Formerly known as Y-O of Hip Hop duo U-N-I, Yonas Michael has always renounced the norm. Here Yonas Michael shares his new single, “South Pacific” the follow-up to his buzzin’ single “Blessed.” Both tunes will appear on his much-anticipated solo debut, Black Swan Theory, scheduled for release in June 2015.
“Welcome aboard, we made it y’all.” – South Pacific
The good life Yonas portrays in “South Pacific” tells the story of the underdog who made it big. His good life is serviced by female flight attendants, luxurious travel, and global music exchange. But his smooth flow, rhythm and rap is the undeniable takeaway. Yonas keeps true to his hip hop roots and lays down his fast rhyme that is perfectly balanced with beats and lyrical rap. “South Pacific” is cut by long notes and softened vocals to add a subtle bliss to the fast-paced lifestyle of the rich and famous. Creating an unquestionable smooth sounding dynamic, his rap lyrics are overlapped with a sultry, soulful melody that gives his music a peaceful and chill undertone. Yonas Michael opens up “South Pacific” to take listeners on a first-class trip of his fame and success.
Yonas Michael’s arrival at this space and time in music was all but predestined. The California-based Seattle native’s love for music was equally fostered by his maternal grandmother’s soulful vinyl collection and his father’s Eritrean roots. His relocation to the Inglewood suburb of Los Angeles as a teen marked the turning point in his young musical trajectory when he became enamored with hip-hop.
Yonas paid dues by making his rounds at various talent shows – eventually becoming part of a hip-hop quartet dubbed Rapture Kamp. The group eventually pared down to a duo in 2006 and renamed themselves U-N-I. The group was cultivated in the nascent independent music scene with the likes of fellow Californians and future stars Aftermath, Kendrick Lamar and Miguel. MTV named the group Best Breakout LA Artist at the 2008 MTV Music Video Awards and granted the group its own takeover episode of the weekly hip-hop program Sucka Free. Yonas Michael toured the world and was prominently featured in high profile publications such as XXL, Billboard, URB, Los Angeles Times, Time Out New York, Bet.com and Source Magazine’s Unsigned Hype column.
Following the cues of Outkast and Black Star, Yonas defected from U-N-I to access his incessant individual artistry and pursue a less astringent musical menagerie. His ambitious move from Inglewood to Hollywood initially proved to be a bit of an impedance to the flow of his artistry. Yonas Michael’s stroke of creative genius had arrived. Utilizing his experiences in the city as a broad canvas, he soon completed a colorful musical and lyrical masterpiece with his debut 2011 offering Lost In Hollywood.
Following Lost In Hollywood Yonas released his highly anticipated project The Mixtape Before Black Swan Theory presented by esteemed mixtape DJ Mick (aka Mick Boogie). Yonas is prepared to push the envelope even further with Black Swan Theory. The album’s first single and video comes in the form of the funky, falsetto heavy “Volvo.” MTVu featured the video on The Freshmen and was added to MTV2 rotation.
“A Black Swan fits a tight gene bracket and is revolutionary. My music-theory is what surprises my audience and will later be rationalized in hindsight. Look at The Wright Brothers, they are Black Swans. Before airplanes existed they had the idea of what is today’s number one mode of transportation. Obama is a Black Swan, becoming the first African-American President. They say winners never quit and quitters never win, thru all of my obstacles and victories I will lead you with the best music pushing boundaries. My purpose is not to compete, but to make competition irrelevant.”
