Yung Uno
Yung Uno is a very good west coast rapper that has a talented team of PR at his disposal and some of the best photo and ad work I've seen from a social media artist. I asked Yung Uno who did his photography . .or what company was hired to capture most of his shots and Yung Uno stated his father was doing all the photography. I was surprised and realized his talented network of PR were family and friends. You can find Yung Uno in the 2nd issue of Azur Magazine - which will be ready for download around Oct. 18th
(click a title to listen to a mix tape . . .)
I ran into a rapper who had the best photography and art design work done that I've seen in a long time. I thought a record label had gotten ahold of this rapper and had offered PR services. His name is Yung Uno and as it turns out . . .his father is the high priced photographer from this rapper's managment company . . .and the graphics design artist is a close friend. They threw all kinds of gifted art pieces toward me and gave me the option to pick the best from what they had. I took it all and even chose a new design concept for a cover of Azur Magazine - I'll place that design on Yung Uno's article page. Regardless, I finally got a chance to sit down with this gifted artist and here is what he had to say . . . . Azur Mag: We were just talking about . . .Yung Uno's art work . . .and photography . . .Who in the world . . .Let's start with photography . .Who's doing your photography? Yung: . . .crazy part about my photography . . . You wouldn't even believe this . . .My Pops have been doing my photography . . . Azur Mag: Really . . . Yung: Yeah . . .he did all the photography on my whole project . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . man! . . .Tell your Dad that he is an awesome photographer . . . Yung: He was like . . man . .I got some shots . . .I've got some shots . . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) . . Yung: I was on the fence . . .but you know what . . .why not . .it's not going to hurt nothing. . .my stuff . .came out dope! . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .yeah . . .it did . . .Yeah . . your Dad is good. . . .and it must be free, right? . . .It's free photography, right? Yung: Yeah . . .that's why I was like. . .yeah . . .it's not going to hurt anything. . .really . . . Azur Mag: Yeah! . . .Oh my Goodness . . . .that . . . alright . . .ok . . .You got a photographer in the family . . .just shoot'n you when ever you want . . .Oh my God . . .Yeah . .these are really good photographs . . .I mean. . . You got really good shots from the . .ahh. . . 8 by 11's . . . that I can use. . .and then . . .you got these . . really nice . . .I mean . . the clarity . . and the picture cripsness . . .is excellent . . .What about the art work? Who's doing that? Yung: My art work was done by . . .a guy named Roberto Vega . . . and he's a part of Bales Inc., my management team, right now . . . .He come out with a lot of ideas . . .that's . . . .really . .you know . . .that's my team - we kind of brain storm together . . .art work . . .these are the type of guys who . . .I just hand the pictures off to him and he just goes . . I mean . . .he does art work for every body . . . Azur Mag: Ok . . .so . . .Is he the guy I'm talking to on the internet, right now? I'm talking to Robert somebody . . . Yung: I believe so . . .Roberto Vega. . .is Robert . . . . Azur Mag: Robert . . .right . . .I think he uses and initial . .. like Robert V or Robert F . . .or Robert something . . . Yung: Yeah . . .yeah, yeah, yeah. . . . Azur Mag: Alright . .that's cool . . . Yung: . . .about your whole magazine . . .He was amped about it . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) Yung: I didn't know he was e-mailing you. . .I didn't know he was that amped . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .He was the one who sent me . . .the um . . .He did some kind of . . like . . cover . . .Like a tentative cover . . .for the magazine . .just in case . . .I might want to use it or not. . .and . .I was like. . . I'm not sure if I'll be able to use it . . but . . .I like it . . .so . .I was like . .I didn't know what to do about it. . .I might put it in the 2nd issue . . or. . .work with it on the 3rd issue . . .but . . .I like what he was doing . . .so . . .We've been corresponding back and forth . . .and everything . . .I mean . . .I don't mean to correspond behind your back . . .I want you to know what we're talking about, too . . . Yung: Naw . .that's my people . . .It's all good.. . . Azur Mag: That's cool . . .yeah . . .He's a nice guy . . .I really like him . . man . . .Alright . . so . .you got . .like a whole record label behind you . . .as far as I'm concerned . . . Yung: I got a whole little squad. . . Azur Mag: Your art department is awesome . . .and your management . . .department seems to know what they're doing, too . . .I was going to ask you about your mix tape . . .um . .How do you feel about using Indy Live Mix Tapes.com as compared to soundcloud, bandcamp . . .and reverbnation . . .? Yung: I feel like . . ahh . . . Live Mix Tapes is . . .a better platform . . .a better outlet . . .the soundcloud is more hidden . . . the bandcamp is more hidden . . .but Live Mix Tapes. . . they'll put me next to . . Rick Ross or Jay-Z . . .and that's a good look . . .cause they're saying . . .you don't know who's strolling on the web sites. . . Like . .man I like that art work . . .let me cop on that . . .cause that's the one I pick . . .new mix tapes . . .If I like the art work . . I'm going to listen to it . