Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Eddie Yuma. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Eddie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?
I’ve always felt like someone who doesn’t really fit in one group. Being half Mexican & Cuban as well as being first generation has always reminded me that there’s a lot of facets to people. I was lucky enough grow up in Rogers Park, a Northern neighborhood in Chicago that’s home to a wide variety of people from different cultures. My friend group growing up, specifically around high-school was really diverse and full of people that brought their own unique perspective. That’s something I’ve carried on throughout my life and into my creative career. I’ve been told many times that because I’m Latino, my music should sound more like Reggae-ton and have more Spanish in it. While I love Reggae-ton and I’m proud of my culture, it’s up to me to decide how I express that. My choice is through introspective bars on self produced ethereal beats. My biggest inspiration to do music was from exposure to artists like Danny Brown, Joey Bada$$, Tyler the Creator, & MF DOOM. I was inspired by the uncompromising creative decisions they made that were usually criticized as strange for being alternative and risk taking. That same school of thought goes into my creative decisions to create music inspired by the multiple arrays of alternative hip-hop.
Eddie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As I mentioned before I was really inspired by underground legends like MF DOOM & Danny Brown. When I talk to people who were also inspired by them it feels like I’ve found someone I’ve known for a long time, That sense of community created around raw, energetic, uncompromising art is something I live for and hope to add to with my music. Most of my songs are anthems for people who choose to be themselves every time. Some of my favorite songs are Security Pt. 2 & Golden, both are produced by legendary Chicago producer shy niko.
I love working with others but I’m excited to release the new music I’ve been working which is producer, written, & recorded by me. It’s scary yet exciting since I’m responsible for everything from beats to lyrics for the first time in a while. I’ve titled it, The Fool, because I want to show people there’s more to me than they might think. With The Fool, I’m exploring the idea that people are t0o complex to be categorized and simplified.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I think 2020 was a really strange and difficult year for everyone. I remember feeling like I was getting cheated out of the momentum I had gained all of 2019, especially when the lockdown happened. I felt helpless because I wasn’t able to go to the studio for what seemed like forever but I knew I didn’t want to let that stop me from making more music. I decided to take time I was spending at home and use it to learn valuable skills that I was putting off, specifically how to make beats. I think the first 100-200 beats I made were horrible but the repetition and consistency of showing up for myself really helped me to not only get better but also cultivate my own sound. After months of constantly making 3-5 beats a day, I felt like I was ready to put something out, In November of 2020 I released a short EP titled, At Home. While this project is nowhere near perfect production wise, I’m proud I still put it out because it gave me the confidence to believe in my choices as producer, writer, & engineer. My favorite song on the EP is, One Moment, it really helps characterize my production style, you can listen and tell that I wear my influence on my sleeve.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn to behavior of putting people on a pedestal. Very early on in my career I used to over value the opinions of certain artists that I would collaborate with. I think most insight can be valuable and I would never silence anyone that has something to say, but there was a point I was listening to others voice instead of my own. The rapport and friendship you have with someone can really make you biased towards their advice but I found that you have to put that aside when it comes to making decisions for yourself, especially for your art. I’m not saying I never ask advice or take feedback but sometimes I know that I have to trust myself in order to really make my unique vision come to life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eddie_yuma/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eddieyuma7119
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2BtrqaEWxI5K8CxVf9zuNU?si=DULZTefhSqiDmX7XBhsSXg Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/eddie-yuma/1131734518
Image Credits
OneShotTdot Abdul Salam