Yhapojj — live event
When you think of Huntsville, its rich history of creating NASA rockets is perhaps the first thing that springs to mind, and it’s fair to say few would associate this Alabama city (nicknamed the “Rocket City”) with any kind of thriving Hip-Hop scene. It’s this reality that makes fast-rising local rapper Yhapojj (real name Jamaruean Micaiah Jones) such a fascinating prospect, with the versatile artist inspired to show the world that his hometown is about much more than just white scientists plotting a route into outer space. With uniquely slurred, pained vocals that recall vintage Young Thug, and a vulnerable core to his songwriting, where concepts like heartbreak and isolation are approached without fear, Yhapojj is essentially creating a Huntsville rap scene from scratch. On the potent “Hold It Down”, the artist pledged that “you’ve got to stand for something or you gon’ fall for nothing”, and he says his mission statement is to help young black males deal with their demons rather than bury them under layers of pride. “I really don’t look at a lyric like that as being weak,” the 19-year-old explains, referring to another bar [“Heard you’re doing fine, but I’m really not okay”] from the lovelorn “SSorry I Can’t SStop”. “I just want to show my n*ggas that sharing their pain takes real strength. It’s dangerous in Huntsville, just the other week there was a mass shooting! It isn’t sweet here, so letting your demons out is important so that bad energy don’t get pent up inside. I could be a rapper who just makes turnt music all the time, but that ain’t how we be feeling all the time!” Yhapojj was inspired to take music seriously after going to prison on a gun charge, a stint that resulted in him writing dozens of confessional songs while locked up. He initially gained recognition after collaborating with Ohio-based underground rap innovator Izaya Tiji – while being fiercely independent, solo songs like “Hurt My Feelings” (1.3M Streams) and “Hittin” have surpassed the six figure mark on SoundCloud, with his overall US streaming numbers now in excess of one million. The latter song is the heart of his latest project called Gossip Girl, an album that sees Yhap experimenting with a high falsetto and trying to channel the strength of his mother, Jamie, whose energy can also be felt on previous albums like Yiix Yhap and When Angels Cry.
Starts: 2024-03-26T19:00:48Z
Ends: 2024-03-26T21:00:48Z
Where: 75 Martin Luther King Junior Drive Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, United States
Price: $15.0