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . .I didn't know that . . .Alright . . I'll check that out. . .I've never . . actually, gone in there . . .to . . .I've gone directly to your site . . .but I've never checked it out . . .this site in general . . just to check out what they have . . . Yung: They have a whole variety of . . .a way to get music . .free . . .with out having to steal it . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .nobody can download that stuff . . .you know what I mean? Yung: Yeah . . . Azur Mag: I mean. . . you can . . .record it off the internet. . . .I mean . . you can press record the way I'm doing . . .but . . I mean . . .you can't really get . . .quality recordings from that stuff with out . . .downloading it, anyway. . . Yung: Yeah . . Azur Mag: . . .but . . um . . .How did you come up with the name Yung Uno? Yung: It's like more of . .a. . . .neighborhood name . . .The younger guy . . .running with the older guys. . .Sort of had my hands in everthing . .trying to do . . everything . . .When I played football . . .I was the youngest kid on the team .. .When I played basketball . . .I was the youngest player on the team . . .and my cousin. . .just . .hit me with the name . . .and . . I just . .ran with it. . . I've been running away, ever since . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . I noticed in your . . .um . . .your live tape . . .your Live Mix Tape url . . .you spelled it Y-O-U-N-G.. . .instead of . . .the Y-U-N-G . . .Did you go back anf forth between the spellings. . .or. . .is it like a new thing you did . . .? Yung: It was like . . .back and forth with the spelling . . .and the guy I partnered up with . . .who released my tape . . .he put the "o" in it . . He did that by accident . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .ok . . . Yung: . . cause . . .I dropped the "o" . . .like a year ago . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . ok . . .I, actually, like it the way you got it, now . . .it's pretty cool . . .It's like your own thing . . .but . .um . . Your real name is Damien Sanders . . . Yung: Yup . . . Azur Mag: Ok . . that's cool . . Yung: That's my Pops name, too . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .right . .your Pop . . .(laughs . . .) . . .Yeah . . your Dad is an awesome photographer . . .I mean . . .just really good. . . Yung: He use to rap . .too . . .Not on the serious tip . . .but more like. . . .a homie who would, occasionally, rap in the studio . . . . . Azur Mag: What kind of style was he . . .Was he . .like Run DMC . . or . . .who was he like. . .? Yung: NWA . . . Azur Mag: NWA . . .alright . . .yeah . . NWA is good . . .That's like. . .I don't know . . .actually . . .I grew up with NWA . . .so . .I don't know . . .They were big . . .when I was . . like. . . when people were saying rap would become the number one form of music . . at one time . . .[mocking. . .] Oh yeah . . No way! . . .rap isn't going to become #1 . . . but yeah . . .That's where we were . . back then . . .Like you know . . .Sugar Hill Gang . . .had just . .become . .like . .a reality .. .and everybody was like . . .yeah . . .Sugar Hill Gang is pretty good . . .so . .that's how old I am . . .(laughs . . .) Yung: (Laughs . . .). . .The whole beginning . . .I appreciate . .like. . .stuff like that. . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . Yung: . . and I like to see where . . how the whole thing started . . . and . . .where we came from . . .as far as like rap goes . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .yeah . .I mean . . .NWA . . was . . pretty much who started it all .. .as far as like . . .getting it up on the charts . . .and everything . . .they . . .were pretty much the ones who came out . . .and said . . this is what rap is going to be . . .and . .this is who we are. . .but then . . .you get Kool Moe D. . .and LL Cool J . . . Yung: They were there, too.. . Azur Mag: They started it too, though . . .but . it's hard to say what to do about New York and west coast. . . rap . .but . . . Yung: . . the thing about the west coast is like. . .everybody . . .has a little bit of them . . .in them . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .ok . . .This is a strange question. . .but do you plan to re-locate . . .to promote your business . . or do you like . . .your current surroundings . . . Yung: Ahh . . . .I like my current surroundings because . . .I've been here my whole life . . .so . . .I know everything . . .I know . . . what's the word I'm looking for . . .I know every loophole . . .but . .I would re-locate . . when . . .I get all the way situated . . .out here. . .I get my . . .core fan base out here. . . I would re-locate . