Young-Q is a rapper and singer/songwriter from Cincinnati Ohio.
I’ll grant you a few legitimate excuses for not making it out to the clubs once in a while to catch local bands:
- Indie rock causes you seizures.
- You’re at an age where music begins and ends with YouTube.
- You’re at an age where sleep wins every 10 p.m. decision.
For everyone else, I’m not sure you appreciate how good you have it in Cincinnati. Few other American cities boast such a welcoming landscape for exploring homegrown music.
One of these hot up-and-coming acts are an unsigned hip hop artist that goes by the name of Young Q and he is going nationwide spreading the word about his new basement series “BsM1”. Riding high at the moment having recently released his hot new single “Ridin Muzik” and it was just played on Kiss 104.7 FM out in Atlanta and should start making waves nationwide. Listen to the FM broadcast for the single below:
Overall, this is a strong single and a great example of Young Q’s lyrical skills and delivery, with a musical backing that is both sonically arresting and cutting edge. Check out our Exclusive Interview with Young Q below!
By HBdidit – Exposed Vocals Music Reviewer and Breaking News Contributor.
A NYC fashion designer, music reviewer and lover of life!
Exclusive Interview:
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Young-Q: I was just networking I mean I’m just out here tryin to get people to hear my music and see what i have to offer, and you guys just know talent i guess.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Young-Q: I’m from Cincinnati Ohio, I’m a 90’s baby ninety five to be exacted, and growin up in Cincinnati it’s a lot of negative influences and music is what keep me positive like not tryin to give the politically correct answer or anything but I cant explain it, it’s like when i’m listening to one of my favorite artist i’m in like a sub universe like a whole new world like nothing matters and that’s what i want to be for other people plus I been rapping since i can remember, well actually I started out singing I was in the school choir from like pre K till like fourth grade. Then I transferred schools and was like that Choir shit dead, but I still love music and love to sing for people, at school i would sing for the girls and the guys wasn’t tryin to hear the homie singing but i wanted to entertain everyone so I would rap at recess and the homies would go crazy I was young so I didn’t realize that the stuff i was doing to get reaction from my peers was a real talent then. Then around eighty ninety grade I Realized when everyone at school was planing boring careers or didn’t no what they wanted to do I felt like all of it wasn’t good enough I need more, I got something to offer, I got to help my generation thought the bull shit the world is throwing us now days, while we still parity like the worlds going to end. I just had a strong passion my whole life. .
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Young-Q: It’s simple really it was always kinda the same my name Quincy so theres the Q but when i was younger it was lil Q but as I Got older and i got bigger and lil was getting corny and I always wanted to keep it simple and i always went by Q so that had to be apart of the name so i just said Young-Q the only thing that has a story behind it is the hyphen. I put it there because my favorite rapper of all time is Jay-z and in a small way it pays homage at least in my head.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Young-Q: Of Course like I said it all started just tryin to entertain, money didn’t play a part until I figured out I need it to survive, a pay check for me anit making change for the world, music is powerful and I want to reach the people not rob the people.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Young-Q: Just keep going I mean i’m not shit myself yet so I don’t have like a secret success plain but I wish i did, but you can’t be afraid thats one thing you can’t be afraid to fell, of criticism, or to hear no. just don’t stop because if your supposed to be there you’ll get there that what i say to myself
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Young-Q: Nobody’s perfect especially at the beginning stages of your career but the energy of the people there is what get you through
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Young-Q: Unfortunately still not in that stage yet but when it happens just know that crew gone be turnt weed, liquor, girls,crazy I plan on vlogging them on youtube anyway.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Young-Q: I don’t really have a set process I get inspired at random times by random things it might be a memory or something that just happened or something I got a strong opinion or I might just want to put out something it depends.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Young-Q: right now just twitter @youngQ_boe or the label twitter page @BoE_defears or my soundcloud Young-Q and young-Q/blackout on youtube.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Young-Q: Um theres not a bunch of them but a have lord’s Pure Heroine album…… don’t judge me
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Young-Q: Right now just studio time.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Young-Q: a lot of updates are going to happen, right now i use my laptop a two hundred dollar mic and software called mixcraft All in my basement no engineer mixing boards just me and my computer.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Young-Q: Twitter and soundcloud and youtube it the biggest outlet right now social media is a mutha fucka the internet works wonders, but I also get out in the street and interact with the people in the community.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Young-Q: It would be Jay-z, in my cincinnati, just so I could say bitch we made it.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Young-Q: i just drop the first installment of my four part ep the basement series on soundcloud part two is dropping in a couple weeks. then after those my first official mixtape is dropping and it will be epic.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Young-Q: Nothing I can see me doing anything but entertaining it’s the reason I was born.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Young-Q: The first album i bought with my own money was the carter 3 lil wayne was my nigga at the time could nobody tell me nothing, I couldn’t wait to get home because mom dukes wouldn’t play it in the car.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Young-Q: It could be hard at time when life is throwing punches but I know what’s waiting for me and i got to stay focus right now music is my biggest responsibility.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
Young-Q: greatness
