photo credit: Power 106
$tupid Young came by the Power 106 Perrier® & Juice Studios with Lee Daniels of VICE News, who is currently filming a documentary about the Cambodian rapper from Long Beach. Young came through to The Cruz Show to discuss his current projects, how he got into rapping, and how he’ll make sure his first son doesn’t follow the same path he did.
With over 15 million views on YouTube for his Mozzy-assisted “Mando” single, Young stopped by our Power studios with a complete Vice News camera crew and deep entourage.
Vice is currently documenting Young’s place in hip-hop for their “Minority Reports” series which explores the idea of whether or not hip-hop has space for Asian rappers, like Young, to succeed. While the LBC rapper believes that there is space to be made within the culture, he also addresses the topic of the use of the “N” word in his music and life.
That’s why I’m working with Vice now to show the world that this is how I grew up. I can’t change it. If I didn’t do music [then] this is how I talk, this is how I am…Prison and all of that. I grew up in that community with the Insane and the 20 Crips and all that, and they understand.
Young talks about how he came into rapping while serving time in juvie and also mentions that he hopes to collab with L.A. native Nipsey Hussle.
Hailing from Long Beach, Young also shares how the city impacted his life and how he wants to change the world’s view on Asian culture.
When the world looks at Asians, not just like California, the world, they think like, “Oh, his mom probably like a f*cking nurse, his Dad a doctor, whatever the f*ck,” like stereotype, you know. But, I came from the South east Asia, where in Long Beach we had to escape the war that killed two million of our people but we came to Long Beach and it’s a lot of poverty. We came here with nothing.
$tupid also goes on to share that he will soon hit the road with rapper Mozzy for tour, shares his motivation and hopes for his son on the way and even drops a freestyle over Swizz Beatz’ “Pistol On My Side” track .
Watch the full interview below:
