THE REBEL LIFE
Cleveland’s Young Gun shoots the truth
A year after dropping first mixtape, artist has hopes of launching indy national tour
By GEZUS ZAIRE
Rebel Life Media/www.ClevelandHipHop.net
His name says it all. Young Gun is fresh, new and ready to shoot his brand of rap your way. A year after dropping “Cleveland’s Finest” he talks about what may have been the album’s most powerful song “Crackland,” which was an ode to the city’s harsh economic plight. In an era where rap is being accused of being nonchalant about real politics, Young Gun almost crushed that opinion with the hook alone.
Zaire: It seems like Cleveland has a ton of rappers. What do you think inspires most people in the city to pick up the art form?
YG: I think that a lot of people are inspired to be rappers by the money and the fame. I think there is also a good amount of people who really look at rapping as an art form. Cleveland has one of the highest poverty rates in the country and I think that motivates people to find a way to survive and make something from nothing.
Zaire: You have a song called “Crackland” and it references the impoverished conditions of the city and how it forces people to kill and sell poison to their people. Talk about that song and the message you were trying to relay.
YG: I decided to name the song “Crackland” because to me it emphasizes the reputation of the city of Cleveland. Even though there are a lot of people who are not involved in selling drugs, [it] is a name that Cleveland has been given. The title is more so to express the high poverty, high unemployment, high crime rates and poor education that affect the city as a whole. Living in Cleveland, a lot of people get use to these conditions so I think the title, “Welcome to Crackland,” gives a more vivid picture of that than [a title like], “Welcome to Cleveland,” [would have].
Zaire: You dropped “Cleveland’s Finest” last summer. What were some of your goals when you released that mixtape and have they been met?
YG: Initially I wanted to go to as many different cities and states as I could to promote my mixtape. I wanted to use my music to network and gain fans outside of my hometown. This was a good experience for me. I feel like I met my goals but this made me have bigger expectations for my next mixtape.
I was able to learn more about what I wanted to do and what I didn’t want to do the next time around. I want to start an independent tour of the USA and Canada. I was able to go to California, Florida, Georgia, Washington, Missouri and I even took some of my music overseas to Amsterdam.
Zaire: How does a Cleveland based artist who doesn’t have the financial backing of a major label put together an independent tour around the country?
YG: It might seem impossible but it just takes a lot of planning. It’s a part of being an independent artist. I think it’s cheaper than people think. The hard part is finding people who are willing or able to travel around the country. A lot of people have responsibilities back home or some people just are not dedicated to put the work in outside of their city.
A lot of artist outside of Cleveland use their music to make the money. If you can sell 5,000 mixtapes for five dollars, that’s $25,000. I know it’s easier said than done but the market is there.
Zaire: What do you love most about being a rap artist in the city of Cleveland?
YG: I would have to say being an underdog. I don’t know what it is about the city of Cleveland but it is a special place and I think it’s motivating to be from a place that is always looked at as negative or being on the bottom. I think that the reason so many people from the city make when they go to other cities is because of the Cleveland mentality. I think it’s like an older brother being hard on his little brother all the time so when he goes out on his own he is better prepared. So I just appreciate the tough love this city has given me.
(This interview is the official property of Rebel Life Media and www.ClevelandHipHop.net)
