Today we’d like to introduce you to YP The Prophet.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Born and raised to a musically inclined family in Washington DC as a kid, I took to writing at an early age, it was a way for me to express myself and a getaway from problems during that time in my life. Call it a secret window if you will. One pivotal moment was during a middle school poetry lesson. My poetry teacher took a major liking to my work. Before that class, I never shared my work with anyone. I got more into writing poetry that year. I started to share my poetry with the tutor of mines at an after-school program. I remember writing a piece that was an ode to Paris. After reading that poem he asked me if I’ve ever been to France. Confused, I’ve replied no as if a young black boy from the inner city with the working-class family could ever enjoy such a luxury. He then shared my work with several of the staff there and I just remember the warmth of knowing my words could bring such joy to so many people.
Later that year, I was asked to perform at the Smithsonian jazz festival by my poetry teacher. With a piece already written, we arrived at the festival. However, I knew that I had more in me. I started to write a new poem titled Jayden jazz. As I performed my piece, I looked out to a crowd of people standing and clapping, even the musicians who were just performing moments before. I remember being taken back by how the crowd was so touched by the words other than a 13-year-old boy. From there, everything started to fall into place. Fast forward, using my foundation in poetry, I transitioned into a hip-hop artist, often hearing my work associated with the feel of that of Nas or Wale. During my high school and college years, I spent time all over the US connecting with artists and forming groups. It was in 2014 when I returned home to DC to form the entity known as ESPE (Education Solidifies Profound Excellence).
The group was formed by two of my childhood friends but more like family Slim Bigs Worthy and myself. As the years went on ESPE continue to grow, adding a lot of new talents to the roster. The latest addition to the roster was Mercury Gold. Viewing every day as an opportunity, we started to do every show we could find. We have performed in various abstract venues to say the least. Our mission was to provide quality music to the masses. So we continued to push forward each and every day while honing out crafts and building bridges. Ultimately a friend of mine gifted me an amplifier so we went to get a couple of mics. With that, we decided to head to the streets of our city to make good on our promise of providing quality music to the masses thus Beat Roulette was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I am a firm believer that nothing in life that is worth doing or having comes easy. At the start of my music journey, I faced some health issues that prevented me from performing for some time. I wanted to give up but I knew that in time I would get better. So I use that time to create develop my sound as well as other skills that would be useful. In addition to that, while building ESPE I’ve had artists come and go, I work with some great people who turned out to be sharks, I gained some money and lost some money. Lastly, as all artists would tell you, life in its various forms would often get in the way. However, my will to succeed and grind still remains. I’ve suffered a lot over the years of my music journey, but I use the negatives in life channeling it into my music and the vibe that we create through beat roulette. From negatives, positives grow. It’s all they have you develop it.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a jack of many trades. I write, rap, audio engineer, graphic design, develop artists, manage artists, distribute music and film, promote, and the most important thing is I provide a way for other artists to express themselves through their art. If I had to pick the main things that I’m known for are the lyricism of my work and providing a platform for other artists. Beat Roulette teaches the artist to always be ready in a fun way. We play random instrumentals and create on the spot. It teaches the artist to feed off the energy of other creatives in a performance setting to develop something great and organic. So catch me in the city near you. The mic is always open.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
All members and former members of ESPE deserve credit. Whether you were there at the start, for a couple of days, or still here, each person played a part in the development of where we are now. I would also like to give credit and a huge thanks to Tenable Music’s owner Amos. For and instilling so much knowledge in me and continuing to keep me on my toes in terms of the business of things. I also have to give a shout out to Tone Butt and the whole Real Business Team. ESPE and Real business go way back. From the music we’ve made together to the opportunities we’ve embraced, that has always been family since day one. Definitely looking forward to building more with Tenable Music and Real Business. Last but not least, I have to give credit to the woman behind the scenes that inspires me to grind harder and harder each and every day. She’s been invested in my business and brand from the start. If there’s an opportunity, she make sure I’m there. And for that, I will always be grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tenablemusic.com/y-p-the-prophet
- Email: bookings.yptheprophet@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Yptheprophet/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ESPEBangers/
- Yelp: https://music.apple.com/album/1517193277
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0WvqLg9z9aDgwZ4c8nWGmL?si=T4Z1cLDPQsKH1ep0jlJcJA
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
