This week the rapper/songwriter Yalee shared a gripping music video featuring his equally talented mother as he explored some of the most relevant topics of today, gun violence, gang violence and the trail of pain it leaves behind. Yalee is known for his hit single “Pretty Girl Dance” and the remix “Pretty Girl Dance Pt.2” featuring New Jersey rapper Fetty Wap, but now the Ohio raised R&B/HipHop artist has given us a deeper look at his creative capacity. It is safe to say that Yalee will be the next artist to truly make an impact in our social climate with his latest album 1V1 (You VS. The World) as it features deeply conscious records such as, “Momma Sorrows”.
“RIP to Junior, RIP XXX, RIP to Nipsey. Damn who’s next?”-Yalee
Nipsey Hussle, Junior Guzman, the young 15 year old boy who was brutally stabbed in the Bronx by gang members, and XXXtencion’s were all promising young men whos murders all have a major similarity, their deaths made a lasting impression on all of our minds. The single “Momma Sorrows” which pays homage to the young lives taken before their time features Yalee’s mother, who’s soprano tone immediately takes you to church when she effortlessly riffs over this record. Besides her phenomenal vocal capacity the pain in her voice is nearly tangible, which speaks to the pain that all the mothers who have lost their children to brutal attacks have felt, therefore making this song truly impactful (I literally had goosebumps).
Much like our favorite rap icons like J Cole and Kendrick Lamar who explore these topics of police brutality, gun violence, gang violence and drug abuse without shame or fear, Yalee takes us through the streets that many of us have similarly grown up in throughout this music video. He abandons the typical flashy jewels, foreign cars, and half dressed models that we typically see in hip-hop videos for a more raw image that makes us really focus on what he’s saying. Each and every lyric speaks truth as he sings, “My generations disconnected it needs some wifi”, followed up by bar after bar of accurate, and “woke” observations. In a recent interview Yalee was asked what inspired the song and he replied, “I wanted to put my mother on a song with me, she’s been asking and with everything going on in the world I felt like this was the moment to really shine light on Mothers, the women who have carried us for 9 months and the ones that have to deal with the passing of their children.” Yalee continued to say how the late rappers, and young teens death really took a toll on him and wanted to start putting out music to inspire the youth, rather than corrupt their minds.
It is always commendable when an artist of Yalee’s caliber chooses to use their platform to spread a meaningful, and introspective message rather than one that simply insights further corruption. Music is one of the most powerful influencers in our modern world and songs like “Momma Sorrows” are a call to change.
STREAM + WATCH YALEE - “MOMMA SORROWS”