TSS Presents Fifteen Minutes With Yung LA

"Fifteen Minutes With..."    By TSSCrew on March 16, 2009 at 2:56 pm

Words By Lola P.

The young Leland Austin is in a good position right now. Even though the music industry is flooded with new artists who are finding every way possible to market themselves online, there is still the odd rapper who focuses on the physical audience around them. The audience they can see reacting to their music; the audience that can share their success with them. One of these new artists is Grand Hustle/Interscope addition, Yung LA.

Originally from South East Atlanta, he has made it his mission to make the nation take notice. His first single “Ain’t I,” a collaboration with fellow label mate Big Kuntry, created a huge buzz in the city, so naturally, a remix version with T.I. and Dro was recorded. More recently, the up-and-comer has been spending the past few months on promo tours and recording new songs for promotional mixtapes as well as his debut album, Futuristic Leland, slated to drop in summer of 2009. This album marks the beginning of a new relationship between Grand Hustle and Interscope as their first joint venture.

TSS: Okay so let’s just find out some more about you. A lot of people are familiar with your record “Ain’t I,” and the fact that you are the newest member of Grand Hustle. You come from what part of Atlanta?

Yung LA: South East Atlanta; a whole different area where Tip is from. He’s from SouthWest Atlanta.

TSS: Did you know anyone else on Grand Hustle before you got signed to the label?

Yung LA: Yeah I knew Dro personally before I got signed. A friend of mine introduced us. I’ve known him for about 3 years, and I’ve been signed for about a year and a half.

TSS: If you had to find yourself a new situation, who would it be?

Yung LA: I think Grand Hustle is the best situation for me period. Oh you mean if I had to pick someone else? I guess I’d be over at So Icey Entertainment.

TSS: Oh with Gucci? Why them?

Yung LA: Because that’s where I first started. When I first got into the studio and started recording I used to record with this producer by the name of Zaytoven. At the time, he used to also do beats for Gucci Mane so we were always in the studio together. If I hadn’t been with Grand Hustle, I would have probably ended up over there.

TSS: When did you start recording seriously?

Yung LA: I’d say about 18 going on 19. I mean I was doing my thing when I was younger but I’d say when I was about 18 (and I’m 22 now) is when I got serious.

TSS: When did you realize where you fit in [in the industry]?

Yung LA: I’ve always have been different and trendy [and unique] and it’s not something I picked up or that I started to do now. At the end of the day, I’m just being myself. I stand for individuality. Some of the new artists come out and they feel they have to conform to something that’s already been done by artists like Jay-Z, or Lil’ Wayne or whatever, because that’s what they grew up listening to.

TSS: Right of course, but when did you realize that okay…this is what sets me apart from all the other rappers. I mean I assume you were in it to make music at first, but then when you understand that this is a business too…

Yung LA: I was kicking it like that anyway. I had already been that person. All throughout school, I had always been like that. I was always a trendsetter. I BEEN doing that. It’s not like I got signed to Grand Hustle and I was like “Oh I have to come up with an image now, or whatever.” That’s how I was kicking it in the first place. You can ask J Geter about the first time he seen me, I was Polo’ed out. That was always me…crazy haircuts, crazy low cuts.

Me and Dro got a CD called Black Boy Swag, White Boy Tags right now. No bullshit; real hood shit in Atlanta and we been rocking the White boy shit. When Ed Hardy first came out with them big trucker hats, we were rocking that. So now when people see the “Ain’t I” video they see me with the whole “Black Boy, White Boy” swagger and I was subliminally telling them what’s up. I switched it all the way up. Of course it was good for the business, but at the same time this is really who I am. You feel me? At the end of the day it’s a lifestyle. It was nothing I had to conquer. I’m being Leland.

TSS: I was watching an interview of you with Rolling Out TV and you said that before music, hustle and the streets were your full time gig. Now music is. You’re in the studio continuously and on the road just as much. What do you enjoy best about the grind?

Yung LA: I enjoy it. I enjoy performing; enjoy the social part of the industry. I enjoy the traveling. For an Atlanta native, I get to go places that I’ve never been before. That’s great. So really just about trying new different things.

