Today, we’d like to introduce you to Unghetto.
Hi Unghetto, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since I was a kid I wanted to rap, but didn’t see a realistic entry point for outsider kids to join a “gangsta” filled rap game. That changed when I randomly came across Child Gambino’s “Freaks & Geeks” music video on a summer day in 2011, making me realize how simple & genuine it can be to make music. From that moment I knew I’d be an artist in life & I named myself Unghetto Mathieu (now simply “Unghetto”), not so much to only “describe” myself, but for manifestation purposes.
A ghetto is poverty, and at that point, I’ve already experienced a life full of it. So Unghetto would be…. exactly. I had beats made & books full of raps by the age of 13. I ground hard on my dream even through school & gained buzz through single releases, but not enough to sustain a life in America. In 2019, I was working at Dollar General and was depressed with my life.
I came up with a plan to bring my name & music to the masses. I knew I had a personality that’s naturally energetic & contagious, so I studied jumping into YouTube to leverage my career. I started dropping vid after vid, using strictly my own music as the intro outro song. I did this consistently for months, then quit my job with no backup & enough money for 2 months’ rent, to force myself to go even harder.
In the first 3 weeks of quitting my job in faith, a YouTube video struck viral & of course, my music was in it. I was getting emails from labels about the music in my videos just as I planned it many months prior! After flying to LA & having some meetings, I decided to sign with Epic Records; And that’s when the real work started.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hell na, as I said I started YouTube to leverage my music career, but I did YouTube too well. And when people (not OG fans) see you for the first time doing something they like, they try to put you in a box like that. Exactly like people would tell Kanye to “stick to the beats” in the early stages of his career since that’s the Kanye they were introduced to first.
I won’t let anybody put me in a “YouTuber” box. I’m the greatest young artist out of Nawfside. Ain’t I tell ya’ll Childish Gambino (Actor, Producer, Rapper, Comedian, Writer, etc.) inspired me? I excel over all the hate. We all should
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Aside from the positive energy he has brought to the new hip-hop scene. Unghetto’s discography of Happy Trap music has surpassed 45,000,000+ streams on Spotify alone (over 15,000,000 on Apple Music as well!) since taking music seriously only 4 years ago.
His catchy tunes & contagious energy have attracted him over 2.8 million followers on TikTok, about 500,000 Instagram followers, & 2.3 million subscribers on YouTube, a platform in which his music contributed to 266,401,999 views via Shorts in 2023 ALONE. His song TADA is responsible for 86,538,612 of those views used in shorts by fans around the world. He’s collaborated with the likes of Lil Yachty, YBN Nahmir, Lil Keed & more.
He went on his first tour in the summer of 2022 alongside NLE Choppa (energetic clips can be seen on his Instagram). Behind this new upcoming voice for the youth, he’s simply a nice & respectful kid with integrity, who holds the perfect balance of having fun with his creativity while maintaining seriousness about his passion for music & its history.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I have no clue for not even gon hold you. But I can honestly say that no matter the unexpected shifts & trends, I’ve adjusted pretty well & will continue to do so.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.unghettomathieu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unghetto/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCvB0O3d0hgrcHHBWuiGtyXw
- SoundCloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/unghetto-mathieu
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4a0UMM2QrKP5ESk1P8373s
Image Credits
@Neri, @TroyWithTheCamera, and Mathieu Muyumba