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . yeah . . . Yung: . . just to try something different . . . Azur Mag: Well . .your emails have got Pacific on them . . .but . .I mean . . .you're from California . . .right? Yung: No . . .I'm from Las Vegas . . . Azur Mag: You're in Las Vegas . . . .That's, actually, good, too . . .That's, actually, good . . .Ok. . .I can see you making it out there . . .cause there's. . .like . .all kinds of business . . .going on out there . . .but . .um . .I thought you were California . . . Yung: It's the . . .entertainment capital . . . Azur Mag: Yeah .. .definitely . . . Yung: It's like a mini . . .Hollywood . . .I've seen . . .frick'n . . .Vin Deasel at Walgreens . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) . .Vin Deasel . . . Yeah . . he's a cool guy . . .I like him . . .so . . What are your current projects or albums . . .Is it, mainly, that mix tape you have on Indy . . .or . . .do you have anything new . . .or do you have anything previous to that . . . Yung: I have some previous mix tapes . . .like I have . .like . . .eight previous mix tapes .. .but . .they're not worthy of seeing the day light . . .at all . . .Like . .the Now or Never . . .is really just . . .taken serious . . .and broke myself down . . .personally, like . . .who I want to represent it . .and . . .how I want to sound . . .I really just went in . . .head on . . .and that project . . .man . . .I went through so much trying to make that sh*t . . .like. . .Oh my God . . .(laughs . . .) . .It's ridiculous . . . Azur Mag: That's cool . . .that's cool . . .um . .Do you have any videos . . or are you working on them. . .right now . . ? Yung: I'm working on the visuals, right now. . .You should get the visuals real soon . . . Azur Mag: Is your Dad doing that, too . . ? Yung: Ahh . . we haven't decided yet . . When we sit down with the team . .we'll . . .He's a candidate . . .he's a candidate . . (laughs . . .). . . Azur Mag: So . . he knows how to shoot videos . . .too . . .that's . . man! You got it made . . .man . . .You've got . .like . . in house photography . . .video . . .I mean . . .all that stuff. . . People are paying up to two or three hundred dollars for a video, right now . . .out where I live . . .but . .just to get . . like a regular video . . not . . Yung: I've done that, before . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . ok . . yeah . . .cause . .I mean . . .I don't know what to do. . .I'd spend . .like the two - fifty . . and make a video . . .I've made my own video . . .but . . .my stuff looks kind of . . like. . .it looks home made . . .Do you have a web site? Yung: Not yet . .we're working on that, too . . .We were talking about that, today, too . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . ok . . .I can imagine . . .Your web site will look really good . . .ahh . . .let's see . . Do you have any gigs popping up . . .Have you played any gigs, at all . .? Yung: Not yet . . I've just been focused on. . . .working on the project . . .and . . .making everything sound right . . .and gett'n that thing out . . and, now, . . .I'm focused on . . .working the project . . .I'm on my little press run, right now . . .and then . . like . .top of the year . . .I'm going to really go hard with the extra shows . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Yung: I need to get booked up where you at . . . Azur Mag: Get book out in Washington, DC . . .Yeah . . we got like gigs where you can . .um . . .We can get you played . . .but . .you know . . .I mean . . .You know. . . like all these live mics. . .and everything . . .Like . .in New York . .we got . .like . .two or three hot spots . . .in New York . . .where we can get you played . . .but . .um . . .I don't know . .it's hard to say . . .It's like. . .you gotta pay people to play, out here . . . Yung: Oh . . one of those kinds of things . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .you got . .like. . .we can get you played . . .like every Wednesday . . .I can get you played at this one club . . .but . .I can't get a lot of people out there . . .I can get . . maybe . .four or five people to see you every Wednesday . . .and then . .we would have to . . .advertise you . . .to get more people out . . .and stuff like that . . .but . .I . .can get you out there . . . Yung: I need a plug on Shy Glizzy . .Let's do a show with Shy Glizzy . . . Azur Mag: Who's that. . .? Yung: (Laughs . . ) from DC . . .you never heard of . .Shy Glizzy? Azur Mag: Naw . . .I'm sorry . . .I apologize for that. . .I'm just catching up with this guy named Fat Trel . . . . Yung: Fat Trel . . .He's been . . kill'n it a long time, too . . .but . ..I like Trel, too . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .I'm just figuring out who that guy is . . .He just got signed to Maybach . . . Yung: He's been around for years . . . Azur Mag: He's been around for years? Yung: Yeah . