talking about all the, other media outlets, you know what I mean? Thanks, Jay.

They're looking, boss. Got the famous red cup. Yep. Everybody knows something was... Beer. Orange juice, something like that. Okay, yeah. Where were we...

We were talking about... Oh, yeah, doing those kind of numbers on your own. Yeah, because, I mean, let's be real, you do see a lot of people come out with the huge label cosine and do numbers, and then sort of maybe the label disappears at some point. and a couple years later, and then you just never see them do anything close to that. Exactly.

I mean, Jay Cole made us all suspicious. He said that the plays are coming from machines. Yeah. I don't know exactly where. I've been hearing that a lot lately. You know what I mean? I have. And I don't know.

Like, I don't understand, like, how does that go about? What is the process of that? I don't know how to even know. But, you know what I mean? Like, that's on them. Like, I just love the fact that I have a fan base that's, like, loo and very supportive. So it's like it's time.

where I take time off and they'll be like, yo, take your time. You know what I mean? Like, we're here. We rocking. Which is rare. Which is very, very rare. I've seen so many people over the years in the music industry who they clearly think that they're in a position fan base-wise that they can just chill out, do whatever.

And then all of a sudden, six months later, there's some new rapper who's like a cooler, funnier, weirder version of them and it's over. And I'm just walking and like, damn, that was tragic. Right, right. What keeps you from having that effect go down? Because it is true that your numbers are still crazy. Your family, but it still seems super rabid. I just believe, honestly, my personal opinion,

I just feel like, man, I always make them feel like family. You know what I mean? Like, it's like a part of me. You know what I mean? Whatever I do, I always bring them in, I make them feel like data reason for it. You know what I mean? And people really see that, like,

because they look at celebrities to be like something they fantasize about, they dream about. Like, it's like, oh, my God. Like, I love you. You know what I mean? I get that everywhere I go. You know, it's like love. It's like, I love you.

Right. It's not just, hey, you're young and me. That's a unique lane. You know what I mean? It's like, it's almost scary sometimes. Like, you don't know if this person can go crazy on it. You know what I mean? So it's like that type of love, genuine love.

So when you have these type of fans and these supporters that's supporting you to T. I'm talking about buying your merch and posters in their crib and stuff like that. And the fact that you make them feel like their family, like they're just going to stick with you. You know what I mean? That's something I'm building. from day one. Like that wasn't, this didn't just come about

because I got ooh and everything crossed over. No, I've been doing this from the very beginning. Like, I stamped that. Like, I was already, I had a good following

on my Instagram before I even popped off. You know what I mean? So, it was something I just did. I always gave them what they wanted, whatever they asked for. It was just that. Is there ever been a time

where you felt like thing, like where it was slowing up, where you started to really just doubt everything and you just weren't sure if anything was for certain anymore. Have you ever gotten to that point where you were really doubting that things were going to work out? Or has it always been enough support from the fans and everything that you

never really got to that point? I got to a point where when everything started to come, you know, so fast and this whole little wave is going, I didn't understand what the wave was the outside people, the bandwagon, people like, I didn't understand that yet. So, you know, all it's just coming in is like it's happening it's like you know radio you got promoters everybody's just coming at you at just at once and of course when things start to slow down you're like oh man like you know like damn like you know it ain't the same anymore but then i had to put myself in the state of mind like that was the rush that was like the rush hour of it and no you probably didn't take advantage of it but i don't regret it because of it

at the same time when the smoke cleared, I still had the ones that support me that I've already had prior to that. And then I gained even more once that rush came. So I basically quadripled what I already had. Because playing, am I going to stick around? Right, of course. And I had to learn to know that. You know what I mean? Right in the moment, of course, I don't know that. You know, I don't know what's going to happen in the future at the time or whatever the case. And anything I ever did was more so on my control. It wasn't like I had 100 people in my head like, oh, you need to do this. you got to drop this album because right now you get like I didn't have that you know what I mean like like officially like anything I did well I had it but I had to say so you know what I mean and certain

things that that happened was because of because of me you know what I mean I didn't have the I wasn't signed to no labels and stuff like that of course they would have locked me in had me do this had me do that but I had the free advantage like the freedom to be able to do whatever I wanted to do that's what I always tell people who have any sort of viral thing even if it's like you know you come up with a t-shirt design you put it on Instagram and that shit goes a little viral. It's like just harness whatever you got out of that moment, make the most out of that without sacrificing who you are. Like you don't want to be a total shameless clout chaser because even that is going to come back to you and that's not a good look and everything.

But make the most out of that moment. Don't shun it. Don't be like, oh, I don't want to become the meme. You got to be the meme a little bit at first, you know? Right. And you got to do with it. And, you know, I don't regret anything. You know what I mean? I'm in a happy place. when the fame really came about, like, I didn't really like it. And I mean, and even when you hear the album, you're going to have an understanding on that and you're going to hear me kind of speak on that situation. But the fame wasn't really for me. Like, I'm a real, like, personal person.

