Ya Cousin Ish is a rapper and music producer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. With a spirit that feels like hanging out with a favorite cousin,
your adventures together are soundtracked for the candid thoughts and deep conversations about life you share from the living room to the cookout. This is all scored by a production style Ish calls, the “Brooklyn Gumbo” sound.
the brooklyn gumbo sound
With the motive to take care of himself and his people through music, Ish works on sparking the best energy in the world that he can. Whether at a show, in your headphones, or out in the streets, you’re welcomed to come kick it with your cousin. When you see him, don’t forget to shout “chuuuwe!”
What are the sound’s ingredients? Imagine
a brainchild of witty, slick-tongued, and lyrically dexterous Brooklyn rappers such as Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G, and Mos Def.
Mix that with the soulful and funk-filled textures of Southern hip hop, such as Outkast, Lil Wayne, chopped n’ screwed and New Orleans bounce styles.
Then add the eccentric sonics from the offspring of A Tribe Called Quest’s and Native Tongues Movement, like The Neptunes and Da Bassment Cru, and you get Brooklyn Gumbo.
from studio to stage
This soundscape allows Ish to reflect on the nostalgic and visceral realities of a Brooklyn then and now on tracks like “Christopher Wallace Way”, and celebrate how the deep south feeds the imagination on “Catfish Heaven”. The scope of it all is illustrated on record and on stage. Having rocked legendary New York City venues such as the Apollo Theater, The Bitter End, and Knitting Factory, to the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles, California and performances at Michigan State and Emory University, Ish embodies a golden rule in being a rapper—move the crowd.
about ya cousin
yell it out, “chuuuwe!”