R&B is making a strong comeback and I’m not mad about it at all.
Artists like Bryson Tiller and 24hrs are changing the hip-hop landscape with their soulful sounds and trap lyrics. Then, YE Ali walks in…
I first heard of the Indiana-bred artist while he was attending Indiana University in Bloomington. His track Other Girls (featuring Chreece headliner G-Scott) was catchy enough, but it’s obvious YE has found his lane over time as he switched over to the new-wave R&B, what many have labeled as “trap soul.”
Fast forward just a few years and the scenery has changed. YE Ali is no longer posting self-produced tracks on Soundcloud and sharing contacts with artists in his local college town… he’s collaborating with big name artists in sunny Los Angeles and receiving accolades from hip-hop sources all over. One of my favorite tracks, Ring 4x featuring Jazz Cartier, reached over 660,000 plays in just a few short months.
Ride on my Pony, Ginuwine, I’m So Anxious.
Just a few weeks ago, the self-proclaimed Traphouse Jodeci released an LP of the same name – with trap lyrics and a soulful, sexy sound, the project is rightfully named.
The fifth track Sing To It is so R&B – authentically sensual, but so symphonically pleasing that the song becomes deeply romantic.
In an interview with XXL, YE Ali mentions getting lost in validation as an artist, and how it strays so far from his true goal in hip-hop:
My goal in music is to make great music and inspire people… I think just making sure that I keep making music for myself and for people who would love it too. I think it is so important to just stay true to the music. You can take away everything else and still have music.
This seems to be a reoccurring theme for up and coming artists in the hip-hop community – as we saw with 24hrs seemingly mysterious identity. Putting music at the forefront, and forgetting about those with shit to say is the priority… and it reflects in today’s music.
I’m excited to see where YE Ali is headed and I’ll be sure to stay tuned to his success. Check out his Soundcloud for the latest tracks.
In the meantime, check out his most recent visual for the track Cashin Out.
Soul Culture 
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