In the midst of a hip-hop era cluttered by Southern crunk hits
and surrounded by the West Coast gangster rap sound, there has
arisen something new.
Something Different.
His name is Yuns, and his smoothly rhythmic delivery and articulate
lyrics represent the new cutting edge in hip-hop. Refusing
to follow any trends, Yuns slices his own path, telling personal
stories and social observations in an honest yet positive manner.
Part storyteller, part poet, Yuns - "The Verbal Architect" -
narrates his stories with a flurry of scorching hot beats behind
his rhymes. His fluidic use of vocabulary and intensely vivid
portrayal of the world make him an absolutely stunning lyricist.
With each verse Yuns lays down the foundation of a hit. Each
lyric seems to have been intricately placed in order to create
vivid imagery in every song. Whether it is down the path of hip-hop;
in the bedroom with a freak of the opposite sex; or at the bar
of a nightclub, each track takes the listener on an eventful
ride through the mind of Yuns and places you in the front row
seat of the world through his eyes. The gloom and doom that often
characterizes hip-hop has been ripped away; Yuns has torn open
the curtains, letting the sunlit rays of optimism and good vibrations
beam through. It's no surprise, then, that industry professionals
have dubbed him "the Dave Matthews of hip-hop." Unmatched
in his genre, he is the messiah of a long dead region in need
of a representative.
With a genuine talent for writing catchy, radio-friendly hooks,
and producing top quality songs, Yuns has transformed the stagnant
state of Northwest hip-hop, setting it ablaze with his presence.
Not since the early days of Nirvana has Seattle seen an artist
with the charisma, poise, and star quality of Yuns.
Yuns has just been signed to 33rd Street Records, the California-based
label (home to superstars such as En Vogue, Outlaws and Peter
Frampton) that will release his debut album Storyteller. It
is the next logical step for Yuns, who has been receiving massive
regional acclaim for his talents. In 2001, Yuns destroyed the
competition at the Northwest Hip-Hop Talent Contest, wowing
the crowd with his infectious energy; a year later, he topped
the awards at the Urban Music Association's Northwest Music
Conference. His songs have blasted through the airwaves of
major commercial radio stations such as KUBE 93.3 in Seattle
and 100.3 The Beat in Los Angeles, burning request lines with
the intensity of a supernova. If that wasn't enough, Yuns also
signed a digital download agreement with www.ingrooves.com,
perhaps best known for their clients Mos Def and Nappy Roots,
becoming the first Northwest indie artist to have his own ringtone.
Don't miss Yuns' video for "Hands Up" as well as
his commercials on BET and MTV.