Like, I'm a real life person. You know what I mean? I believe in, like, real life family, real life friends and all the extra, like, outside stuff. Like, I'm just, that's just not in my soul. You know what I mean? Like, I have an old soul. I grew up my mom. raised me a different way.

Has it been hard for you to sort of compromise a little bit and make some compromises in terms of putting yourself out there in more of a commercial way or feeding the blogs a little bit and shit like that? Yeah, I've definitely gotten better at it, you know what I mean? Like where I had to put myself at a point like, you know, sometimes you need this little controversy, this little, you know what I mean, this little funny business type stuff you need it because this is like what's, this is what's in now. It was like the thing now, you know what I mean?

So sometimes you got to play their game. You know what I mean? It's like, don't let it play you. You got to play it. You know what I mean? So that's what I learned to do. Is it weird, though, because it's like you're working on your music habitually. Every night you're in the studio, you're on tour, you're doing all this stuff.

You're shooting dope-ass videos. But then you could almost get more people talking about you from basically just another rapper using you as a punchline. Not even really like invoking you that much besides just making like a joke punchline. You say one thing about it and then that becomes this massive thing. And of course, like, you're lucky because you still have music that overshadows that shit. Right. But that shit could, you could have a moment where that's bigger than everything else in your world or your Twitter timeline. It would.

It do come and it do have that wave and that's all you see for a little bit. But then it goes down. And I know that. Like, that's a good thing. I have understanding on that. So when certain things happen, I'll just tell myself, like, yeah, you know what I mean? I need this controversy. All it does is bring impressions to me.

It brings engagement to my profile. This will give people a reason. click videos you know what i mean like it don't bother me to the point where it's like oh damn like i can't do this or this is but it don't it don't affect me you know what i mean like i use it to my advantage and i know eventually the way social media is now is so much stuff that happens that they can't wait the post like your situation would literally die down in the next two three days tops you know what i mean and why that's going on that's when you take advantage you post stuff you know new music videos anything you know i mean and and i learned to

to do that. For sure. Do you think about yourself often within like the greater overall like New York City hip hop tradition like because there's always just been this like contested thing where people talk about who's the king and who's who's the best out of New York is very much sort of like in the soul of a New York rapper to at least sort of think about that shit. Do you think about that a lot? And does it ever frustrate you when people maybe don't put you in that conversation enough? I mean I hear it in the conversations but to me specifically, like, of course, New York is my city, Brooklyn is my city, but I just feel like I'm a queen overall, you know what I mean? And I mean that when I say I'm a queen and the king, you know what I mean?

Everybody know I'm queen with a K-W-E-N. That's just me. And that title thing, that only comes from either your personal feelings or what people see you as, you know what I mean? You can say you a king, but if nobody's acknowledging that, or if you can say you're a queen, but if nobody's acknowledging that, then you're not a king or a queen within that situation, but amongst yourself, if that's what you believe, of course, you know what I mean? Like, but I hear it a lot. You know what I mean? I hear that, you know, young and me got, you know, she's like the hardest side of Brooklyn.

Like, I hear those compliments or whatever the case, but I don't look at it just like for Brooklyn though. Like, I'm moving everywhere I can, you know what I mean? And I'm just Young and May general worldwide internationally. Yeah. You, I mean, I know you definitely have a reverence for like classic New York hip hop because you're like rapping over fucking Mobb Deep samples and shit like that. It's just, it's not that camouflage. But is that the kind of stuff?

Like, do you still listen to that stuff? How much does that mean to you? Absolutely. Do you like consider yourself influenced by specific rappers from New York and stuff? Definitely. The New York sound is, it's original. It's like where we always birth from. Like, this is where hip hop was birth.

You know what I mean? And I'm, I am a fan. Like I am I am in love with hip hop like this is something I feel in love with since a little kid So I can't help but you know what I'm acknowledged these these these these legends and these OGs in the game You know what I mean like I would never be disrespectful towards that these things that I've studied Music I've listened to as a kid and my mom Then listen to you know what I mean so definitely a big influence upon me and how I make music and stuff like that But um but even with the new

sound, you know what I mean? Like a lot of these, a lot of these, like I'm not against nothing that's, that's out right now. You know what I mean? Because some of these, these kids, it's like so many artists now. It's like so many artists. Like the, it's crazy how the hip-hop, uh, the rap game is now. It's like, everybody's a rapper. Everybody's a rapper. So it became like, clustered with a bunch of, like, people to the point where the OGs kind of get forgotten about because these kids are getting, so much content and stuff like that. But I grew up in a generation where it was hip hop. You know what I mean? It was like New York had it. You know, I grew up on Jay-Z 50 Cent, J-Roo, you know what I mean? DMX. And if we're talking female rappers, Eve, you know what I mean?

Even Lil Kim still was moving. Foxy Brown. This is the music that I grew up on. You know what I'm saying? So I'm going to always have that respect. And it's in my blood. Yeah. I mean, you've been in the game long enough that you sort of watch SoundCloud slash like mumble rap kind of come and go.

Is that sort of like a strange thing for you to watch as somebody in the industry? And you're sort of like, well, I'm still young and I'm still doing my thing. And I'm a lot better than a lot of these people that get a lot of attention. Am I not controversial enough? Am I not shocking enough? Is that ever the kind of thing you start out of it is? Yeah, I do think I'm not controversial enough. I'm unproblematic.

Like I see people say it all the time. Like, it may so unproblematic. And with social media, because honestly, if we really speak in fact, social media really took over hip hop. To the extent where even the magazines are basically irrelevant, all the radio, yeah. Even bigger like channels on YouTube and stuff. Right, you got podcasts now. Podcasts is taking over. You know what I mean? Everything on social media is taking over.

Academics and World Star. Right. So now that you have access to this visual of things, it become entertainment. You know what I mean? now things is so much accessible now back then it was like you couldn't see this person or you couldn't see this person unless it was

on a music video on TV or or if you just happen to go to a concert or you know what I mean like now it's like you can see any artists on social media all day every day so it just became now is like entertainment it's like now you have to entertain people in order for them to keep

staying involved you know what I mean it's not about the mystery really no more you know what I mean like so but i still i still be on my mystery vibes yeah i feel like you've benefited from that to a certain extent in the sense that i feel like you not being out all the time has definitely helped this motherfucker fly is tormenting us i don't know what he wants some some some licks he definitely wants some of that orange juice um yeah just in the sense that you know somebody who who carries themselves with sort of an aura of like not being so bothered by certain things i think about that

a lot of times with different rappers is that you know when you don't rest respond to the stuff that people say about you when you don't show yourself on social media constantly, you're definitely just creating more and more of a mystique. When you look at somebody like Beyonce, she has like an unbelievable amount of mystique stored up because she never is out there. Whenever you see her do something, it's fresh as hell. And then you don't see her again for six months. You don't see her on her Instagram story looking horrible. You got some of that juice stored up too. And you definitely seem like you go out of your way. And it's because I balance it too. You know what I mean? I still understand. I'm still young, so I still have a

a young fan base as well, like a youth of a fan base, but then I got the older cats that respect my craft too because they look at me like to have an old soul so they can relate in a way, but then I have the kids too that just be like, oh, that's young and made. So I try to balance the two because I know the kids is something, they want to see more of me and the adults is more so they have an understanding

on the mysterious way about the business because it's something they grew up on. So I always balanced it too because I've never, first of all, me personally, I just don't feel like everybody needs to know everything about me. Like, I like my privacy. You know what I mean? This is one of the reasons why I don't really,

really collab with fame too much because I just hate that the fact of people just being able to, you know what I mean? Like, just know you or know everything. Like, I want to keep my privacy. You know what I mean? And then when it's time to work or do a show or club appearance or anything I got to do, then I feel like that's the time to show who young M is.

but like all that extra stuff man I can't like I need that sometimes need that get away the greats I feel like usually are able to take their personal lives and sort of save up anything that they might want to say about that like somebody like jr or biont they save up you don't get to hear about their relationship drama for years and then they spill it out on the track and i feel like that that's very much like a sign of of greatness is knowing that your personal shit is so precious that you might as well not say and put it in the music put it when it's about music i think that's what they forget about. True. It's about, like, this is who I am. Like, I make music. I'm not somebody to be,

I'm not your controversy person for you to see me on, on camera, bugging out and wild and out. That's not why I do this. You know what I mean? If that's the case, I'll be an actor. I'll be acting on the screen. You want to see me doing something, you know what I mean? Like, you want some entertainment, I'll act. But, like, music is music, and I feel like it should always be about the music, because you are entertainer. You know what I mean? You make music. when you go to these shows. You're not at the show trying to entertain people on

the stuff you're doing at home or whatever. You're rapping. You're giving them music. Yeah, it's actually because when it comes to the disc song thing, I think everybody agrees that we would rather it be music. Everybody would rather hear a great disc song

than like a great Instagram story. Yo, that's what I'm saying. That's another thing that was not even about nobody's making even disc tracks no more. Now it's like it's videos. talking about something or tweeting. And like, I don't understand it, bro. Like, it always was about the music.

It was always what's been about the music. I would love if somebody dissed you. I would love if somebody really gave you a reason to go hard. We haven't really seen that. Or am I just missing out on it because I'm not super tapped in? You might have been making a song about somebody on your block, right? No, I didn't see nothing. I've never seen nothing against me.

That's what sucks. I mean, if it was something. Nobody's disrespecting you. But if it's like something like local or something. Like that never, I don't know. Man, I don't know. I can't pay that in my mind. Yeah, but like anybody big or something like that?

Oh yeah, let's go. Younger May is here. She's ready for the smoke. Yeah, I'm with all the smoke. You gotta be on that level for me to respond to you. Very true. As long as we're on the Brooklyn thing, it's kind of astounding. You managed to escape the whole trayway vibe.

