The labels might be sleeping but not for long as it’s impossible to ignore the talent of the Cali native. Easily one of the most important factors in the younger generation of West Coast MC’s you can expect to see Ya Boy blow up any minute. Sixshot.com caught up with Ya Boy to discuss the Bay Area hip-hop scene, being affiliated with The Game, and how he plans to bring the West back.
Sixshot.Com: Alright man, you’re from the Bay Area, which is a real big spot for hip-hop. How did you get into it?
Ya Boy: Well as an African American child hip-hop music is part of your rights so I grew up watching the music videos and just being real into hip-hop. When I was in school I had ADD so I’d be in class, the teacher would be talking, and I’d be writing raps the whole time. I also had two cousins who were doing their thing in the Bay area rap scene and their names were pretty big out there. My cousins helped me out and then I got to the point where I w as stable on the radio. Everything I would turn into the radio would end up being number one. Pretty soon The Game reached out to me and I went out to Los Angeles and he was just showing me the ropes of the industry. Here I am not, the biggest artist on the underground scene.
Sixshot.Com: Has your relationship with the Game been real beneficial to you in terms of learning about the business and everything?
Ya Boy: It’s definitely been beneficial as far as me getting my name out there. At first I was local. I was the Bay Area but as soon as a linked up with him I got opened up to his whole fan base. It’s definitely been beneficial as fat as that. It’s exposure man, all I need is exposure.
Sixshot.Com: You had a lot of success in the Bay. Were you kind of like a local superstar?
Ya Boy: It was real cool but I was always the popular guy in school so I was kind of used to getting that attention. It was a blessing and it all felt like it was meant to happen. I’m not as big as I would like to be. The way I look at it is that I still got the whole world of people whose attention I have to get, you know what I mean? I really don’t feel like I’ve met all my goals yet so I try to stay humble.
Sixshot.Com: Were you influenced by a lot of Bay Area artists?
Ya Boy: Definitely while I was working with them. Actually I wouldn’t say influenced because I always looked at the artists around me as competition. My goal was to be better than them. I also studied people and the people I studied were the ones who were on top because that’s where I wanted to be. I could learn from somebody who was on top.
Sixshot.Com: I wanted to ask you about this because I found it funny. Did you really write for Kevin Federline?
Ya Boy: They say that. They say I write for a lot of people. They’re writing checks and I’m writing raps so I don’t know man. That’s what they say. I’m a ghostwriter so I’ve written for a lot of people but I’m gonna continue to stay ghost though.
Sixshot.Com: As one of the main dudes of the younger generation of California hip-hop, do you feel a responsibility to help bring it back to its past level of success?
Ya Boy: I definitely feel like it’s a big responsibility for me to bring it back because the way I see it is that all we got is The Game and Snoop. We got Ice Cube too, all the OG’s but out of the young people there’s nobody. I feel the responsibility to bring California back because I got that top spot and I’m focused on doing what I gotta do. I’m getting ready to do it for us.
Sixshot.Com: Do you feel like California even has the potential to get as big as it was?
Ya Boy: Yeah definitely I feel California can get as big as it was. There’s a lot of talent out here. With the magnifying glass on Ya Boy I feel that we can get as big as we were if not bigger. I think we can bigger than we were before.
Sixshot.Com: Are you feeling any of the new generation artists from the West?
Ya Boy: Yeah I’m feeling some. I’m feeling a lot of them actually but it would take too long for me to just sit here and name them all. There are a few guys out here doing their thing. But they gotta get their fame on their own. I’m not about to sit here and name drop, you feel me?
Sixshot.Com: You also released a couple of hot mixtapes. How did your fans respond to them?
Ya Boy: Oh man my fans loved the mixtapes and it’s like every single time I drop one I just gain more fan. My mixtapes are real strong. They’re just like street albums. Until I get into the situation I want to be in terms of my career I have to keep on dropping these mixtapes to keep the fans happy. I feel like I get better with each mixtape that I put it. I’m good in the streets.
Sixshot.Com: Also what is your official status with Black Wall Street?
Ya Boy: I actually never was a Black Wall Street artist. I was just affiliated. I was just repping with Game. He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. I was never signed to him though. I always have been on my own.
Sixshot.Com: As an independent artist you’ve accomplished a lot in the game. How were you able to get all that done with no major support behind you?
Ya Boy: I’m gonna say it was just God. He blessed me with a talent that I can use to be successful. There are a lot of people out here that haven’t done half of what I did and that’s with a deal. I want a record deal. That’s what I’m looking for but it’s almost like the whole industry is sleeping on me. People are sleeping on me man like they don’t know what Ya Boy is capable of. I’m the hottest dude out here right now man. I really don’t know what they’re thinking or what they’re doing. They’re just stupid man. A lot of this is like a joke man but I ain’t got no choice but to just keep doing what I’m doing. I’m gonna keep going and keep working extra hard. I’m not going to stop just because they’re sleeping on me.
At the end they’ll see the mistake they made because I’m over here slowly but surely taking over. They’re leaving me no choice man. I’m only 23 years old. I did all this on my own and all these labels did was make me feel like I don’t need anybody. Why would I need somebody when I can do it on my own? All I need is that production and I get that top production. I been going so hard in that booth and that’s what I do man. I just step in the booth and I black out in there. That’s how I make hot music.
Sixshot.Com: Speaking of your production, you work with some of the best in the game. What is it like working with producers of that caliber?
Ya Boy: Cool and Dre are some talented dudes man. Those are easily some of the best producers in the game. It’s like everything they do is incredible. It’s cool working with them man because they make you step your game up. They make you the best that you can be as a rapper. I was a little nervous at first but then it was all good and we made some serious heat. Good production is a rare thing now because everybody wants to do it and it just ain’t up to quality. Everybody thinks they could rap now. Everybody thinks they’re an artist. Everybody thinks they’re a producer. Because of that it’s hard to come by the real deal. To these people it’s like a hobby or a job but this is a talent. It’s a craft but it’s not getting treated like that.
Sixshot.Com: Alright man, what do you have coming up that we could check out for?
Ya Boy: We got a song called “Superstars” that we’re about to drop featuring Glasses Malone and E-40 for the West Coast version. The East Coast version is gonna have east coast artists and the same goes for the South. I got a mixtape coming called the Bay Area Bully coming. That’s gonna be real crazy. I’m working on my album so I got a lot of things in the works. Check me at MySpace.com - Ya Boy (YBtheRockstar.blogspot.com) - S.F, N.Y,TX, LA, ATL, PHI, MIA - Rap / Hip Hop / Pop - www.myspace.com/yaboy and Ybtherockstar.blogspot.com.
Source: Ya Boy - Almost There :: Hip-Hop Interview