How Yhapojj Went From Local Artist to Shutting Down Venues
He and you may transform once he starts howling.
Photography by Ryo Sato
Although Yhapojj hails from Huntsville, Alabama, he is more captivated by the spooky Twilight scenery. He’s made his mark on SoundCloud, leading up to over six million streams on all platforms. Yhapojj may be team Jacob, as he’s known for his trademark howling in almost every song. When fans hear it, they have no option but to rage. In November, he released his EP, Evolution of Xur, including his viral single “You Looking Gud,” which made its rounds on TikTok. Now, he’s performing at venues in New York City — more or less.
Last week, Yhapojj was set to perform at Manhattan’s Mercury Lounge. However, a young rage artist means young fans ready to rage. The door was overcrowded with guys prepared to mosh, so the show was canceled before anyone was allowed in the venue. One fan climbed a fire escape while a group of fans rolled the venue’s metal detector into the street and destroyed it. While this wasn’t the best situation for crowd controllers, this was just an indicator of how quickly Yhapojj is blowing up.
“I grew up around a lot of music,” he says. “Shout out to my mom. It was also my environment, but Alabama didn’t influence my lyrics. I give the meaning and energy to the lyrics.”
A wolf embodies Yhapojj’s theme throughout his music. In the Evolution of Xur, Xur is the recurring wolf. In addition to his love for Twilight, he also looks up to Michael Jackson — reminiscent of his “Thriller” era. He’s not only intrigued by Twilight’s aesthetics but also the impact on readers and fans. Queen’s Freddie Mercury also inspires him, and Yhapojj emulates a darker version of these artists. He’s also inspired by his mom, who has supported him and his music career since day one.
“When she was pregnant with me, she used to write poetry,” he says. “But I don’t even write songs. I freestyle.”
Yhapojj isn’t afraid to tap into deep and introspective lyricism. When paired with a hype beat, he creates an exceptional cabal of sonics. Aside from music, he wants to create a warehouse space where he and his artistic friends make different art under one roof. Until then, he says he will continue to release music and videos.