You never thought about tapping in with that? What you mean, like getting involved with the gang and all? Going to do an Instagram story with the 6-9 or whatever. Everybody was tapping in. Nah, man, I ain't got nothing to do with that situation. That was that being, I'm over here. You know, I don't get involved with none of that stuff. What was your perspective on it, though, when you're watching all this insanity,

just taking place, and this is sort of kind of becoming the image of Brooklyn to a certain extent? I just was like, I just was looking like everybody else. You know what I mean? Layback watching how everything play out. I didn't really know them. You know what I mean? I didn't know them. Even being from Brooklyn, I didn't know him.

So I really couldn't have a judgment on him. You know what I mean? Like whatever I've seen on the internet, that's all I can say about him is how he was on the internet. You know what I mean? He was entertainment. You know what I mean? But as far as like in the streets and Brooklyn, I didn't know.

So I couldn't really comment on that situation. Watching how it played out just in terms of the whole all these guys who are really in the streets getting caught up because of him and the whole snitching and everything, is that sort of shocking for you to see just being somebody who's more of a real person from Brooklyn? Of course.

I think it would be shocking to anybody. You know what I mean? It's like, it's crazy, you know? You see it and you're like, wow. But, I mean, it happens. You know, he's not the first. You know, it's just publicly seen.

You know what I mean? He's very public. So now everybody in the world is able to see it. But this doesn't happen in a lot of places. Normally it's not mega famous people in front of the world. Yeah, but it definitely. Happily happens in his world, man, to the best of them.

And, you know, it really ain't nothing new. It's just publicly seen. Do you think that when Bobby comes home, that it's going to be a huge moment in New York? Are you excited for that anyway? I hope so. Because that was more like your generation sort of. I hope. I hope.

I really hope when the freedom guys, man, for real, man. I really hope when they get back, man, that we got to get back to it, man. You know what I mean? They definitely, the one thing I could say is. that they definitely had that New York sound. You know what I mean? They never lost sight of that. That was a huge shame that that got cut off early.

I know. Because they had the streets going absolutely nuts at that time. They definitely did, man. And you just got to be careful, you know, you got to be careful. And they, you know, they was young guys too, man. And, you know, they just having fun, you know, you get into this industry. You having fun. You enjoy yourself, man.

And sometimes you just get caught off guard. and it's unfortunate, but I know they probably got their head right now, and I think they're going to come back and have some fire. I mean, it's going to be crazy, too, just because, you know, guys who get locked up and maintain their respect or whatever, they're going to come home and they're going to be very, like, celebrated by the rap. Well, I feel like you're going to have all these big-ass rappers wanting to give them songs and do looks for them just because they're going to have their respect.

It's like the opposite of this 69 situation. Right, absolutely, absolutely, definitely, man. I'm excited, too, man. my city. You know what I mean? It's Brooklyn, man. So it feels good to be able to have, you know what I mean, that, that, that, that person rocking from the same city as you and they really, you know what I mean, rocking. It's not like they ain't making no noise, you know, and it's, it's cool to see that they, they come home. I feel like it went about so fast, too. Probably not to them, but I feel like it kind of came a little fast, man. I mean, seven years sounds like the longest time ever, but then in reality, time flat so fast because there's so much shit happening. time like even that six nine shit he got he got that case like nine months ago or some shit and we were all like damn he's not going to go on charl until september and now it's september and that feels like the other day you know that shit was making me think about that for sure yeah but yeah um i love new york man new york is my city brooklyn is my city man and

when people say new york is it doesn't sound like new york people got to understand times is changing so when you really think about it New York can sound like New York but remade by the younger generation you know what I mean because if you want to say New York today don't I mean New York 10 years ago don't sound like New York 20 years ago you know what I mean like it was more boomed pap

and you notice in the early 2000s we have more of the melodic and the samples of music. You know what I mean? So people got to understand things is going to change definitely from just your experiences and just how the music industry is now. You know what I mean? So I feel like New York is still in a good place.

Yeah, that's like a crazy standard to hold the end of music too. To be like it should always sound like 95. Yeah, and I hate the fact that they make it seem like New York is not doing well. Because if you keep putting that out there, then they kind of discourage. these people, you know what I mean? Say, yo, New York

got it. We got this person, we got that person. We got that. We're doing well. Like, don't don't sit there and try to, like, downplay this person, that person or certain sound and make it seem like we ain't got it pop because then you don't see nobody in Atlanta saying that. What kind of production do you find yourself most drawn to, though, because you could rap over any kind of beat.

I've personally fucked with, like, Danny the Butcher and all those Griselda dudes, hardcore, and they sort of more of like an old-school classic New York. They have a lot production from their dude Derringer and Alchemist and all that stuff. It's a little bit more of a classic style. Are you drawn towards that at all? Or how do you end up settling on what style of beat you're most attracted to?

