“Look, the only way you shouldn’t be doing music, is if your heart stopped.” –David Banner

 

Music encompasses the form of his being. A feeling of belonging not fully by choice—but a destiny built in a way to explore the depths of his capabilities. A soul breeding the voices of Ghanaian musicians, Hip Hop artists, and a world of inspiration—inevitably to create his own.

 

He steps onto the scene with a presence that offers tranquility. When he greets you, pearly white teeth present themselves and his smile is instantly inviting. As he squeezes honey into his Grande’ Tea from Border’s café he’s ready to engage in conversation.

 

Boom-bap-bi di-bi, the melodies aren’t fully there, the vocals aren’t yet in sync mentally, but it’s the Boom-tsk that he hears. The sounds that keep ya head bobbin’ and fist pumpin. It’s… the vibe of Hip Hop.

 

Chicago vocalist, Yaw, is “a b-boy trapped inside a soul singer.” His eyes smile and dance with emotion while he speaks smooth and calm as he shares the relationship between him and Hip Hop culture. “My first love was Hip Hop. I think the very first time that I really felt responsible for what I could listen to [it] was Hip Hop. The first thing I bought was Slick Rick’s album, Adventures in Storytelling.”

 

Every choice made became that of Hip Hop, however, the end result was strong vocals rearing towards a soulful sound.

 

“Singing, to me was like a part of my body. I didn’t really have a choice but to sing cause that was the body I was trapped in.”

 

When he was about 2 or 3, his dad would tape record him talking and on every tape he would be singing. “Some of it was my dad asking me to sing, but sometimes he would leave the room and I would just sing, what ever I was singing when I was 2 and 3 years old,” he gives off slight laughter cautious not to stray from his laid-back character.

 

At eight years old, he became part of the Chicago’s Children Choir and while attending high school in Hyde Park, Yaw joined the Kenwood Concert Choir, “ I think that was a little bit of a turning point for me ‘cause [they] said to me ‘music is apart of your life.’ “

 

As part of the Choir he was able to tour and learn how to understand the music [they] were performing and dwell in the achievements taking place during that time. He gives thanks to his Choir instructor because his integrity and dedication to the Choir gave inspiration.

 

The introduction to performing solo came first with the Kenwood Choir but progressed while studying at Dartmouth College and singing with the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble. Once he got word of headlining his own show, the once timid and shy artist bud out his shell and replaced it with that of solid confidence. After the show, was when it hit him that music is more than just get on stage and sing but an engagement and brief relationship between the audience and the performer. Music evokes emotions.

 

“Took me a while to get comfortable with listening to myself. When I would listen to the texture and tone of my voice, I realized that it was something not ordinary. “

 

“Interestingly enough, after the show I’m leaving, walking and giving out my “thank you’s” and this old white lady, she was in the audience, and I come up to her and she looks up to me and touches me then says, ‘thank you.’ That really touched me. I will always remember that and I can always see her face. I just looked at that as confirmation to continue to do what I do.”

 

That wouldn’t be the last of an appreciating fan. “When I was here [Chicago], I used to go to the Crocodile Lounge. They used to have these open-mic showcases and one time while I was performing, David Banner was in there. After I finished singing he came up to me [real close] and said ‘Look, the only way you shouldn’t be doing music, is if your heart stopped.’ I was like ok, yeah. That was deep.”

 

Yaw goes against the high-maintenance route with demands of bottled champagne and the whole nine yards. His approach is just as smooth and humble as his personality when it comes to networking and self-promotion. “I’m just like, hey I’m Yaw, what you got, let’s work with it.” I just created all these different bonds with people, so when all these opportunities arrive they look to me because they know I’m a cool dude and also they know I care about the integrity of the music first. So a lot of great opportunities have come my way as a result of working with everybody who wanted to work with me.”

 

His recent appearance on the newly created VH1 Soul Series, “Soul Cities” created by well-respected journalist, Nelson George, won him even more shine. The series is aimed at showing the soul of six cities through music, food, dance and other social events.

 

“Nelson put out a blog about the Soul Cities Tour, introducing the show asking what he could do when he went to each city and people were responding and either the producer I’m working with, Ron Trent, contacted the blog or somebody contacted him about the show and right after that “Ron was like, we’re gonna do Soul Cities, and I’m like oh ok.”

 

Not knowing exactly how the show set-up was or what was even going to take place, Yaw along with his producer invited people to come out. Yaw’s stage crew included about eight or nine musicians. “It was a terrible storm that day but people still came out,” he says in humble disbelief.

 

He recalls rehearsing for his sound check when the camera crew for the show walked in and “they were like ‘alright we’re going to feature you.” Yaw was the only performer featured on Soul Cities. “A few people were mad they didn’t get as much time, [but] it wasn’t my doing, I didn’t do it. I just showed up.”

 

Even with the minute drama, the undeniable fact is, “it was a great look for Chicago, for myself, and for soul music.”

 

Yaw’s satisfaction comes when he’s doing what he loves to do. Music brings him alive and the feeling of connecting to the audience when he’s performing gives him the notion to progress and continue to create. His shows are intimate and energetic. Soulful and Hip Hop. The infusion of rhyme and R&B is felt.

 

Currently, Yaw and his band have been performing in the Chi at the Darkroom, Silver Room, and other spots. His album is in the process of getting pressed up. Fans will receive 13 tracks of pure an
d genuine soul. “Right now you can get the music from my shows.”

 

His latest single entitled, “Thief,” is about, “me or him,” he laughs after revealing himself as the character in the story line, “stealing and taking hearts. The message is, so you got this heart and it’s not yours to take first of all, and now what you gon’ do with it?” “Thief” was the first song composed by Yaw and will appear on his upcoming album. So stay on the look out!

 

 

To keep up with “Chicago’s Soul Child,” you can log into www.myspace.com/yawsmusic.