Emerging Artist Interview ‣ YL
Get to Know: YL
A first-generation New York rapper with Ecuadorian ancestry who has been carving out his imprint in the city's underground Hip Hop scene.
Kurt
Writer
Updated
Who What and YL
Enter: YL a first-generation New York rapper with Ecuadorian ancestry who has been carving out his imprint in the city's underground Hip Hop scene.YL has been hopping on beats for at least nine years, citing his first mixtape which dropped in 2011. His SoundCloud only goes back about five years though, and his Bandcamp tells an even shorter tale. Either way, he’s been on the steady up cline lately with a range of fire releases over the past few years. But his latest release Born Again (August 2020) is said to be his standout project. Produced by Zoomo -another city staple- the project is twelve tracks of smooth, soul-filled beats accompanied by YL’s effortlessly-styled bars. I meet with YL on a sunny day in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. His bedroom walls are lined with records and classic New York rap echoes throughout his apartment, it’s obvious he is serious about his stuff. The 27-year-old emcee also produces beats, engineers, makes mixes for London’s infamous NTS Radio, and consistently works with his squad RRR (Real Recognise Real). He’s always moving and morphing within the music world, and if there’s anything you should know about New York rappers: the grind never stops.
All photos by @prettiflaka
For starters: your name. How did you settle with YL?
Half Moon
It’s not an acronym for anything. I think that’s what people probably think first, but it really doesn’t. It used to be part of a longer name when I first started rapping. It used to be “The YL,” which was a play on the first three letters of my name, “Dylan.” Over time I dropped the “The,” kept the “YL,” kept it short. That’s it. Doesn’t mean anything, but that’s everything.
YL
Before we get into your music, tell me more about who you are. Outside of music, who are you?
I never really think about myself, I just do what I do. I’m a good friend, I’m a good son. I’m a brother. I engineer, make beats, produce. I’m not a DJ but I put mixes together for NTS. They’re an online radio station based in London. They also have a station in LA. It’s a big stable of DJ’s and artists that provide mixes every day, 24/7. I do a bunch of shit. I know those all pertain to music, it’s just different factors.
Where in New York did you grow up?
I grew up in Chelsea, I’m a city kid. We’re in my stomping grounds. I played in all these parks over here. I’ve had friends blocks away. Just on some growing up shit, I got friends everywhere. I used to be in Uptown, The Bronx going to parties. I’d be in Brooklyn a lot, you know those old loft parties and shit like that. I would just be all over. My friends were always like an eclectic group.We weren’t all from just one spot. I’d be out in Queens a lot, Jackson Heights and shit.
I’m sure this has an obvious answer, but I must ask, did growing up in the city affect your music?
I think it’s definitely prominent in my music, because when I’m rapping, I’m thinking of my city. The setting is always my city unless I say otherwise. That’s why I feel a lot of people can resonate. A lot of my biggest influences are artists from New York City. People like AZ, Ghostface, Raekwon, Nas, Jada, Styles P, the classic shit.
What sets you apart from other rappers in the city?
The music speaks for itself. The way I look speaks for itself. I look around, I don’t see anyone that looks like me. I like to think I’m doing it the right way.
Let’s get into Born Again. What is your reaction to the reception of your latest project with Zoomo?
I’m gonna look at Born Again as one of those breakthrough projects. Even though it just came out a month ago. A lot of people have been telling me, “This sounds like it’s your best project, you really delved in.” A lot of people look at [Born Again] as a standout. I think a lot of that is credited to doing the whole one rapper, one producer thing. It’s just me and my boy Zoomo. That’s really my guy, that’s my bro.
YLThe music speaks for itself. The way I look speaks for itself. I look around, I don’t see anyone that looks like me. I like to think I’m doing it the right way.
It sounds like this project was bound to happen.
It’s nothing for me to just pull up to his crib. He’s going through samples and I’m just chilling smoking, just talking shit. It’s so easy. I feel mad spoiled sometimes. I have an open pick to anything. Zoomo and I were in our bag. It only takes one joint, before you know it you have like four. We were just chillin at the crib. I gotta catch him when he just cooked up mad shit and then he just plays it.
As a rapper, how did you make sure your lyrics complimented his beats?
I wouldn’t say I changed my process. I just wanted my shit to be as heavy as the beats. I wanted to carry my weight. I didn't want people to just be like, “Oh these beats are fire.” Now I’m into rewriting my shit. A year ago I wasn’t doing that. There’s a lot of people putting out great music right now, I’ll be damned if I’m the weak link. I’ve never seen myself like that, don’t get it twisted, but I wanna keep my shit strong. I like undeniable shit.
You told me on the side that your next album will be coming out soon, titled Jesus Is My Homeboy. Are there any details you can give me about that?
[My computer] says I have 16 joints. That’s been the working title for like two years. I’ve been pumping it, but I keep putting other things in front of it. This is a full-length with mad people on it. There’s a lot of people involved. I’m down to work with people. This is more hand-selected. I’ve done songs with people I don’t really know that well. I can make a verse tomorrow that I love more. There’s always more to say. There’s a lot of people I fuck with that I still haven’t worked with.
Well if you could work with any artist, at any level, from anywhere, who would you work with?
To be honest, I feel like I am working with my favorite people right now. Lemme just give a few shoutouts: Starker, he’s someone you should peep. Roper Williams, he’s a producer. Me and him have albums. You go on my Bandcamp, he’s done at least three of my projects, all him. Koncept Jack$on. Rbchmbrs, Theravada, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon, Grimm Doza. My boy MID, he’s an artist from RRR, my camp. Alchemist, Madlib. I like Harry Fraud, Tony Seltzer. RIP J Dilla, that would’ve been fire.I’m sure someone’s got a stashed beat that’s unused.
You mentioned this before, and I’ve seen it around on your Instagram page. What is RRR?
RRR is ‘Real Recognize Real.’ That’s the family, the squad. It consists of myself, Starker, MID, Zoomo. That’s what it is. That’s the home team, it’s what I rep. It’s something I’ve been repping for 10 years. If you’ve been following my shit for mad long, you could hear me shout out RRR on my very first mixtape from 2011. Shoutout to RRR.
The fourth quarter is underway. Fresh out of the in-game interview, YL is locked-in and ready to dominate. Catch up on first half highlights by heading to his Bandcamp.