I'm versatile. I'm versatile. That's what I say. I don't put myself in the box, man. I listen to everything. That's just me. I don't be like, oh, I just need this specific sound. No.

Send me your dope as shit. And let me take a listen. And I'll determine what I get from this and where I want to go with this type of beat. You know what I mean? Like, it's never no specific sound with me. I can hear a track beat, but I'm going to still sound like me. It don't matter what beats you put in front me. It's going to always sound like Young and Me, you know what I mean? Like, and that's the good thing of having your sound, you know what I mean? So the production to me really, of course it matters. Don't get me wrong, but like far as like me, like, picking a certain sound, no, the production

doesn't matter. Like, I can use a trap beat. I can use a, a, uh, a, uh, a, uh, a, uh, a, Up top, boom pat beat. Like, you don't hurt. Like, I didn't spit on everything. I didn't spit on the I get the bag beat. I don't spit on the clips beat. You know what I mean? Like two different type of beats.

But I'm gonna do it. It don't make no difference for me. That's just me. Like, I just love music. I love art. I listen to all type of genres, like from reggae, hip hop, rock. It don't matter. You never thought about going full, like, Caribbean, Latino wave,

because that shit's so popular now? Absolutely. Have you done anything that sound like that at all? No. Oh, okay. You know what I mean? And then... The world album is still on the way.

Yeah. That's crazy you say that because... Really? The album I'm about to drop now... Because I'm staying... I'm keeping my foot on their necks. Like, I'm not letting up. So, yeah, I'm dropping this album September 27, 2019.

Yes. But we're coming with more after that. There's, what, four or five songs on Apple Music right now? I believe it's four. It's such a weird thing for me now that when I go to listen to somebody I'm about the interview's music, that they have the new...

album but then the album's not actually out there's just a couple of songs this is such a new thing over the last couple of years yeah yeah it's like the pre-order vibe you is everything else isn't accessible but that's why have you been waiting so long to make this official statement because it feels like you could definitely and you you you have within you a classic new york debut album that could like define your career has it been three years of you just wanted to make everything right, or did you just not think it seemed that important at first? I...

Or however many years is more than three years. I wanted to stop thinking about it being important, because that's what discouraged me is the fact of, you need to put this album out. You have to do this, you have to do that, because that's never how I worked. You know what I mean? I never worked with pressure of somebody telling me

what I need when it came to my music and my craft. so I had to like that's what kind of helped me up is like like you'd be surprised that'd give you some writers block is because people is expecting something from you so then your creative zone become uh become smaller and then you're not you don't feel as creative as you usually do when you got people coming up to you and saying this is going to be your elmatic right right where's the album or just that yeah you know what I mean crazy pressure and I can't I don't like mentally that's not cool for a person that really puts time and dedication into their art. You know what I mean?

I don't have nobody's writing music for me. Like this is literally coming from my mind, from my pen, and I got to make it right. You know what I mean? And they got to be something that I can relate to. Like, because it's really about me. Like, the album is about me. It's not for anybody. I'm not writing it for nobody else.

Like, it's about me. You know what I mean? Whatever I'm going through, whatever my experiences is. so I didn't want it to be about oh because this person is saying you need to put this out that person no remember this album is about me it's not about what you want for me and that's what I had to kind of like separate myself from

and kind of put myself back in that position where I was like okay let me just get back into a creative zone you know what I mean let me lock in let me block everything else out but do you feel like you need to outdo yourself in the sense that whatever you've done before if you're going to put an album you should be doing something bigger and better than everything you've ever done before. Do you feel like that's pressure that you have to live up to? No.

In a sense of being more conceptual, bigger, crazier stuff, I don't know, just your best work. No, I feel like on the next album I need to do that. On this album is more so letting you know who I am. Right. You know what I mean? And have an understanding of where I come from and just having an understanding about me because a lot of people misunderstand me, you know what I mean,

and I'm real private, so a lot of people don't see, you know, the inner, you know what I mean? They just see the outer part of me, the outer layer, and they don't really know. I'm mysterious. So I feel like on this album is,

I'm just opening up. And I feel like, this is the album to just let everything out on the table. And then on the next album is like, oh, let's have fun now. Let me show you where we can really just go from here to it. You know what I mean? Like, to me, on this album,

This is just letting you know who's young and made. And that's it. And then on the next album, I feel like that's when I got to, like, really just, what am I going to do next now? Because now I didn't give y'all me. So what could I give y'all now? That's always supposed to be the hard thing. When you talk about your first album is your entire life up until that album.

