This next artist is full of ambition and determination with a plot to succeed. Striving to turn his dad’s dreams and his into a blissful reality - DMV AUX presents to you, the hard-working Hip-Hop artist, Mr. Yuck.
Mr. Yuck (Mic Ripper Your Under Cover Killer), was born in New York but was raised in Prince George's County, Maryland. At the age of five, Yuck was writing raps and hanging out in the studio frequently with his father, a rapper himself. Whether he was in the studio or at home, over time, he instantly became heavily influenced by Hip-Hop and later on by his parents teaching.
In elementary, Yuck skipped from 4th to 5th grade and ended up forming a rap group, the '4th-5th Ballers', with three other classmates. He then recalled his very first performance at their school’s talent show and how amazed the audience responded. Yuck also shared that he skillfully wrote all the verses! Following that performance, he suddenly recognized the extent of his talent. However, his family ended up moving to Bowie, Maryland, and his focus slowly became geared to playing sports rather than music.
Lucky for us, he eventually picked it back up and began recording on a Razr/Chocolate cell phone with his best friend over Lil Wayne type beats! “Not a lot of people knew I could rap in Bowie, but I still kept many journals filled with lyrics; I would literally stay at home and rap rather than going to our local Go-Gos.”
After that statement, I thought it was ironic due to him being raised where Go-Go music was predominantly based. However, for Yuck, Go-Go wasn’t his number one genre of music because he fell in love with Hip-Hop. “I was drawn to hip-hop due to its originality, rawness, and the message behind the lyrics. I admire those characteristics, and it’s fascinating that lyrics can have a broad impact.”
Yuck also admires and pulls inspiration from artists like Nas lyricism, Jay-Z skillful rapping, Diddy as a businessman, old Kanye West, J. Cole, and certainly Meek Mill. “Kanye got me through many obstacles in life, and I appreciate how soulful he is, as well as how Meek Mill’s music makes me feel, I’ve been a fan of his for a very long time,” he stated.
Personally Yuck is striving towards being a phenomenal lyricist and a skillful rapper, but also a businessman. “I’m lyrically good enough to be one of the greatest, but I have to be good enough to be the overall package.” He doesn’t want to sell-out but hopes others can relate and tune-in with his story.
When it comes to differentiating from others, Yuck stands out due to his efficient ability to tell conceptional stories with lyricism across projects. He shared, “If you listen, you can tell the things that I rap about are before and ahead of its time; People would often tell me, “You sound like you're in the 90s”, but I defer, I think my music is just too real for people to grasp right now.”
In light of the DMV music scene, Yuck just recently moved back to the area after graduating with his degree from North Carolina A&T State University. Therefore, he hasn't been able to fully tap in, but he does believe no one sounds the same in the DMV. “We can all pinpoint what New York, Atlanta, and Chicago rappers sound like, but I don't think we can for our area." Above all, Yuck admires the talented artists we have, including the beloved Rico Nasty and YBN Cordae.
Aside from securing his spot as one of the DMV’s hottest rappers, Yuck is a family man to his wife and young son. He’s also the owner and CEO of a brand he started while attending college, The Polar Movement. Not only is it a clothing brand, but it’s also an independent record label, and focuses on community outreach.
I think we're all wondering, how can one balance being an artist, business owner, family man, and still work a 9-5?! Well, although Yuck’s family urges him to relax, he insists, he’s making sacrifices now so that in his 40s he can chill. “It’s not about me, it's about providing for my family; I also owe it to my pops, because God is giving us a second chance to succeed; I want my son to tell this long industrious success story; that’s what keeps me going.”
Two years from now, Mr. Yuck has goals/plans to set a foundation and bring in income with his talent to provide for his family. In addition, Yuck wants to increase his following, obtain endorsement deals, and attend/perform at award shows; “I should have my foot in the door by then; I don’t believe in overnight success, but I’m always striving to accomplish my goals,” he stated.
When it comes to advice for aspiring artists, Mr. Yuck would tell them, approach the game knowing what you stand for and your purpose. Once you understand who you are, it’s harder to conform to others' opinions. He stated, "In this industry, a lot of executive people in our culture only knows about what sells.” In all, stay on track of who you are, perfect your craft, and be the best version of yourself.
Read more about Mr. Yuck with a closer look below.
What’s the key to finding the right one?
The key is to find yourself first because then it won’t be as difficult finding the right one.
In addition, you attract exactly who you are, for example, more times than not, people attract toxic people because they’re toxic themselves.
You get rewarded by the universe, so speak things into existence. However, if your saying men ain’t s***, you’re going to get exactly what you spoke into existence.
Would you rather be an extreme couponer or an antique hoarder?
I would rather be an extreme couponer because I’m a cheap person. [We both laughed]
What’s one thing you wish you didn’t have to pay for?
I wish I didn’t have to pay for school, because it’s affecting my life now.
What’s one of your biggest pet peeves?
My biggest pet peeve deals with liars, I don’t like people who lie to me, your word is your bond.
We all tell lies, but habitual liars are the worst. Just tell me the truth, and I’ll still ride for you.
If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
If I didn’t have to sleep, I would dedicate more time to spend with my family.
Would you rather Win $50,000 or let your best friend win $500,000?
I would let my best friend win $500,000 because my manager is my best friend. He would give me a portion or let me get 50K easy; he would flip the money as well.
With the money, I would pay off my debt, invest in land/house, and start a savings for my son; those three things are essential to me.
Magnified Topic of the Week: Mr. Yuck single, “You Didn’t Know”
The saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and that’s the exact saying that inspired Mr. Yuck song/music video “You didn’t Know”.
It’s important to know this music video was filmed without any props. What you're seeing, are real camp-outs and “homes” of homeless individuals, that were kind enough to lend their space.
For five days, Yuck stepped into the shoes of a homeless person, met many individuals, heard their stories along the way, and a few even rapped for Yuck!
In the end, he realized that for him it was temporary, but for others, it was real life. “They don’t have a choice, whether it’s cold or hot outside, they’re on the streets." In conclusion, once filming was finished, they insisted he shouldn’t, but Yuck brought everyone pizza and food, ending the experience with smiles and gratitude!
Check out the music video below and stream “You Didn’t Know”!