 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
FEATURES
He has a style that is undeniably fresh, surrounded by a crew that emulates HBO's Entourage quad. At 21 years
old, this Chi-town native is quietly plotting his take over of the phenomenon we know as Hip Hop. Possessing a
flow that sounds as crisp, with charisma more contagious then the common cold, Yung Berg is the definition of
what happens when skills and swagger are pooled into one powerhouse. Signed to Epic Records and gearing up
to release his debut album, Look What You Made Me, the record boasts a wide variety of material ranging from
specially crafted songs for the ladies to street anthems made to resonate in anyone's "hood". Look What You
Made Me is Yung Berg's story in his own words and is poised to be one of the best new releases of 2007. Having
snagged writing credits on albums for some of hip hop's elite including Shawnna and Eve and dropping verses on
mixtapes for the likes of Clinton Sparks, Yung Berg is guaranteed to bring that same spark and energy to his own
project.
BM: Talk to me about the "Sexy Lady" record and how that came about?
YB: Truthfully, when we made the record we was in the back of J Premiere's crib in the pre-production studio. We did the song
in 30 min. I knew it was crazy when we did it. At that point in my career we were looking for a record to leak. We took the "Sexy
Lady" record and put it on the radio. We weren't trying to make a single, we just did it and put it out, and the world loved it.
BM: How did it feel to see the video for the record on t.v. for the first time?
YB: It felt crazy to watch when I first got the edit back. I watched it like 100 times at the crib. After that I just knew it was gonna
do what it do. To be honest, I haven't seen the whole video on t.v. though. I'm so busy right now, I don't get to watch a lot of tv.
BM: Why name the album "Look What You Made Me"?
YB: Man, Shawnna had told me like 2 years ago that I should make a song called "Look What You Made Me," on some 2 Pac
shit, just coming at niggas. I did the song with Holla and we made it the title track and the name of the album.
BM: Talk to me about the album...
YB: As far as the album, the album is stupid my dude. We got Eve, Shawnna, Twista, Collie Budz, Fabolous, Jim Jones, Rich
Boy, Khaled, Ray J, JFK, Hunit Grand, all on the album. It's too many to even name. It's like a Dr. Dre album, it's my own little
Detox.
BM: That's major. Tell me this though. Being that you're from Chicago, but live in LA, what kind of sound can we
expect from your music?
YB: There's a lot of instrumentation and themes on the album. The joint with me and Twista is crazy, like, the way we flowing on
there is crazy. What sets me apart from all the other artists out there, is that my whole album is produced by JFK and Holla. It's
all done in house, and that's what separates me apart from the rest.
BM: Talk about the Yung Boss movement you got...
YB: Yung Boss was started by me and Fresh Kicks, and Holla was brought in. We are the brand of Yung Boss. We got artists
such as Tony Loco, Doc, Junior, Hunit Grand, and Cap 1. We got a lot going on. We showing young people how to come
together and be on one page and make great music. Show people to drive your own career and not let the labels dictate what
you gonna do.
BM: What's your motivation?
YB: Proving people wrong. Everybody told me I couldn't do this shit. Even when I got my deal, niggas told me I'd never be
nothing. Chicago is the city of hate, so you know it's mad people hating on me and shit. Besides the haters, I started doing this
music so young, that there was no other option, naw mean. It forced me to be strong, and go hard. I had the taste of success
back with DMX, and that made me more hungry.
BM: Do you already have a second single ready?
YB: This is what we gonna do. I'm signed to Epic Records, so I might as well make it Epic. We gonna take it to the top. We got
the "Sexy Lady" single out now, then we coming with the "remix" featuring Rich Boy and Jim Jones. We got the video for that,
and that will float us through the whole summer. After that we coming with the EP and the album. The next single hasn't been
picked yet. We got so many hits to pick from. I got a loaded gun right now.
BM: How has your life changed so far with your success?
YB: My bank account just changed, and I can do what I want to do. I'm still the same nigga, hanging with the same people,
doing the same shit. I'm in the studio working hard.
BM: How did you and JFK meet?
YB: JFK was making beats for an artist named Morgan that was with Interscope Records. I was working with her and liked the
beats. I got in touch with JFK and thought he was older, but we were both 19 years old. So, we started working together and he
brought Holla to the table and we moved in Cali and got a crib, and here we are.
