Rap music on the country music highway

By LEE WARD - The Independent

ASHLAND December 22, 2008 01:04 am

— The Country Music Highway might have to make room for a different genre.
Ashland rapper YG spent three days at WP Studios on Winchester Avenue filming for a three-minute video to be released in early January alongside his album, “The Diamond in the Dirt.”
YG has packed a lot of living into his 24 years of life.
He grew up in what he calls a dangerous neighborhood in Pittsburgh, getting into trouble at 16.
Four years ago, he moved to Ashland and started turning his life around.
“I was trying to escape the city lights and focus more on my dream,” he said, adding he went back to school and got a GED as well as worked on his music. “I was able to do it here,” he said, referring to the slower pace and positive environment of the Tri-State.
Although Ashland is known as the cradle of much country music, YG said he believes it’s a good place to launch his career in rap music.
“I’ve been told there’s no market here, but I want to set everybody wrong,” he said. “I want to be the first rapper from the Country Music Highway.”
He said people in the area have been supportive, including several businesses that have agreed to carry his record.
His brother, Clarence Jackson, agreed, adding it’s the expression of the individual listeners and fans can appreciate.
“It’s because of the type of people here that we’ve been able to accomplish as much as we’ve accomplished,” Jackson said. He said he hopes YG’s success will open doors for other rap artists in the area who didn’t think pursuing a career in music other than country would be possible.
YG appeared in the short film “20 Zombies,” which was filmed at WP Studios and on which Dustin Mankin collaborated through his company Digimec Productions. Mankin shot and helped create the video for “Busted Open,” which Mankin said will be distributed on YouTube.com; YG and Mankin said they would offer the video to underground video stations and other outlets.
“I’ve always wanted to work on music videos,” he said. “There is more instant satisfaction in music videos because it’s such a quick turnaround time to get to the finished product.”
Tom Worden of WP Studios, where the video was shot, created the cover art for YG’s album; Mankin served as graphic designer.
YG hopes to have local support for his work, especially after performing a show at the Ashland Plaza Hotel and three shows at the National Guard Armory in Ashland for an audience with a varied background.
“My shows are family friendly,” he said. “I don’t promote drug or alcohol use.”
YG has spent seven months producing his album on his own label, Plus Squad Records, which was recorded at the studio at his home, although he also works with Thunder Bay Studio in Ashland. YG writes, performs, records, books and markets himself.
“I’m a man of many jobs,” he said with a laugh.
The album “The Diamond in the Dirt” will be available at Clark’s Pump and Shop, Junior Food Mart, Dark Wings, Rent-A-Center and WP Studios. More information is available at myspace.com/tomwordenphotos, myspace.com/digimacproductions and myspace.com/younggod1600.
LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.

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