MIAMI, FL – When you grow up as a fanatic of the Star
Wars franchise and spend a lifetime idolizing the wisdom and sheer awesome-ness
of one its main characters, there’s really only one choice when it comes to
choosing a stage name.
Miami-based rapper Yooda said it wasn’t even a
second-thought when the choice for a name came up. Not only was it unique, but
it also nodded to his favorite Star Wars character in a way that would let
other people know how serious he is about emulating Master Yoda by becoming a
master of his own domain.
“I’ve always been influenced by Yoda’s strength, endurance
and determination – all of which allowed him to focus on attaining many of
his pursuits and goals,” Yooda said. “Five years from now I want to have a
sustainable career. I don’t have to be at the top, but I’d love to be
recognizable for my music.”
That would be one of the truest measures of success for many
whose origins saw him make it out of the struggle. Growing up in South Miami,
in the cities of Liberty, Carol and Richmond Heights, Yooda’s childhood was
merely so-so until at the age of 9 his cousin was shot in the head. Not knowing
how to handle this grief, Yooda lashed out at everyone and refused to express
his pain, anger and thoughts. In the face of this tragedy, he turned to music
as an outlet to ease his pain. Musicians such as Baby Face, After 7, Michael
Jackson, Barry White and New Edition became his therapists. They walked
alongside him throughout his teenage years as many of his peers were murdered
or wound up in jail.
By high school, Yooda had turned to football as a new outlet
for his emotions. But all the while he played his favorite sport, he continued
to work on his music talent and write songs. He particularly loved R&B and
would emulate some of the greats by writing love songs.
In 2002, Yooda created a local group with a couple of
friends known as the Junkyard Squad. He also formed his own record label,
Junkyard Entertainment, under which he and the group have released two albums –
“Laugh Now, Cry Later” and “The Predator.” He has released five solo albums,
and at the end of last year he released his sixth entitled “Hiroshima.”
“It’s basically an album that talks about the de-cluttering
of the rap game,” he said. “We’re getting rid of whack music and bringing back
substance. It has a little mixture of everything, but it’s also a little
darker. It’s basically me on a mission of whipping out the bad stuff and
clearing a path so we can build on up. I’m bringing back content in the music.
I’m not just a musician who’s in the club all the time. I’m making music for
the people out there struggling and working.”
“Hiroshima” dropped in August of last year and is available
for purchase on all digital download sites, such as iTunes, Spotify and Google
Play, among others. Fans who want to find out more about Yooda can visit his
website at mr305shotta.com, or follow
him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to find out about upcoming
music releases or live performances.
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