BM: The game is open right now. The timing is good for you to move in and make your place. How do you feel
about that?
YB: I'm thankful to GOD for that. The timing is perfect for someone to sneak in and have a Chamillionaire type year, or a T.I.
run, and I'm down. I threw on my boots, and I'm ready to get it crackin'. It is what it is. I'm taking them to the bank on this one.
You know what I'm sayin'. It's inspiration and motivation to be at the Grammy's next year.
BM: That's what's up. It's refreshing to see a new artist step up and be original. Too many artists are the same.
Speak on that...
YB: I'm not playing. I've worked to hard on this one. People wanna act like you get a deal and that's it. I mean, what the fuck
type shit is that. I'm going hard. This is my life. Anything else is uncivilized. I don't see these young rappers. I don't see these
dudes. I call them "microwave music." Niggas that come out and the label signed an artists cause they look good, and can't rap
or do nothing. They put them with a super producer and have somebody write for them. Do the video, and the album flops.
The A&R made $100,000 off your album and that's it. End of the day, niggas is barbie dolls out here. They be dressing them
up, and putting jewelery on them and shit. You can't buy what I'm doing. There's nobody making music that sounds like mine, I
guarantee it. When niggas hear my shit, they gonna go crazy.
BM: That's what's up. I heard you got transitions in between each song. What's that about?
YB: Transitions. In between every song there will be a transition from the last to the next, real musical.
BM: That's crazy. Where do you see yourself in like 2-3 years?
YB: At the top. 2 years from now, JFK and Holla gonna be the new Timbaland and Swizz Beats, and I'll be the new Jay-Z. I'm
gonna be putting out my artists, and working on my third release probably.
BM: I know you're doing a lot of shows. Any tours coming up?
YB: We been talking about a lot of tours. I can't say right now due to legal issues. You can be looking for me in a city near you
though.
BM: Since the "Sexy Lady" record is for the ladies, and you're young, I hope people don't think you're a Bow Wow
type of rapper. Do you worry about that?
YB: Once you hear my album, there won't be none of that. It's gonna be bootlegged crazy, in the masses so, niggas gonna
have to fuck wit it because of the features I got. Give me 5 min, and it's over.
BM: What do you want the readers to know about Yung Berg, they don't already know?
YB: I'm real musical. When you hear my music and my transitions, you'll hear that. I'm on some old soulful shit. I been around
Kanye West and them in the studio, so it really motivated me to step my game up. To know and find the creative standard for
me as an artist. Definitely not a Bow Wow. I'm happy for him, but he's him. He could never be me. It is what it is.
BM: I hear you on that. Are you gonna take Yung Bosses outside of music?
YB: I'm negotiating on some films right now. Things of that nature, know what I'm saying. We taking it to the top. We are going
to be the equivalent of your favorite rappers branding. Yung Berg bobble heads, all that nigga, we doing it.
BM: Let the people know Berg. People are trying to say that all the jewelery you wear isn't yours, or it's all your
peoples or whatever. Speak on it....
YB: Dog....If ya'll could be me boy!!! Lol...Boy!! Right now, I'm not gonna front, I got on the Floater Simpson, that's what I call it.
Shout out to Jason the Jeweler. My watch is at least $80,000. I got on my chain from the photo shoot, the blue and yellow one. I
got my YB chain on, my Bull Head chain, my Epic chain come in on Friday. I mean, look at me. You can catch me state to state
rocking my shit. My whole team got YB chains, I mean jewelery is not a problem.
BM: Damn. Enough said. That's the hate though, because you're a new artist..
YB: I love it!! That's the fuel to my fire.
BM: How can the people get at you?
YB: They can get at me on www.myspace/yungberg, www.yungberg.net, and through YouTube. We got the YBTV on there, so
check that out. The EP got 5 videos on there, and the "Sexy Lady" remix coming soon, the song and video.
BM: Any last words Berg?
YB: Look out for my EP coming out the second week of July. That's the shoot around, the pre-game for ya'll. The album coming
out late August. I mean, don't look at me, look at t.v.
BM: We co-sign you, and wish you the best here homie..
