Haastattelussa Memphis-veteraani Young Lo

Tekijä(t)

10/08/2018

Haastattelussa Memphis-veteraani Young Lo.

What’s up, Young Lo? How are you today?

I’m good. Never felt better.

So, let’s start at the beginning. Where are you originally from, born and raised?

I’m from the United States—North Memphis, TN. Born and raised on Seventh St. The heart of the ghetto and downtown Memphis.

Where did the name “Young Lo” originate from?

Originally, my name is Carlos Warren. “Young Lo” came about as the abbreviation for my name (Carlos). Also, being a young guy during that time, a lot of artists had the “Young” thing attached to their name. It was a good fit, and besides, that’s what all my guys call me anyway. Been “Young Lo” since 1988.

What are some of your fondest musical memories from when you were a kid growing up?

Man, I remember attending the Jack The Rapper Music & Entertainment Conference in Atlanta, GA, in the ’90s when I was about 16 years old. It was the first time I ever saw Tupac and countless other celebrities of his caliber and even bigger in my life. I shared a room with EightBall and MJG at the hotel we were staying at. I was there on Suave Records’ account. At the time, they were interested in doing business.

Who would you say has had the biggest musical influence on you and why?

Scarface and Jay-Z. Because of Scarface’s storytelling art and Jay-Z’s business savvy. Simply put.

What are some projects you did when you first came out and started to let people know who you were?

Some of the mixtapes I have released include “Seventh Street Bound,” “Real Dealizm” (1996), “New Jack Debut Edition Compilation” (1999), “Life In General” (2000), “Non-Fiction” (2002), “Christmas In The Hood” (Single) (2003), “Carlos Warren Mixtape” (2012), “Carlos Warren Mixtape II” (2017), and “Legend” (2018).

Did you see any turning points when you realized things were picking up, or did it all happen little by little?

Well, the turning points weren’t as acceptable to me as my independence and ownership of my complete catalog to this day. It’s all been happening little by little all my life. Things do pick up, but I was never one to have a huge budget. I just made sure I always produced a presentable product.

What is your opinion about the Memphis rap scene these days? Also, are there any new rappers that impress you and that you would like to work with?

The Memphis rap scene is incredibly creative and steadily growing. Artists are becoming household names slowly but surely on the daily. I would work with whoever, but I’m not pressed or feel the need to do so whichever way it goes.

Besides rap, what other music genres do you like listening to?

Everything, depending on the mood I’m in. It could range from rap, rock, country, jazz, soul, etc. I love music, period.

Can you tell us a little about how the Alkatraz Syndicate got started and how you guys know each other?

Well, Al Kapone is kind of like the underrated godfather of the rap music scene in Memphis. He’s had something to do with a lot of local moves in this city, including a couple of mine back in the day. Alkatraz Syndicate consists of his label mates or clique. I wasn’t signed to his label, but we connected on several things and still do today. We met through the music years ago, and the bond is always active.

In 1996, you released your first studio album called “Real Dealizm”. What was the process like in recording this album?

Exciting. It was my first real album. I featured a lot of hot artists from the city on the project. I co-produced it and had a lot of live instruments playing throughout it. That was my first project to have national distribution.

Do you have any crazy stories from that time?

Nah. It was just a fun process. I was being young and learning the business as well. The only crazy part is that I ain’t filthy rich yet.

What was one of your toughest struggles in your life or music career? What did you do to overcome it?

Well, life is actually a forever struggle. We struggle to get to the top, and we struggle to stay there. Now, the music on the other hand was a struggle in the sense of maybe never having the proper budget to market and promote the product. I overcame those situations by self-educating myself on things that would have cost me a significant amount of money. I learned those tasks and completed them myself while saving thousands in the process.

Taking all the things you’ve learned, what advice would you have for other artists coming up?

Learn the music business. Self-educate yourself on every subject of the game. Build or have your own website built. Spend money on ads to advertise your music or brand. Sell your music online or physically (at least get a donation); don’t give it away. Shoot lots of music videos; they bring your music to life. Fans love music videos. I’m saying all of this, and along the way, build your team and just outwork everyone around you. You should be great.

Your latest album “Legend” just came out. How do you feel about this album, and are you satisfied with its outcome?

I feel like my new album “Legend” is a classic. I’m very satisfied with the outcome. In light of me rushing the album due to being honored as a “Legend” in my city for rap at the SCM Awards Show, it was like a 45-day process, but it was successful.