I recently had the opportunity to grab an interview with New Orleans veterans S-PYanage and Yahnnie who represent the 9th Ward neighborhood. Louisiana, specifically the NO, has a long history of music+culture especially in the Hip Hop scene. The rise of entities such as No Limit and Cash Money helped put the dirty south on the global map in the ’90s.
Be sure to check out our review of their album, #JFTFOI.
If you are familiar with No Limit/Master P’s story, you will know how much of a role the DIY marketing path took in the rise of this city. Known for slangin’ Tapes and CDs out of their trunk, artists like Master P were fighting the DIY war long before the Internet and Digital Publishing took over our consumption of media.
Break the ice. Who are you? Where are you from? What style of music do you create?
We are Jason “S-PYanage” (pronounced espionage) Washington and Israel “Yohnnie” Clements. We are both Natives of the 9th Ward section of New Orleans.
Our style of music we consider it to be Southern Hip-Hop.
You guys have been in the game for a minute. What led the two of you to join forces?
We are actually step-brothers and have both been doing music for a long time, releasing several albums, mix-tapes and videos to our credit, prior to collaborating on #JFTFOI. We’d do features each other’s projects but joining forces was something we’d been discussing for a while, it just was a matter of timing.
Who or what motivates/inspires you to keep making music? Did you ever have an “ah-ha” moment when you knew music was a path you were going to walk?
Everyday life experiences and situations along with a genuine love of the craft is what motivates and inspires us to make music.
S-PYanage: after a few years of dabbling with it, I fell in love with Hip-Hop and knew this was something I wanted to do for a long time.
Yohnnie: I was influenced at an early age by our older brother Joey “Da Y”, who was signed to a local record label in the 90’s, so watching him and the success he and his partner in rhyme “SB” had, inspired me to pursue a career in music as well.
What’s the current state of Hip Hop/rap in New Orleans? What other artists should we be keeping an ear on?
S-PYanage: Honestly there is a lot of “clicqueism”, division, and BS politics on the New Orleans rap scene right now it is far from being unified. However, there is definitely a lot of talented artist in New Orleans.
There is also a rich pure Hip-hop scene on the rise in New Orleans as well, now they are more unified than the rap/ commercial type rap in new Orleans, and of course the “bounce” will always be strong in new Orleans. 20 years before the rest of the world started “twerkin”, New Orleans was bouncing. Twerkin is just another name for bounce, cause the Hot girls been shakin they ass down here for the longest, please bah lee dat! (believe) LOL!
S-PYanage: Far as other artist to watch out for, there are so many that it would be unfair to just name a few, I say just keep an ear to the whole city, because New Orleans has a wealth of talented artist that can rival any city in America.
I’ve lived in several states including Louisiana for a short time… What makes the music coming out of NO unique? Would you say the music scene is united or divided?
New Orleans has always had a unique culture in general, so that along with other factors has had an impact on the uniqueness of all music and musicians/artist from New Orleans.
What can we expect from you two for the rest of 2014? What are you working on for the rest of this year?
We plan to continue pushing and promoting #JFTFOI, and do more videos for the album. We are also seeking good management, to book us a lot more shows and other opportunities to connect with more people.
Where can we connect with you? Listen to your music?
We can be reached at 504-432-7331 (Jason) and spyanage@gmail.com
By tweeter at @spyanage, and @yung1yohnnie
The album is streaming at www.soundcloud.com/spyanage and can be purchased online at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jftfoi/id773249673
The album can also be purchased, along with videos, merchandise, and anything else pertaining to #JFTFOI at http://www.rexless.net/jftfoi.html
Any last thoughts? Shout outs?
For as our final Thoughts, we’d like to say ALWAYS KEEP GOD FIRST AND YOU’LL NEVER LOSE!! No matter how good or bad things appear, You ll always win.
We’d like to Thank MTM for taking the time to interview us. We’d also like to give a shout out to Rexless Records, Madd Loot Records, New Orlanta Music, DJ Fab, 105.9 Da Breeze, New York Underground radio, Rexless radio, Offbeat Magazine, Makin it Magazine, New Orleans, Mo City, ATL, and everybody who support us and our music, Thanx.
