While the hip-hop scene oftentimes consists of voyeuristic lyricism and revealing music videos that are considered “sexy,” Young Blood Neet (or known as YB Neet) chooses otherwise. According to the 21-year-old rapper, he wants to use HipHop as a way to “motivate” his listeners in life.
“Madalas na sinusulat ko kasi talaga [ay] more on motivational, mga pampagana kumbaga [at] pampagaan ng pakiramdam,” he said.
He further defines his music as a “drug,” similar to a tranquilizer in which it calms the nerves of everyone who listens to it. He described, “Nakikita ko ‘yung sa kanta ko na parang drug siya, parang drug siya na parang pag pinapakinggan nila si YB Neet, kumakalma sila.”
YB Neet explains that one of the reasons why a lot of people could relate to his song is because of its inspiration—his personal life. He shared that writing a song about a life he has not been through is difficult. Instead, he chose to harvest his life experiences and translate it through HipHop.
“Kapag iniisip mo lang siya na gusto mo magbigay ng motivational pero out of nowhere lang, hindi mo naman naranasan, hindi rin mafe-feel ng tao,” he expounded.
YB Neet added that in general, his sound always relies on neutrality. He explained, “Feeling ko si YB Neet kasi ‘yung brand niya nasa gitna lang siya eh, neutral lang siya… hindi siya sobrang bait, hindi [rin] siya sobrang sama… parang nasa gitna lang talaga siya na naglalaro, kumbaga ‘yon din ‘yung pinaka sentro ng YB Neet—’yung power niya.”
Emerging from Pasay
Before he was known as YB Neet the rapper, he was just an ordinary boy in Pasay City. Most of his days are spent with his family, helping out in their family business and driving around. He also worked in the corporate world prior to rapping.
After working at 5 in the afternoon, he would spend his free time working on his music until 3 in the morning. He kept on to this routine until he fully committed to pursuing music as a career.
As an emerging artist, he shared that his inspirations came from Smugglaz, Lucky9, and Lil Baby.
Asked on why he chose the stage name of “Young Blood Neet,” he explained that he wanted to immortalize his youth by forever referencing himself as a “young blood.” Meanwhile, “Neet,” was his car’s name—a hyundai accent sedan.
Since he rose to fame two years ago, the rapper does not think his journey as an artist is “too fast.” He believes otherwise, wanting to achieve more as a rapper while he’s still young.
Fully decided to take on rapping, his parents disagreed—or at least, at first. With his background, his parents were worried of not earning enough as a rapper and the general uncertainties it has.
“Noong una parang ayaw nila kasi syempre, hindi nila alam kung ano talagang ginagawa ng anak nila tapos hindi alam kung may pupuntahan talaga,” YB Neet narrated. “Pero syempre ako lang yung nakakita ng gusto kong puntahan, so parang nabingi na lang muna ako hanggang sa minamahal na din nila ulit yung ginagawa ko.”
YB Neet currently has around 255, 000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His single “Dem dayz” has 2 million streams on the same music-streaming platform as of writing.
From his album “Big Ape,” he narrated his story as a starting rapper.
Asked on his advice to his fellow “young bloods,” YB Neet imparts, “Kailangan, habang bata pa kayo, madapa na kayo ng madapa. Ubusin niyo na ‘yan, ubusin niyo ‘yon kasi kapag umabot sa punto na nakabangon ka na, kabisado mo nang bumangon.”
His latest album “Meta,” in collaboration with fellow Filipino rapper CK YG is available on all music-streaming platforms.
