YC The Cynic lives up to his cynicism, but he also gives us clear reasons for its necessity. Highlighting the troubling and multifaceted connections between gentrification, inflated tuition and social disadvantage, YC paints a grim picture of deep urban tensions. This song didn’t make it to his album GNK, but that shows you just how high his standards are. Sure, the instrumental doesn’t quite match the intensity of YC‘s delivery or the vitriol of his lyrics, but it’s not a disposable song by any means. The way he puns on “bounce” is simply masterful. But that’s besides the point. Today it lives on. Embrace your inner cynic below.

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YC uses lots of mythical references, coinciding with GNK‘s cover art.  The MC also refers to contemporary figures such as Marcus Garvey and his Madison Square Garden speech. The MC told us exclusively:

My inspiration for the song is always the beat. It dictates how I feel when I hear it, and subsequently the song that’s written.  The idea of a chant struck me first. Then the melody struck. Then I was reminded of my fascination with the word “Negus” when I heard Elijah Black say it. It was all a string of random/organic occurrences, like it usually is.

“Negus” is about empowerment, and is composed much like a inspirational chant. It gives us a new vision on historical topics that are too often categorized as preachy. If you like what you are hearing and you are a fan of Soul Khan, Homeboy Sandman, Rebel Diaz, Sene, Scienze Ottis Clapp or Dao Jones, we advise you to come to YC‘s release party in New York City the 26th at SOBS.

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I used Biggie because its a very popular verse that fit well. Plus I was paying homage to BIG the whole song. It worked. – YC The Cynic

Recently, YC has been releasing a series of substantial visuals to match his tracks. First came his artistic, pigmented video for “God Complex” that reminded us Gnarls Barkley’s famous hit “Crazy.” In the video, YC pays homage to one of Biggie’s iconic looks, wearing a tilted crown on his head.  The RESPECT. got the chance to premier the abrasive video for “Molotovs at Poseidon.” Re-watch all the great moments and get excited for GNK.

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YC The Cynic just dropped the video for his head-nodder, “God Complex”. GNK is the tittle of his new album, which was funded in its entirety by his recent KickStarter campaign. This particular video is reminiscent of Gnarls Barkley’s famous hit “Crazy”, but with a personalized twist.

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