And then your second album is that album to the time that you put out of the second album. And by that time, you're usually famous or rich or more rich and famous than the more. Right, right. before. Everything's different. Nobody really wants to hear an album from somebody who's just got it made. Right. You know, people are more attracted to that story of the kid on the corner. Right. Right. And then you got to let them know. Like, it got to be just something relatable. You know what I mean? And that's what this album is. It's very relatable. And I'm just, I have a lot of vulnerable songs on here as well and just opening up to them. Yeah, I'm excited for it. I think

it's going to be crazy. I noticed that you mentioned Fashion Nova in a couple of your recent songs. Is that, what is your relationship to the brand? Oh, that's gang gang right there. That's good to know. That's good to know. I, too, am endorsed by Fashion Nova. I gotta admit, so. Oh, where?

Yeah. Yeah, they cut a nice little chick. I'm actually wearing Fashion Over, so Fashion Over, I just do this song today for you guys. That's your inspiration when you're in the studio. You're just thinking about the great deals that they have on Fashionova.com? I'm just thinking about it. about fashion over all day.

But now, the dope thing about that is that when I did mention it on Petty Whop, this was before I even had any type of deal with them. Oh, really? Yeah. So, yeah, so when I mentioned it, it was just something cool. I felt like I had to say because I seen a lot of women wearing Fashion Over. So I just knew it was something relatable for

women. And they actually reached out and loved the song and we wound up going to their office and we locked in from there. You said what? Like, I could fuck your bitch in Fashion Nova, No Designer, something like? I said, oh, you talk about, you talk about on Big, no. I like that line, though.

The first one, when I mentioned it was on Petty Watt, and I was like, both your bitch of Fashion Nova dress just to see her ass in it. Oh, yeah, that's hard. You know what I mean? And that, you know, that went. They took that and went crazy. By the way, that's like 70 million views to, like you. That's an endorsement.

Yeah, you know. And then in Big, you know, being at the Fashion Overcutter couldn't let me go. It was like, why not throw him another little shout out? You know what I mean? And it was just being cocky too. It's like I ain't got to win no design and stuff to bag your girl. I can bag and girl in some fashion over you. That's inspirational for the kids out there though

because I feel like a lot of times these kids are just probably thinking like, damn, like I ain't got a Gucci shirt. What the hell am I going to do? I'd be trying to not say because everybody feel like you got to wear this. You got to wear that and do that to be cool. And it's like the coolness in you is just your demeanor who you are. You know what people? They feel like like close and define you.

Yeah. Definitely. You know what I mean? You can keep a low price. It's all good. You don't need that. You don't need to, like, because there's nothing worse than seeing somebody who's wearing, like, a Gucci shirt and you know that they spent every last dollar

that they have on that shirt. And they really not really who they see. You know what I mean? Like, they really be a lame, man. And they, it makes them feel good because, like, hey, I got on a Gucci shirt, so I'm cool now. Like, nah, man. Definitely.

What, you have a freestyle that's going insanely viral right now. Like, everybody's just talking about this. What's your mentality when you go, in to do something like that? You walk around with bars on deck in your brain at all times? Nah, not. You'd be surprised. I don't.

You know what I mean? Like, people would probably assume that, but, like, that one right there, the one you're talking about now, I actually just wrote that right before I got that, not too long. You know what I mean? So it was, like, literally fresh. So I had to, like, yeah, you know what I mean? Like, I had to, like, just have that ready.

But, uh... Is that hard to memorize? because I know you're not on the way you kind of like it's almost like a it's almost like a freestyle like probably a lot of people understand like you just got all the chunks in your mind yeah you just got it you you have it written

but you don't always say it how you have it written you know what I mean it's like you jot it but then you you kind of like finesse something in your head as you going with the floor you know what I mean I don't know if everybody can relate to that but I know that's for me and yeah it's definitely going to fight it right now

so I'll tell you about You know, I just realized I got to ask you about this Because you did that freestyle with Funk Flex Did you see Tyler the Creator when he went on Funk Flex? Yeah How great was that? We just was just talking about that It was so funny to me

Because Tyler the Creator was just so like, Nah, Shalant, like what did I say wrong? Like he didn't even give a fuck And that's what made it funny Because I know Flex and Flex is the type of dude Like, what the hell? I don't know if Flex has ever had a conversation about LGBTQ issues

before that. Like, I feel like that might have been the most he ever even thought about it. Right. It's not really his world. But then you got to understand, Teller the Creator is him. Like, he's just, like,

overall just Tyler the Creator. Like, his name itself speaks for it. So I like Tyler the Creator. Like, I think he's, like, funny and dope at the same time. He just don't give no fucks. And I listened to his album and I fucked with it.

I thought was cool and everything. But I'm going to be honest, that funk flex for your style was, like, the funniest thing that I think I've ever seen in my life just because going into, that environment where Flex is basically like playing a superhero and then just saying some crazy ass shit that you're right he's like you know he's like hip hop to the T so he's in there like

yeah I know he's about to spit some bars for me and then boom because there's a moment where flex is starts going on this rant about like I never took money from no label because I always want to be able to tell somebody to go fuck themselves I just seen that clip he said I'm on it to be able to to a label to go fuck themselves and Tyler just goes yo you just did that shit he's like you really just did that like he thinks flex just being flex

is so funny yeah I know it was just that was one of the wildest things I ever seen I don't know it's crazy also just a big movement for the LGBT community in general when you really look at it though it really just it brung it brung so much engagement

to his channel and like that's like it went viral Like, and that's really what social media. Like, everything is about now is about going viral. It's like, that's the benefit now is going viral. Flex might not necessarily know why that went viral, but he was probably just happy it went viral one way or another. I'm about to say it's like you get to a point where it's not even about what happened. It's just like, how are you going to benefit from this?

