Today we’d like to introduce you to Yung Kari
Hi Kari, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started making music when I was 16, after my friend and collaborator Still Candy convinced me to download GarageBand on my phone. This was during quarantine, and it was something that I could do with my friends even though we were all stuck at home. At this point, I didn’t take it seriously at all. I was just doing it because all my friends did it.
A few months later, I decided to download FL Studio so I could learn to produce beats. I spent a good year producing everything from Kanye West type beats to Lo-fi. By the time I graduated high school though, I had basically given up music altogether. I didn’t think I’d ever be good at it, and I was focused more on college and my future.
Freshman year of college was rough, and I needed an outlet for all those emotions. I was home for winter break, and my friends convinced me to record a couple more songs. The songs were not good, but I really had fun making them. I started to see that music could be something that I could use as therapy. I ended up bringing my PC up to college with the intention of getting back into music. It was that second semester where I really fell in love with making songs. I could talk about whatever I wanted, I had complete freedom when I was in front of a mic. I started spending more and more time recording, until it got to a point where I was making music for 8 hours a day. It’s a healthy addiction.
Since then, I’ve just dedicated more and more time into improving. I’ve bought new gear for recording, I’ve spent hours upon hours learning how to mix and master, I’ve read books written by industry professionals on everything from art to poetry. I really am doing everything in my power to be the best at what I do. And I truly believe that with the amount of passion I have for it, I will be successful in the long run.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely wasn’t a smooth road for a long time. I was in college and I felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, I absolutely hated being in school. I hated the idea of graduating and being stuck doing something for the rest of my life that made me unhappy. It was a scary idea of a future. But on the other hand, I was scared to drop out, purely because of what people would think of me. I didn’t wanna disappoint anyone. I had to realize that you can’t please everyone, & I should just do what makes me happy.
So I dropped out. And ever since then, it’s been uphill.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I do a lot of different types of music, but my “signature sound” if that’s what you wanna call it is melodic rap. I’m heavily inspired by so many different artists, but I would say that main one is Kid Cudi. I love how his lyrics are able to resonate with so many people, and he can act as almost a therapist through his music. I feel like that’s my purpose with my art too. I wanna make music that people can listen to if they’re going through a hard time. I love telling stories through my art.
I’m most proud of my latest album, All I See Is Green. It basically tells my own story, of being lost and not knowing what I wanna do in life, not wanting to let anyone down. By the end of the album, I’ve overcome those obstacles, I’m happier, and I’m free.
I would say that what sets me apart from others in the underground scene right now is my unique combination of lyrics and soundscapes. I don’t hear too many people telling the stories I tell on the beats I use. I typically go for darker, harder hitting beats. Most of the times I hear those types of songs, the lyrics are less relatable. I try to combine that Kid Cudi / Juice WRLD style relatableness with those darker, more experimental sounds.
Any big plans?
I have a self titled EP dropping this Friday, so make sure to tap into that. I’ll finally be moving into Minneapolis in a few months, and I’m hoping it’ll be a big step for my career. I’ll be right there in the middle of the city, which will hopefully help out a lot as far as connections, events, gigs, etc.
And as always, I’m always improving. I try to learn something new every day, whether it’s a mixing technique, a new flow, or trying out a type of beat I’ve never done. If you look at my music from a year ago, you’d say I’m a completely different artist now. Give it another year and you’ll be saying the same exact thing.
I also want to grow Broken Spirits and NOT NORMAL, which are two music collectives I’m in. Broken Spirits with Still Candy and BabyKuda, and NOT NORMAL with FEAR DIO and Laskö. I really think we have the potential to take over the music scene here in Minnesota. It’s a pretty rare thing to grow up around so many gifted artists all in one friend group, and I think it’s no coincidence that we all ended up in the music scene together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yungkari.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealyungkari/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@therealyungkari
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/therealyungkari
- Other: https://linktr.ee/therealyungkari
