We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Y$N. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Y$N below.

Y$N, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

The first time I got booked to DJ a wedding was a crazy experience for me. At the time, I had 0 motion going and was still trying to get myself off the ground when I got a call about someone looking for a wedding DJ. I was flat broke and didn’t have any gear besides my DJ board at the time but I was flat broke so I didn’t want to turn it down. Also I didn’t know how much to quote my services for because I had never done a wedding, nor much of any events at the time so I didn’t really know my worth. I just threw out a number and the guy accepted!

I was so happy but immediately really anxious because now I gotta find speakers, microphones, etc. Luckily, DJ Sterl The Pearl helped me out and loaned me all the equipment I needed. I got to the venue very early so I could have all the time I needed to figure out how everything worked before the wedding started. By the grace of God everything went perfectly and the couple ended up paying me more than I had asked for. It was a huge risk taking on a gig I was not prepared for but it was exactly what I needed to build my skills and hone my craft.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a radio personality and DJ based in Knoxville, TN. I got my start DJ’ing at a skating rink in high school and did that up until I went off to college. I went to The University of Tennessee – Knoxville and I got my start in radio shortly after I arrived at WUTK 90.3 The Rock as a student volunteer. I immediately fell in love with it and was invited back after my first semester and started doing as much as I could around the station. I was music director, co-host for The Edutainment Hip Hop Show, along with other things like promotions, social media, etc.

Around that same time, I started hosting parties alongside my good friend DJ Juwc. He would DJ and I would be on the mic rocking the crowd. He ended up giving me an old DJ board of his and I started practicing DJ’ing on my own. Once I got enough confidence in my skills, I started doing small house parties on my own and doing mixes on the radio. Eventually everything I was doing in college snowballed into an entire career.

Today I am a full time on-air personality and programming assistant at B97.5, a top 5 station in the East Tennessee market. I’m also a full time DJ, I do a lot of special events, parties, and concerts. This year I’ve been able to open for a few big artists like Boosie, Nelly, Ashanti, and Skilla Baby. I also host and produce my own podcast, YSN Radio. I like to say I’m the coolest DJ in the south because I feel like anytime I’m hosting or DJ’ing an event I create a very fun and enjoyable vibe and make sure everyone in attendance will leave with a smile on their face. Even when I’m on the radio or doing my podcast, I want people to feel like they’re hanging out with a friend, laid back and comfortable.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

During the pandemic, everything got put to an abrupt stop. Our radio show was thriving with guests every week, I was booked for some big events, and had a lot of major moves in motion that unfortunately dissolved due to Covid. In the midst of the chaos, I decided I was going to make a way out of no way. I took the money I had and invested into studio equipment, learned how to design a website, and started my podcast YSN Radio, the coolest podcast in the south. The idea was since I couldn’t have guests at the radio station, I would bring the radio to them. I would book interviews and travel to wherever they were, setup my gear, and do a full interview with them on the spot. From there, the platform has grown tremendously and I have had the opportunity to cover events such as SXSW and NBA All Star Weekend. It has been a fantastic experience building a platform from the ground up. I still have a long way to go with it, but I am enjoying every step of the journey.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The best way to support artists and creatives is creating environments for them to express themselves. Whether it’s events, venues, showcases, or whatever, artists need an avenue to be themselves. By providing those spaces, people can freely pour into the culture, enriching it and benefitting everyone else around them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ysnradio.com
• Instagram: @realysn | @ysnradio1
• Youtube: YSN Radio

Image Credits

Andrew Ellis
Vash Roy