You know what I mean? It's like, yes, I know it's going to go viral. And instead of allowing it to affect me, how can I benefit from it? Bingo. That's what it's all about is just knowing how to harness the shit. Exactly. And not turn into this like goofy-ass caricature yourself, which I mean, there's no risk. You've fallen victim to that, but there's a lot of people in the industry that you sort of see that.

And you just wonder, like, how much longer you think you're going to be able play this role? Right. This is social media. That's why this is one thing I do have understanding on. This is why I don't really comment on a lot of stuff or I don't engage in nothing that's negative or anything. Because social media is social media. They're going to be how they are. You can't look for sympathy in people that's behind a device.

You know what I mean? It's like that's their way of expressing themselves in a way where nobody can see them or judge them. So when you're trying to express your feelings or your emotional and stuff and you get this feedback from people that's like negative and harsh, you can't blame that because this is not the outlet for that.

You know what I mean? It's the social media. If you want that type of, you know, sensitivity or, you know what I mean? Like go to therapy. You know what I mean? Like social media is not that outlet. So I feel like what you do with social media

is you use it to your advantage and you benefit from it instead of being all emotional and then your feelings and feel like you got to go into temperance. You know what I mean? And that's what I learned from social media is like, don't let the bullshit affect you. Do you feel like, do you feel annoyed because it feels like everybody always wants to put you into the box of the identity groups that you fall into? And it feels like you want to just be taken seriously as a rapper and everybody always wants to be having a conversation about being gay and being a girl.

Does that just kind of bug you that you always are going to be kind of praised with like an asterisk next to your name? The crazy thing is, no, I don't get any interview I do, anything I do, I don't get that situation. I have the little trolls in the comments that say stuff like that, but majority of my fan base and my support system and anybody I do it in the industry, they don't entrust me that way. You know what I mean? Because it's something I stamped through the door. You know what I mean? Like, that's just me. And I don't like when you even look at articles with my name on anything

And you don't see gay rapper or Female rapper like you just see young in May And that's that's what I painted the picture to be is like don't Don't put no labels on me But it feels like people want to know how you fit into the current like girl revolution in hip-hop Because we've seen so many like when you came in it had been Nicki Minaj And that was basically it in the rap game for many many years And now you sort of have this whole wave of chicks coming in

And I think people want to know Like how you sort of like fit into that But then I feel like for you It's like you were never making your gender The center of your identity in the first place At all. You know what I mean? It ain't nothing for me to fit into Because I'm not trying to fit in

I'm trying to stand out I'm just me You know what I mean? I'm in my own lane I'm in my own situation I'm not trying to be next to Or compares to this person or that person Like at the day I'm young and me

People love young and made And that's where I'm at with it And I think the industry and everything is so used to things being a specific way because it's been that way for so many years. But I don't apply to rules and regulations. And that's just I don't, I'm not, I'm disobedient. Like I said in the freestyle, I'm disobedient. Right. I don't apply by the rule books.

You know what I mean? I don't care what's been going on prior to me or for how long. If I want to be this way and this is what I decide to do or decide to be, then so be it. Like, I'm not judging nobody else. I'm not against what anybody else have beliefs in. I respect everybody in their decisions. That's y'all. It's not my place to even give a fuck.

Because at the end of the day, I walk with me, I live with me, I sleep with me, I live with me. You know what I'm going to die with me. So I don't feel like judging anybody or going against somebody's beliefs is my business. You know what I mean? And this is just me. Like I'm not doing the whole label thing like when they come to the industry just because everybody else Feel like it's just what's always been the case or always been stamped in the game That don't mean I have to apply about that

You're going for the long game here Yeah, I'm just me man It ain't that hard It ain't that hard it is what it is So what makes you the happiest in an average week You know when you're not rapping or talking about rapping when are you actually Enjoying yourself the most Definitely when I get that time where I don't got to worry about the world

You know what I mean? Like when I'm home, I'm barely on social media. You know what I mean? Unless I'm actually doing something to show. But like other than that, like if my girl there, we're watching movies, we're chilling, or if my mom and my family is around, we're mac and we're chilling. And I just like to be normal. Like, you know what I mean?

Like I feel like when it comes to music and everything, like that when that time is that time then I'll deal with it but like other than that like I like to hang out I like to swim in my pool I like to be normal like I go to the gun range like I like to do things you know what I mean besides the whole social media and stuff like I love taking a break from that yeah it's weird because with social media a lot of people clearly think that like you should just be living a life they're documenting at all time but I think over time you start to like realize especially when you're somebody like us who's kind of on the go a lot, always making content, always doing different stuff. That it's like you've got to really treasure the time that you don't have to do shit.

