Gainesville, Florida vocalist Juice Yung’n has presented his latest track, ‘Aayy’ to the world. Half rap, half R&B, ‘Aayy’ is a candid, unapologetic look at life inside the trap: the perils and pleasures of having a rough upbringing, and the subsequent consequences of a dangerous lifestyle.
Florida does hip-hop like nowhere else. It has its own steamy, distinctive sound, with its own attitude and stance, as well as its own musical and lyrical vocab. With all that in mind, it’s no wonder it’s still possible for an act from Florida to take over dance clubs and local radio shows, with little or no help from the wider music industry. ‘Aayy’ from Juice Yung’n is one such track. It follows in the wake of his previous releases – ‘Where I Came From’, a veritable anthem to Gainesville, and ‘All I Want To Do’, slinky and mesmerising – both established as one of the most exciting new voices in Florida.
Juice Yung’n – real name Frederick Davis – grew up with two dreams: football and music. His NFL dreams were dashed, but his love for music remained, and he honed his skills whatever way he could.
“I remember I was in the 6 grade recording off 2 cellphone together until I got my 1st computer.”
‘Aayy’, like ‘Where I Came From’, was produced by legendary South Florida artist, Tony “Gorilla Tek” Castillo, who’s worked with the likes of Trina, Rick Ross, and Pitbull, as well as his most notable collaboration, with Trick Daddy, the undisputed godfather of Florida Trap.
Although proud to rep Gainesville, for the video for ‘Aayy’, Juice Yung’n has turned to Miami’s notorious Liberty City neighbourhood. He lords over a trap house, he raps in a Rolls Royce, and he flashes a roll of hundreds. Trouble is around every corner however. Men in masks, unmarked cars, fear and menace everywhere. The laid back rhythms of the track reflect the seriousness of the themes in the video. It’s an immensely enjoyable tune, with Juice Yung’n’s deep and sensual voice rhyming over the slow beats.
Find out more about Juice Yung’n from his label, Supa T Records.
