"A girl starts walking, guys start gawking;
Sits down next to you and starts talking,
Says she wants to dance 'cause she likes to groove;
So come on, fatso and just bust a move..." -- "Bust a Move"
Born in Wimbledon, London, raised in Queens, New York, Grammy Award winning rapper-songwriter-producer-actor Young MC, née Marvin Young, initially ascended to stardom with the unleashing of his Billboard Hot 100 smash hit single "Bust a Move."
After rapping over the phone for label founders; Michael Ross and the late Matt Dike, Young scored his first recording contract with Delicious Vinyl, while at the very same time earning his Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of Southern California [USC]. "Bust a Move" helped to propel the emcee's debut LP, Stone Cold Rhymin', to platinum status, while the set's second offering, "Principal's Office," would later go on to be nominated for Best Rap Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards.
After leaving Delicious, Young MC - who now resides in Scottsdale, Arizona - migrated over to Capitol Records, where he would unveil his gold selling, sophomore collection, Brainstorm, in '91. And, throughout the past nearly four long decades, the semi-newly married Young, who has appeared on both the big and small screen(s), has continued to remain ever so busy dropping new music, acting and touring around the U.S. and Canada.
First things first, August 11th 2023 marked the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop — What exactly does that mean to and for you?
The date itself represents the first time Kool Herc and the others there embarked on their own personal Hip Hop journey. It wasn't until 1977 that the events at that party reached me as a 10-year-old in Queens. Before national record releases, radio, touring, press or the internet, Hip Hop was an individual, personal journey. That date reminds me of that.
To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?
In the beginning, I couldn't have imagined Hip Hop taking it this far, let alone doing so for 50 years. Before "Rapper's Delight," I couldn't imagine a rap record in rotation on FM stations nationwide. Before Run-DMC, I couldn't imagine anticipating a rap album release date like albums of other genres. On a personal note, I won the first televised rap Grammy Award. It was hard for me to imagine that whole set of events until the award was placed in my hands. So many examples over the years. To this day, every milestone in Hip Hop is a pleasant surprise to me.
What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?
Appearing in both the ‘Self Destruction’ and ‘(We're) All in the Same Gang’ music videos. Writing "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" for Tone Lōc, and watching those songs become classics. Winning Grammy, American Music and Billboard Awards back-to-back. Meeting many of my heroes in music and popular culture, and them knowing exactly who I was.
That said, what are your future plans and / or goals for the 2025 season?
I plan to promote my current single "Kinetic," perform live all over the country and show people what Young MC is coming with in 2025.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
I want people to get a good, positive feeling from my music. Clever lyrics, a solid track, and a distinctive sound that you know is me. I like building on the familiarity people have with me. I like taking people's expectations of me and exceeding them. That makes this fun after 40 years doing this.
If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Prince. For the unique challenge of working with a bona fide musical genius. And being forced to prove that I could contribute something meaningful to the collaboration. I would learn a ton from the experience.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
I grew up in New York City. Although I performed the halftime show for a Knicks' game, I've never taken the concert stage at Madison Square Garden. That would be the venue.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
Things could definitely get better, but I'm happy for the most part. I'm happy that Hip Hop artists have the ability to create and release the music that they want to. I wish there was more variation in the songs and artists that become popular today. But I think that has more to do with the audience than the artists.
What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
I think the key is me being true to myself. I never changed my name. I didn't start cursing or making songs that weren't positive and uplifting. Those things are meaningful to the people who have listened to me for so long.
Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?
The advances in Artificial Intelligence fascinate me. I do use it in my music, but the ramifications go way beyond entertainment.
What’s an average day like for you? And, please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans...
I live a pretty normal life with my wife and our 2 dogs and 2 cats. I perform live regularly on the I Love The 90's Tour, so I interact with fans from the stage and in meet & greets. I answer questions on my Instagram almost daily, and I'm also falling down YouTube rabbit holes more often than I'd like to admit.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
My favorite part is performing in places I've never been before in front of people I've never met before and them singing my music back to me. My least favorite is the emphasis on social media; even for an artist who had a 20 year career before there was social media.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Don't try to follow in my footsteps. If you're in school, stay in school. If you have a job, keep your job. Make music your hobby until it's lucrative enough to become your career.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
I see myself happy, healthy and creative. I want to have more insight into my creative process than I do now.
Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
You asked some solid questions. If you're good, I'm good.
Any “parting” words for our readers?
I'm making some of the best music of my life right now. It's an exciting time for me! Please follow me on IG: @youngmc89.
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