New noise coming out of NYC thanks to rising rhymer Yahya! Coming out of the concrete jungle as an alternative rap artist Yahya arrives with his heavy-hitting new EP, MADE IT OUT OF PURGATORY.
The popular project comes on the heels of his highly anticipated album, Pieces Of Me (The Full Story) which was previously released. His previous album has already amassed nearly two million online plays and counting. as well as rave reviews and critical acclaim from fans and critics alike, including Live Nation’s Ones To Watch and BBC Sounds, to name a few.
Yahya Made It Out Of Purgatory
Made It Out Of Purgatory, produced by Canadian beatsmith Antonio Lamar, depicts Yahya’s story of overcoming the harmful cycles that had held him captive for so long. In fact, the EP opens with “LOV3FLY, serving as the trailblazing talent’s personal favorite according to him. It’s the pinnacle of Yahya’s purgatory process of burning into purity, which inspired the idea in the first place. Before closing with the self-produced enticing, “Every Night”, where the story really starts.
Every single that arrived on the Made It Out Of Purgatory EP depicts Yahya attempting to escape the self-induced nightmarish “dream life”. Where everything appears to be fine, but only because of his direct choice to ignore his own pain, emotions, and feelings in order to please others. Doing exactly what they expect from him, regardless of the harm it causes him.
Between “LOV3FLY” and “Every Night”, there’s the impassioned “Reminisce”, which sees Yahya innocently proclaiming the virtues of only remembering the beautiful parts of the past. Without trying to acknowledge and heal from the bad parts. The trap-infused “Drowning In Your Love” sees the striving star feeling suffocated by his choice of masking his true feelings of the past with only positive perceptions. Followed up by the melodic trap offering “Fall For You” which the Sudanese native admits that in order to truly alter his life for the better, he needs to leave these “positive memories” behind.
‘MADE IT OUT OF PURGATORY’ EP TRACKLIST
1. LOV3FLY
2. Reminisce
3. Drowning In Your Love
4. Fall For You
5. Every Night
Yahya Speaks On His Inspiration
When speaking about the inspiration behind his Made It Out Of Purgatory EP, Yahya goes on to say:
“The overall theme of the story is release and growth, and the next album this EP leads us into will be the full exploration of this release of the old, and growth into the new with full confidence and faith that this is all meant for me, but it starts here on this project. The story is about me escaping from the destructive cycles that have kept me trapped, whether that was my emotions, my thought patterns, or just who I was allowing myself to be in my moments of weakness”.
Offering more context, Yahya adds:
“The EP speaks to learning how to be yourself again after healing your heart and healing your perspectives, so that you can move forward in your blessings. It is also about coming to understand that to move forward, you must first be still, and within that stillness, you can really slow the life around you right down, so you can see everything you were meant to attain from a certain space. The EP tells my story of addressing your life’s cycles, and shedding those destructive behaviors and patterns by being honest with yourself”.
Yahya is an intriguing genre-bending interest in the world of rap music. In fact, he is highly recommended if you appreciate the sounds of Flatbush Zombies, $NOT, or XXXTentacion. With his creative curve and passion for a plethora of soundscapes, Yahya has fused his hip-hop underpinnings with trap, rock, and R&B sensibilities to produce a sound that stands alone in today’s hip-hop and rap world. Don’t believe me? Press play on his latest offering here at KAZI Magazine. But, first — take a look at our intriguing interview regarding his artistry, the new EP, and more! Lastly, let us know what you think!
The Interview
- Hey Yahya! Happy 2023! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me on behalf of KAZI Magazine. Let’s get right into it. Who is Yahya and where did it all begin for you?
“It began when my father, the honorable Magid Yousif Yahya, would introduce me to my love for reading through his own love for it. throughout his travels he collected books and brought back cds of popular rap albums for my older brothers , I fell in love with expression and telling my own story after I moved to the US from Sudan at the age of 10 I found myself in a space where I had to communicate with myself about these experiences because no around me had been through this change so I gravitated to music to to translate these emotions into something I could comprehend myself while also offering myself an outlet”.
- What’s your creative process like? Do you pen your music or punch in and out?
“I write my music in two ways, either I hear the beat and I instantly know what to say then I write down what’s coming to me , or I have thoughts come to me throughout the day or while I’m watching something or reading a book and get inspired and write those down and make find a place where they fit in while in creating”.
- Would you mind walking us through what a studio session of yours is like?
“I record in my room, because it’s an intimate space, it allows me to explore myself without afterthought which yields the best result musically”.
From ‘Pieces of Me’ to ‘Made It Out Of Purgatory’
- Following a fire year last year with the release of Pieces Of Me project, how would you say this new project differs from your previous?
“’Pieces Of Me’ was a different sonic space for me the sounds and the instruments I chose expresses mental states of kind that I couldn’t put forth , I was mourning what I once gave to no avail But with this new release it’s a new space of exploration in this I explore and grow past everything that’s once held in place and letting go with bliss and no resistance”.
- Your forthcoming EP, Made It Out Of Purgatory dropped today. Tell us more about its inspiration and the creative process behind the project.
“I created this project and the concept at a point in which I had decided to depart from a life that has shown me nothing but fear and doubt, and left me restless. With this project, I chose my own freedom. I wrote my own story and this time there’s never any bad endings”.
- Made up of 5 trendy tracks with standout singles such as: “LOV3FLY”, Drowning In Your Love”, and “Every Night”, which of the the releases records is a personal favorite and why?
“”LOV3FLY” – the song is the accumulation of all the experiences through the EP and the release of that past into the new”.
- With such a distinct delivery and versatility, you fuse together great genres to produce a signature sound. As a result, are there any artists who make up your playlist and inspire your music?
“I listened to a lot of Action Bronson, NAV, and Drakeo The Ruler while creating the project. The beat selection to delivery from all of these artists is one of a kind and that inspired me to find my voice in the same light”.
What’s Next?
- For new listeners wanting to get familiar with you and your music. Which released record would you recommend they press play on to have the best understanding of who Yahya is and your artistry?
“‘HIM/ME’ – it’s a perfect mix of all emotions I express through my music. I combined the feelings of bliss, happiness, peace and a bit of melancholy to deliver this masterpiece”.
- Great choice! After hearing all about your artistry, your recent release and more, I’m eager to know — what’s next for Yahya in 2023?
“More music, more videos, and two new albums! Starting with ‘Soul Searching’ on March 24. It is the journey I took after my exit from my personal purgatory, and I began to find new meaning in this new life of bliss”.
- Lastly, is there a message that you’d like to leave with fans?
“Thank you for the continued love and support through it all, I do this all in the honor of my Father, the honorable Magid Yousif Yahya Elhag. May Allah grant him eternal peace in jannah”.
CONNECT WITH YAHYA ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | Twitter | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube
