Meet Y$N | Artist / Radio Personality/ Podcaster/ DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Y$N and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Y$N, how do you think about risk?
I think risk taking is the catalyst for all the great people, moments, and things we have today. I’ve always said that you can’t get anywhere in life walking on eggshells, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith to get where you want to be. Throughout my life, I’ve taken so many risks that eventually secured some major opportunities for me. I whole heartedly believe that I would not be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for my willingness to bet on myself at all times and walk into the valley of the unknown. Even if I didn’t win, I always learned and kept it pushing, and that’s what matters.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I think my unique, goofy personality and unwavering work ethic sets me apart from others. I am unapologetically myself at all times and I’m always working. Even if I’m not actively in everyone’s face I’m always working and making some action happen wherever I can.

I would say I’m most proud of how much I’ve been able to accomplish on my own. Even though I’m nowhere near where I want to be in life, sometimes I have to remind myself that I’ve pulled myself through some extremely tough situations and came out on top. And though I’m not exactly where I want to be, I think of the days when I was dreaming about being where I’m at now and push forward even harder. That’s what I pride myself on the most, people can call me whatever they want, but they can’t call me a quitter.

My road has been far from easy. Whether it be against financial challenges, school challenges, or even real life challenges, I am no stranger to struggle. But with that, I think it has made me a stronger person with more motivation and drive than the average person. When these challenges came up, not gonna lie some of them had me down pretty bad, but I managed to keep my faith in God and keep pushing no matter how hard it got. Anytime I’m going through the struggle, I just tell myself it’s got to get worse before it gets better so I just have to see it through.

I’ve learned that a major key to success is perseverance. No matter what life may throw at you, you always have to see it through. It’s way too easy to quit when things get hard, but anything worth having is not going to come easy. So whatever goal you’re trying to reach, don’t back down when it gets tough, just fight through it until you win. The victory is always sweeter when you’ve worked for it.

When the world sees me or the letters YSN, I want them to see a hard working man who defied all odds to achieve his dreams despite the obstacles. That’s what my brand represents. It represents all the underdogs who keeps hustling everyday to get where they want to be and doesn’t let anyone or anything stop them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Atlanta is one of my favorite cities to visit. I had one of the greatest times of my life at the Elon Mansion, that place is insane. Mary Macs has some of the best smothered chicken I’ve ever tasted! Some of my favorite things to do in Atlanta has to be Atlanta Greek Picnic in the summertime or ice skating in midtown in the winter.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s a lot of people who have been instrumental in my story. My mother, for one, who’s always had my back through everything. DJ Juwc, who’s been rocking with me since high school, so we’ve really been grinding it out the mud for years. My crew at The Edutainment Hip Hop Show, 2Pair Tate and DJ Megz. We’ve been killing Knoxville radio every Saturday night for years with no sign of slowing down. Last but not least, everyone who’s ever streamed a song, tuned in to my radio shows, listened to my podcast, came to an event I was doing, or just sent me words of support and encouragement. It all means a lot to me.

Website: ysnradio.com

Instagram: @realysn

Other: Stream YSN Radio on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else you get your podcasts from!

Image Credits
RJ Clay Mintellect Brandon Vash Summers Avery Adizma Blake Wallace