Right, you don't get to enjoy it, man. And I'm one of them people, I don't really Instagram everything. Like, I can be somewhere like I was just in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I've actually been there quite a few times, but like I was just there and like anybody else would be like showing everything. You know what I mean? But me, like, I barely like went on. Instagram and I just really enjoyed the moment like I'm really here and you have to take those moments you know to consideration yeah because sometimes I'll look at my Instagram story and real and there's

like nothing on it and I'll realize like dude I did so many things today that I could have put on there I eat an $80 salad right I could have put that on the gram but you know what's crazy because you're you're only doing it to show others what you're doing 100% yeah so then that's another way of saying you're, you're, you're, you know what I mean? Like you're entertaining what other people feel of. You could, you could motivate the people out there by like letting them know that you ate an $80 salad. It means that maybe they too could one day get $80.

Right, because you know you're going to have your haters. Then I'm like, I think it was $60. And it wasn't today. It was like six months ago when I'm still thinking about it. It was it good at least? Because I didn't put it on the gram. Yeah, it was incredible. It was best salad I ever had.

What kind of salad was? Just a huge chicken salad at this like crazy country. It was at the Polo Lounge, actually, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I think it was. Oh, wow. $60. Wow. You know, it's like 45, and you've got to spend, like, another 15 to put chicken on it.

And there's somebody else's tab, so I was perfectly happy to do it. It was good. He was good. Yeah. So how long we got to wait for the album? If we count today, I believe, nine days. That's exciting. Yeah.

You got anything else big in mind for promoting it, or are you just kind of doing the media rounds? Yeah, we definitely doing media rounds. You know, that's obligated. But I'm definitely dropping a event. video to every song on the album. Whoa. How many? It's like 15 at least, right? There's 21 songs. Wow.

But I believe I only have, yeah, I got a little way to go. You know what I mean? But the good thing is I will be always dropping content. So that whole MA going undercover and hiding out is no longer. A lot of people, if you're not dropping shit on YouTube, you might have a brand new project on Apple Music, but then if it's not on YouTube, a big percentage of the audience, so it's not even going to think about it. Exactly. It's weird.

Exactly. And that's what we're trying to do. We're just trying to keep them entertained, keep them just fed, man. You know, because they always say, yo, MA, man, you only drop, and that's all we get. And then you go hide.

And, you know, it wasn't on purpose. It was just trying to figure things out, man. It was like, which, how am I going to handle where I'm at now to be able to say, okay, how can I keep going up? because I like financial wise like I never went backwards you know what I mean like it's still I'm still doing well for myself you know what I mean like I made a lot of smart decisions when the fame and everything did come about I didn't just spend a bunch of money I didn't just jump jump the cliff

you know what I mean so I played it right and thank God for my team too because they was always there to motivate me and and be there to be like you know make sure you know what I mean handling this right or whatever that's amazing because so many artists will drop a bullshit-ass project just to like seize on the virality of their name when they're going up and then that that sort of ends up being the blueprint for their career, which is a real shame because you want that first project to be when you really can make an impact and really make a statement about who you are. Right, right, right. Absolutely. So, and that's where I'm at. So we're dropping a lot of content, a lot of videos, and I'm definitely going to be on a lot of features,

too. A lot of people don't know. And I'm getting involved in the acting, too. Wow. Yeah. You got something going on behind the scenes that we don't know about. Yeah. Coming soon. That's exciting. Yeah.

Man, young man, one cool-ass bitch. It's hard to put your finger on exactly what cool is, but that's one thing I get from you is like, damn. I'm cool, man. That's why your fan base sticks around. Yeah. The cool factor is just. Because it's not fake. It's not phony with me, man.

I'm just me to the tea, man. A different life you could have been a pimp or something. Yeah. I'm actually glad you're. your efforts are going towards something more positive. You could have a make coat. You're trying to call me a Pimp now, man. Yeah.

You're telling me call me a little player now, man. Be thankful that I don't read those blogs because I started to do a little bit of Google. And I'm like, wait, she was dating her. Oh, my God. You know? I'm not that kind of interviewer, though. I'm not full loving hip-hop. Yeah, I love the ladies, man.

You got a broken heart on your face. That's no coincidence. You're a heartbreaker. No, this is for my brother. Oh, well. Yeah. I don't want to play with that. Rest in peace.

Yeah, rest of it. And peace, man. That's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's the only thing that broke my heart was losing him. Yeah. Yeah. Rest and peace. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, Young and May, album on the way. Very exciting. Thank you, boss. Pleasure to be here. Yeah. Thank you so much. It was an honor. Uh, young and may, no jumper, coolest podcast in the world. Check us on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes. Like, comment, and subscribe. Nojumper.com. If you want to support. Peace.