YB: No doubt, good looking...
old, this Chi-town native is quietly plotting his take over of the phenomenon we know as Hip Hop. Possessing a
flow that sounds as crisp, with charisma more contagious then the common cold, Yung Berg is the definition of
what happens when skills and swagger are pooled into one powerhouse. Signed to Epic Records and gearing up
to release his debut album, Look What You Made Me, the record boasts a wide variety of material ranging from
specially crafted songs for the ladies to street anthems made to resonate in anyone's "hood". Look What You
Made Me is Yung Berg's story in his own words and is poised to be one of the best new releases of 2007. Having
snagged writing credits on albums for some of hip hop's elite including Shawnna and Eve and dropping verses on
mixtapes for the likes of Clinton Sparks, Yung Berg is guaranteed to bring that same spark and energy to his own
project.
BM: Talk to me about the "Sexy Lady" record and how that came about?
YB: Truthfully, when we made the record we was in the back of J Premiere's crib in the pre-production studio. We did the song
in 30 min. I knew it was crazy when we did it. At that point in my career we were looking for a record to leak. We took the "Sexy
Lady" record and put it on the radio. We weren't trying to make a single, we just did it and put it out, and the world loved it.
BM: How did it feel to see the video for the record on t.v. for the first time?
YB: It felt crazy to watch when I first got the edit back. I watched it like 100 times at the crib. After that I just knew it was gonna
do what it do. To be honest, I haven't seen the whole video on t.v. though. I'm so busy right now, I don't get to watch a lot of tv.
BM: Why name the album "Look What You Made Me"?
YB: Man, Shawnna had told me like 2 years ago that I should make a song called "Look What You Made Me," on some 2 Pac
shit, just coming at niggas. I did the song with Holla and we made it the title track and the name of the album.
BM: Talk to me about the album...
YB: As far as the album, the album is stupid my dude. We got Eve, Shawnna, Twista, Collie Budz, Fabolous, Jim Jones, Rich
Boy, Khaled, Ray J, JFK, Hunit Grand, all on the album. It's too many to even name. It's like a Dr. Dre album, it's my own little
Detox.
BM: That's major. Tell me this though. Being that you're from Chicago, but live in LA, what kind of sound can we
expect from your music?
YB: There's a lot of instrumentation and themes on the album. The joint with me and Twista is crazy, like, the way we flowing on
there is crazy. What sets me apart from all the other artists out there, is that my whole album is produced by JFK and Holla. It's
all done in house, and that's what separates me apart from the rest.
BM: Talk about the Yung Boss movement you got...
YB: Yung Boss was started by me and Fresh Kicks, and Holla was brought in. We are the brand of Yung Boss. We got artists
such as Tony Loco, Doc, Junior, Hunit Grand, and Cap 1. We got a lot going on. We showing young people how to come
together and be on one page and make great music. Show people to drive your own career and not let the labels dictate what
you gonna do.
BM: What's your motivation?
YB: Proving people wrong. Everybody told me I couldn't do this shit. Even when I got my deal, niggas told me I'd never be
nothing. Chicago is the city of hate, so you know it's mad people hating on me and shit. Besides the haters, I started doing this
music so young, that there was no other option, naw mean. It forced me to be strong, and go hard. I had the taste of success
back with DMX, and that made me more hungry.
BM: Do you already have a second single ready?
YB: This is what we gonna do. I'm signed to Epic Records, so I might as well make it Epic. We gonna take it to the top. We got
the "Sexy Lady" single out now, then we coming with the "remix" featuring Rich Boy and Jim Jones. We got the video for that,
and that will float us through the whole summer. After that we coming with the EP and the album. The next single hasn't been
picked yet. We got so many hits to pick from. I got a loaded gun right now.
BM: How has your life changed so far with your success?
YB: My bank account just changed, and I can do what I want to do. I'm still the same nigga, hanging with the same people,
doing the same shit. I'm in the studio working hard.
BM: How did you and JFK meet?
YB: JFK was making beats for an artist named Morgan that was with Interscope Records. I was working with her and liked the
beats. I got in touch with JFK and thought he was older, but we were both 19 years old. So, we started working together and he
brought Holla to the table and we moved in Cali and got a crib, and here we are.