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . . Yung: I like Wale. . . Like . .a lot of people . . .hate on Wiley, but Wale got some stuff . . .I would . .enjoy doing something with Wale . . .Like the last song on my CD . . .Like . .I would love to hear someone like Wale . . .over . . . Azur Mag: Ahh . . .man . . .I've gotta look these people up . . .Alright . . .well . . .How did you get into the rap business in the first place . . .? Was it your Dad . . or . . .? Who got you into it . . ? Yung: My situation . . .was kind of . .like. . . .weird . .cause . . .I was just . . one of those kids . .that . . .had a knack for trouble . . man . . .I was always in some sh*t . . .or . .what ever . . then . . .I got kicked out of school. . .like 2008 . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) Yung: I was like . .the eighth grade . . .I got kicked out of school. . .It was like Winter time . . .I got kicked out of school . . .and I had nothing better to do . . .Now . .my older cousins . . .They're, already, out of school . . .and sh*t . . .and I remember my cousin . . .He came up with like a . .USB mic . . .and started making songs . . .and I just. . . .jumped on it . . .and . .there . .I never stopped making songs . . .I got addicted to it after hearing myself . . .and playing it for people . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . .USB mic . . .That's cool . . .So . . .what did you use . . .Audacity? . . .or did you get one of those free software programs . . .and make music . . .? Yung: Yeah . . it was one of those . . free software . . .it was . . .what was it . . .It was Audacity . . .and then we went to Cubase . . .and then . . Pro-Tools . . .We cracked . . Pro-Tools . . we have a. . .broken a** . . .illegal version of Pro-Tools . . .We tried to use it . . .but . .it didn't do too much . . so . .we went back to Audacity . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .Audacity is suppose to be really good . . .That's what a lot of people use . . .but . .ahh . . . Yung: It's a cool way to get started . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . definitely . . .I never really figured out . . .I just went ahead and used the free version of FL Studio . . .which . . might be embarrassing for me . . .(laughs . .) . . .but I was using Fl Studio . . .and bought . . .like . . the professional package of that . . . Yung: I remember at the time . . .though . . .when people were sitt'n on . .ahh. . .Fl Studio . . .and now it's accepted . . .because . . .I think people like Lex Lugar . . .and . . .DJ Mustard and . .people like that making hits . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Yung: Billions of dollars . . .and now . .everybody wants to f*ck with it. . .Back then I remember when . . ."G" had the MPC . . .and some hardware or something like that . . . Azur Mag: That's true . . .that's true .. . . Yung: . . .and see how everything flipped . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . .I forgot about Lex Lugar . . .I like that guy . . . Yung: Yeah. . . me too . . .he's . . oh . . .I don't know where he at . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .Lex Lugar . . . He's a smart guy . . .Well . . ok . . .Have you been looking for record labels . . ? . . or . . looking around . . . scout'n.. . .that stuff . . . Yung: What . . .like a deal? Azur Mag: Yeah . . .has anybody . .like. . approached you about it . . .or . . .have you seen any indie record labels . . .yet . . . Yung: I've been approached by a lot of local people . . .trying to start companies . . .Trying to give me a few racks . . .and this and that . . .but . .I'm not really interested in finding a new label . . .I think . .the whole game is shifting . . .We don't need no labels . . .we got youtube . . .and twitter . . .facebook . . .I can do . . .everything myself . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .that's true. . . Yung: CD sales are so low . . .I mean . . .What is the point . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .Well . .I mean . . .If any body Yung: - 200,000 . . .two million dollars . . .and tour around the country . . .and . . .be rich like that . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .Well . .I don't know . . .If . .somebody, actually, did come out with . . .$200,000 . . .would you take it? Yung: I would. .but . . .It depends on the circumstances .. .cause some days. . .I'll take it . .and some days . . .I won't. . .but two million . . .I might take it . . .but right now. . .I'll say . .no . . .something better may come . . .I'll stay true to myself . . .you know . . . Azur Mag: Really . . Yung: I'll do the whole thing . .independently . . . Azur Mag: What kind of money are you looking for? . . .About like a million . . .or . . .? Yung: Ahhhh . . .I want one of those . . .Mac Miller type of deals . . .I want to be with some real money . . .I don't want like . . . million . .or something like that . . .I don't want nobody . . .think I'm crazy for say'n that. . . but . . .I would want something like. . .ten million . .or something like that - not no artist deal . . .like . .I would want to partner up. . .and have my own company . . .Basically . .you put out the prodcucts . . .basically. . . . Azur Mag: Well . .that's bold . . .man. . .that's bold . . .