Interview with Pitz
PITZ – Can you tell us about yourself and where you are from?
YS –
I was born in Barnsley but grew up in Nottingham with my mum, then got adopted at age three and moved to Hull. Things went downhill after my adoptive parents split when I was eight. I dealt with a lot of abuse at home from age 10 until I was 15, when I finally moved in with my adoptive dad.
I think that because of my upbringing I have had a hard time adjusting to life’s changes which lead to me having run ins with the police. I first went to pen at 12 years old for a serious incident. Right after my release, I went to London to meet my friend Camz. After just two days there, Camz was shot dead and left on the pavement. This had a massive impact on me and changed the way I view things.
In total, I’ve spent three and a half of my teenage years in some form of custody. I’ve beaten a lot of charges, but I served a year and a half of a two-year sentence, did a full six months on another, and spent time on remand. That’s been my life, but I’ve learned from it. Sometimes you get backed into a corner, but now I’m focused on bettering myself.
PITZ – When did you start writing lyrics?
YS –
It was just after my 13th birthday. I got bored while inside and started rapping to pass the time. It quickly turned into something I actually loved doing. It became a daily thing for me and my boys to do on the wing.
Some people think my lyrics are just about mindless violence but at the end of the day I write about what I see daily. I have to have some way of getting it out so music is the way I do it.
PITZ – What are your goals with music?
YS –
At the minute, I am experimenting with my sound and figuring out what I want to put down on tracks. My ultimate goal is to take this mainstream, one song at a time. I want to prove the doubters wrong. I know I can do it because I don’t stop until I get exactly what I want.
PITZ – Would you say music helps you to deal with hardships?
YS –
Yeah, 100%. That’s a massive reason why I started writing and rapping. There isn’t much to do for people my age so finding music was something positive to fill my time with.
It’s my way of expressing my feelings. Growing up in a tough environment, nobody showed emotion or cried so music became my outlet.
PITZ – How has it been to have Pitz work directly with you on your music?
YS –
Pitz was the first-ever studio I had been to, and I didn’t really know what to expect, but they have helped me work on my music and given me solid advice.
It’s been a year since I recorded my track Poundcake at Pitz Studio, and since then we’ve worked on other tracks and collaborations. We just shot a video for my new track Therapy too; go listen to that!