BM: The game is open right now. The timing is good for you to move in and make your place. How do you feel
about that?
YB: I'm thankful to GOD for that. The timing is perfect for someone to sneak in and have a Chamillionaire type year, or a T.I.
run, and I'm down. I threw on my boots, and I'm ready to get it crackin'. It is what it is. I'm taking them to the bank on this one.
You know what I'm sayin'. It's inspiration and motivation to be at the Grammy's next year.
BM: That's what's up. It's refreshing to see a new artist step up and be original. Too many artists are the same.
Speak on that...
YB: I'm not playing. I've worked to hard on this one. People wanna act like you get a deal and that's it. I mean, what the fuck
type shit is that. I'm going hard. This is my life. Anything else is uncivilized. I don't see these young rappers. I don't see these
dudes. I call them "microwave music." Niggas that come out and the label signed an artists cause they look good, and can't rap
or do nothing. They put them with a super producer and have somebody write for them. Do the video, and the album flops.
The A&R made $100,000 off your album and that's it. End of the day, niggas is barbie dolls out here. They be dressing them
up, and putting jewelery on them and shit. You can't buy what I'm doing. There's nobody making music that sounds like mine, I
guarantee it. When niggas hear my shit, they gonna go crazy.
BM: That's what's up. I heard you got transitions in between each song. What's that about?
YB: Transitions. In between every song there will be a transition from the last to the next, real musical.
BM: That's crazy. Where do you see yourself in like 2-3 years?
YB: At the top. 2 years from now, JFK and Holla gonna be the new Timbaland and Swizz Beats, and I'll be the new Jay-Z. I'm
gonna be putting out my artists, and working on my third release probably.
BM: I know you're doing a lot of shows. Any tours coming up?
YB: We been talking about a lot of tours. I can't say right now due to legal issues. You can be looking for me in a city near you
though.
BM: Since the "Sexy Lady" record is for the ladies, and you're young, I hope people don't think you're a Bow Wow
type of rapper. Do you worry about that?
YB: Once you hear my album, there won't be none of that. It's gonna be bootlegged crazy, in the masses so, niggas gonna
have to fuck wit it because of the features I got. Give me 5 min, and it's over.
BM: What do you want the readers to know about Yung Berg, they don't already know?
YB: I'm real musical. When you hear my music and my transitions, you'll hear that. I'm on some old soulful shit. I been around
Kanye West and them in the studio, so it really motivated me to step my game up. To know and find the creative standard for
me as an artist. Definitely not a Bow Wow. I'm happy for him, but he's him. He could never be me. It is what it is.
BM: I hear you on that. Are you gonna take Yung Bosses outside of music?
YB: I'm negotiating on some films right now. Things of that nature, know what I'm saying. We taking it to the top. We are going
to be the equivalent of your favorite rappers branding. Yung Berg bobble heads, all that nigga, we doing it.
BM: Let the people know Berg. People are trying to say that all the jewelery you wear isn't yours, or it's all your
peoples or whatever. Speak on it....
YB: Dog....If ya'll could be me boy!!! Lol...Boy!! Right now, I'm not gonna front, I got on the Floater Simpson, that's what I call it.
Shout out to Jason the Jeweler. My watch is at least $80,000. I got on my chain from the photo shoot, the blue and yellow one. I
got my YB chain on, my Bull Head chain, my Epic chain come in on Friday. I mean, look at me. You can catch me state to state
rocking my shit. My whole team got YB chains, I mean jewelery is not a problem.
BM: Damn. Enough said. That's the hate though, because you're a new artist..
YB: I love it!! That's the fuel to my fire.
BM: How can the people get at you?
YB: They can get at me on www.myspace/yungberg, www.yungberg.net, and through YouTube. We got the YBTV on there, so
check that out. The EP got 5 videos on there, and the "Sexy Lady" remix coming soon, the song and video.
BM: Any last words Berg?
YB: Look out for my EP coming out the second week of July. That's the shoot around, the pre-game for ya'll. The album coming
out late August. I mean, don't look at me, look at t.v.
BM: We co-sign you, and wish you the best here homie..
YB: No doubt, good looking...
+PLUS
SUBSCRIBE TO BUMP!