TSS: What’s the most difficult thing that you’ve had to cope with being a new artist?

Yung LA: You have to cope with the business part and knowing that a lot of things are about business. Making the transition between not being signed and being in the streets, and being signed and making music as a signed artist, a professional recording artist. That was a hard thing to deal with because even though I’m making music professionally, I’m in the projects every day. Even when I heard my song on the radio, I was in the projects every day. You have to learn that some things you could do before, you can’t do anymore.

TSS: How did the Grand Hustle situation come about? Did you have any mixtapes out prior to signing?

Yung LA: Yeah I had a mixtape out called Crush The Block. That was my first mixtape that I put out. It was hosted by DJ Liquid. I had the hood on fire: Anywhere in the Zone 3 area, I was the hottest thing going. I got my own neighborhood behind me before I did anything. We used to go to Nightlight..well then it was the Coco Loco, it was the Libra.

TSS: Hold up…these clubs allow you to perform right?

Yung LA: Yeah yeah! They used to let me crank that motherfucker up.

TSS: Ok cool.

Yung LA: So I put the mixtape out in the South East side. I never went to other hoods because I figured if the buzz was hot enough right here, the other hoods were going to catch on. And that’s what happened. We’d go to Club Crucial [in Atlanta] and perform. My whole hood behind me; knowing the lyrics and everything. It was like a movie. We’d perform all throughout the city. When Dro got the mixtape he came up to the projects. I was outside. Everyone came outside…all the kids. So I rapped for Dro, he told me he liked it, and he was going to take the CD back to Tip. About 2-3 weeks later he came back. I had a meeting with Jason and ‘em. I went in there…crazy mohawk, all swagged up.

TSS: Were you nervous?

Yung LA: Hell yeah. I was always cool and laid back and wasn’t showing anything. I was acting seasoned, know what I’m saying? For them to see that, was like “whoa.” When they saw me perform at Coco Loco was when they saw the real deal. They saw the movement.

TSS: The label is home to a lot of artists including Tip, Dro, Alfamega, Big Kuntry, and now of course B.O.B. 8Ball & MJG, and Killer Mike as well. Do you think your debut album, Futuristic Leland, will get the necessary attention even with such a big roster?

Yung LA: Yeah, I do.

TSS: Really?

Yung LA: Yeah, I do. I am the next focus on Grand Hustle. I’m next to pop. The focus is on Yung LA right now at Grand Hustle. I’m the young kid with all the energy running around. I just finished one promo run and I’m getting ready to go on my second one. Everywhere they’re loving the “Ain’t I” record. We went to schools in Baltimore, up in DC – middle schools.

TSS: It’s what I’m listening to.

Yung LA: Awe you’re the best! Thanks Lola!

TSS: Do you enjoy doing interviews?

Yung LA: I love that shit man. It’s in my personality. When I do radio interviews it tunes people into me. I’m outgoing, outspoken, and I’m funny and I have character. That’s how I am. I like to have a good time. I like to laugh and smile and when you’re around me, you can’t help but do the same. It’s just the type of energy I give off.

TSS: Any collaborations on the album or you want it to be just you?

Yung LA: That’s what I’m aiming for. I feel like I have to. I don’t know how it will make sense to anyone else, but to me as an artist, I feel like you have to brand yourself on your own. Tip and Dro got on “Ain’t I” because we had to work the single and it got so hot that they had to get on it. I know for my album though, I want it to be mainly me. I may have features by artists like Lil Boosie, Tip or B.O.B., but I’m not going to go and try to get the big names for it. I will have a couple of features on there though.

TSS: Dirty Awards ’08. Shawty Lo performed your record. What was your initial reaction?

Yung LA: Well it wasn’t anything (new) because I been heard the “Don’t I” song. They had been going around performing “Don’t I” and I guess that was the come back to the “Ain’t I” record. I guess the nigga was mad because “Ain’t I” was so hot. I had the hood on fire. We were killing that shit. Then, when Tip got on the record, they were saying: “Oh LA let Tip get on the record to diss Lo.” That was their cover up for making the song. And things had been going on before the Dirty Awards…we almost got into an altercation elsewhere before. I guess it all just came out at the Dirty Awards. It all just made me feel relevant. I was like “Oh wow, niggas who didn’t know me, now are on the internet trying to find out who I am.”