(laughs . . .) Yung: Yeah . . .That's how I'd run the whole program . . .I want ownership, though . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .that's true . . .like. . .ahh . . .Who's got a deal like that . . .I know Madonna's . .got Maverick . . .She . .um . . .She signed with Warner . . .and . .they created Maverick for her. . .you know . . .you looking for that kind of deal . . ? Yung: Yeah . . .Well . .she's . . ahh . . .She's the boss . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .right. . . . Yung: She must have been real tough on them. . . Azur Mag: Oh . .I don't know . . .That's one of those awesome deals . . . Somebody else got that kind of deal . . .but I can't remember . . .who else got that kind of deal . . . Yung: I think. . .a Master P deal . . .They're giving him. . .like . .80% of his money. . .90% . . .of his money . .Something crazy - was putt'n out all his CDs . . . Azur Mag: Who's distributes Master P . . .I forgot . . .? Yung: . .that was before my time . . .I don't even know what label that was . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . Yung: It might have been Priority . . or something like that . . .Those old labels that ain't around no more . . Azur Mag: I forgot . . .yeah . . .I don't remember who distributes . . .He's got his own label . . .but I didn't know who . . .the distributor was . . . I never really picked up on that . . .but . . .everybody's saying he's like a really smart businessman . . . .He'll go to the back of his trunk and sell something. . . Yung: That guy, right there, is like the blue print for the south . . . Azur Mag: Right . . Yung: Like Snoop . . .or NWA is the blueprint for the west coast . . .Like . .he's the blueprint . . That's why they put out so much music down south . . .He did that first . . He did all that, first . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .Alright . . .um . . so how's your management company doing. . .? Can you tell me more about them . . . Yung: Yeah . . it's like. . .ahh . . .They're doing good . . .like . .they manage a few other people . . .a few up and coming artist . . .Like me . . .but they work . . .real hands on with you . . sit down . . .Come up with a game plan . . .They, basically, create a freedom . . .like . .what they'll do is try and get behind you and make it happen . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Yung: Try and make all your . . .musical dreams happen . .that are real . . . . .You can't come through . . .[mimicing. . .] Oh I want Jay-Z on my next mix tape . . .be realistic . . Azur Mag: So . . what's the name of the company . . .I forgot . . Yung: Bales Inc . . . Azur Mag: Bales Inc.. . .Oh . .ok . .that's cool . . .Alright . . .ahh . . .ok. . .Let me go back to how you're promoting your music . . .You're using a Twitter and facebook? I know you're using Indy Live Mix Tapes. . .and . . .anyone else? Yung: Yeah . . .twitter . .facebook. . .youtube . . .smoke signals . . .posters . . .I'll take anything . . .any . .social promotion . . . Azur Mag: That's cool . . .alright . . .and . . .How can your audience connect with you? Yung: You can connect with me through my twitter . . .and my instagram . . .Those are the main tools . . .I use . .on a daily basis. . . like facebook and a web site . . .We're working on that, right now . . .Getting that all the way , right . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .Who are you planning to use for your web site . .is it . . um . . .wix. . . or any body like them? Yung: Ahh . . .What was the web site? . . .I think . .Four Square . . .That's what it's called . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .Four Square . . .ahh . . . Yung: They give you . . ahh . . .free domain, too . . . Azur Mag: Oh . .they give you a free domain . . .? . . .Yeah . . go with them . . . Yung: Yeah . .they give you the whole dot com . . .When you sign up . . .A dope package deal . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .Alright . . .and . . any last words for your viewing audience? Yung: Ahh . .yeah . . .Check out Now or Never . . .Help me . . help you . . .That's all I've got to say . . .Help me . . help you . .and . . .help a kid out from Las Vegas . . trying to really . . pave a way. . .say something new . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .definitely . . .most . .definitely . . . Yung: Trying to make real music. . . Azur Mag: So that is the name of your current project . . .Thank you very much . . . You can google Yung Uno and find a variety of social netwroks and web sites associated with his brand . . .You can also go into indy.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/35535/young-uno-now-or-never.html
