Last updated: 1 day ago
Queens, NY native underground rapper Yak Ballz has returned with a 3-song EP titled YOUNG YASHAR, produced by longtime collaborator Mondee. This marks the first official Yak Ballz music released in over a decade.
The concept of releasing three tracks in the format of a 12” vinyl single (with an A-side/B-side and a third bonus track) is a nod to the seminal independent New York rap singles of the late 90's and early to mid-2000s — by pivotal artists like Company Flow and MF DOOM, released on storied labels Definitive Jux and Fondle'em Records respectively. The idea was born out of the pandemic, when Yak and Mondee reconnected in 2021. With Yak now living in Los Angeles and Mondee in Berlin, they traded clips and ideas remotely, eventually arriving at a resonant sound.
The trunk-rattling A-side, “TWEAK SEASON,” arrives brimming with vivid lyrics and an earworm chorus interpolating Schoolly D’s “PSK.” The B-side, “YOUNG BLOOD,” is an autobiographical roller coaster fit for the end of times. On “BORN 2 LOSE,” whose title is inspired by Lana Del Rey’s “Honeymoon,” Yak recruits NY rapper Theravada for a menacing slow burner with a beat reminiscent of peak RZA productions.
After a decade-long hiatus, Yak Ballz’ YOUNG YASHAR is a brief breath of smog-filled air — a rare glitch in today’s regularly scheduled rap programming, harkening back to a bygone era while remaining as raw and relevant as ever.
The concept of releasing three tracks in the format of a 12” vinyl single (with an A-side/B-side and a third bonus track) is a nod to the seminal independent New York rap singles of the late 90's and early to mid-2000s — by pivotal artists like Company Flow and MF DOOM, released on storied labels Definitive Jux and Fondle'em Records respectively. The idea was born out of the pandemic, when Yak and Mondee reconnected in 2021. With Yak now living in Los Angeles and Mondee in Berlin, they traded clips and ideas remotely, eventually arriving at a resonant sound.
The trunk-rattling A-side, “TWEAK SEASON,” arrives brimming with vivid lyrics and an earworm chorus interpolating Schoolly D’s “PSK.” The B-side, “YOUNG BLOOD,” is an autobiographical roller coaster fit for the end of times. On “BORN 2 LOSE,” whose title is inspired by Lana Del Rey’s “Honeymoon,” Yak recruits NY rapper Theravada for a menacing slow burner with a beat reminiscent of peak RZA productions.
After a decade-long hiatus, Yak Ballz’ YOUNG YASHAR is a brief breath of smog-filled air — a rare glitch in today’s regularly scheduled rap programming, harkening back to a bygone era while remaining as raw and relevant as ever.
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