TSS: I have read comments from readers and viewers saying that you sound like Shawty Lo. Has anyone ever said that to you?

Yung LA: Nah. I never heard it. I know people have made comments about it and whatever. Lo can’t rap.

TSS: You don’t see the resemblance though in the low?

Yung LA: The raspy thing. Yeah I know but his voice is flat. My shit has a lot more attitude and a lot more character. His voice stays in the same tone. It has no swag.

TSS: Staying on the “beefs” topic just for one minute. Being that you were brought into Grand Hustle as a new artist, you are welcome to a large family-like environment. Do you see yourself limiting your collaborations with artists because of feuds other members may have…or even supporting their beefs?

Yung LA: I’m in my own lane. As far as those guys go, I don’t need to get involved in anything. I don’t believe in all this play beef shit. Just because I’m on Grand Hustle doesn’t mean I’m going to get in the studio and diss you because I have no reason to do that. Now if you go and say my name and disrespect me on some shit…and even then I may just be the bigger man in the situation. Already people were saying “I know this nigga ain’t this mature. He ain’t even gonna respond back?” And I just fell back and didn’t fuel the fire and at the end of the day those niggas lost because they were rapping to themselves. I’m just trying to make good music.

But yeah in general, this is my home. This is where I do my business at. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to have beef with you or dislike you, but business wise if my company is not flowing like that, I’m not going to add any fuel to the fire. I don’t want to be in the middle of things.

TSS: Dope. You and Dro had the mixtape come out recently.

Yung LA: Yup it’s crazy. It did really well and everyone really liked it. I’m working on my own mixtape now called Offset Swagg, meaning crazy swagg, hosted by DJ Scream. Most of the songs that I perform on my shows now are off this mixtape. My next single is also off this mixtape. It’s called “Futuristic.” It’s a really cross record. I think it’s really going to take me more into different markets. It’s produced by a cat named KE. I’m always going and finding the new talent and the new cats that are hungry and that got the new sound. That’s my formula too since I started with Zaytoven. Zay was a name but he’s not a big name. But his beats were so crazy. They were un-deniable. That’s what I did with the “Ain’t I” record. That was produced by a kid named Bean Franks who’s only like 15 years old. I feel like “Ain’t I” is going to give him a chance because the first thing people ask, is who made the track.

He’s a young cat and it’s a good look for him, so I obviously have him working on my album. KE is another producer Tip liked. He also produced “36 O’s” with me and Lil’ Boosie. I kind of stick to what I do. I’ve been in with big name producers as well like Nitti and Polow Da Don, but I’m just trying to brand a new sound and a new wave.

TSS: Ok so you said you had two personal mixtapes coming out. What’s the second one?

Yung LA: Crush The Block.

TSS: Didn’t you already do a Crush The Block?

Yung LA: No no, this one is called Crushin’ the Block with Dirty Laundry and The Game. There are two more that I want to release after those two: The Matrix and Stupid Fruity Swagg. The last one is hosted by DJ Spinz.

TSS: Somebody’s been putting work in…

Yung LA: Yesss…I’ve been putting work in. that’s why I’m so confident. In the year and a half that I’ve been with Grand Hustle I’ve recorded a lot of records…close to about 300 records. My work ethic is crazy. I had to prove myself at Grand Hustle. This shit wasn’t given to me and it sure wasn’t a hand out. I had to go there and work.

For more on Yung LA, visit myspace.com/yunglamusic and click the cover to download Black Boy Swag, White Boy Tags.

Posted in "Fifteen Minutes With...", ARTIST INTERVIEWS, GENERAL, MUSIC, Mixtapes — Tags: Black Boy Swag White Boy Tags, Futuristic Leland, Grand Hustle, T.I., Young Dro, Yung LA