Submission Pick: Y.O. "Paradise" (New York) /// UndergroundHipHopBlog.com
Growing up, Jackson’s Dad (Dan Wallace) owned a well established music store in Seattle called, “Seattle Music”. Dan was a musician and some of Jackson’s very first memories were in his Dad’s music store getting all kind of attention from the employees. When he moved to New York at the age of 8 his Dad made tapes for his sisters and when they missed hearing his voice, they would pop in a cassette of Dan singing some of their favorite songs. It’s only natural that Jackson grew up to love music as much as his father, but his passion was for a much different style of music. He really began to identify with the feelings that were generally expressed in rap music and he started to write his own lyrics around the age of 15 years old.
BACK STORY
Jackson Wallace (Y.O.) was known as Jackpott while growing up with his buddies in a group called the Crazy 8′s. The four friends were very close and that’s where the music started. Y.O. found himself in a bit of trouble at the age of 18 and decided it would be wise to remove himself from all temptation and negative surroundings and move into a tiny town in Idaho to get his life straightened out. Before he moved he got the name, “Youthful Offender” from the state of New York and this was his motivation as an artist to make a difference for himself and others going through some rough spots in life. His music made a complete and total change and the content in his music was overwhelmingly powerful with a positive message. He performed for the very first time at the age of 18 and released his very first professional cd titled “My Struggle: Chapter One; Pray for Me”. Y.O. is genuine and sincere when he writes his music and does his best to find meaning in every song he makes, separating himself from the norm in the commercial music industry. “There’s just too much negative in the world today to glorify it through music. Nobody likes living a negative lifestyle so why are people trying to be something they’re not when they are influencing others to do the same? It doesn’t make sense” says Y.O. in a recent interview with Dan Schoonmaker. Jackson wants to make a change and knows that music is a universal language that can make you feel a different way just by hearing what the artist is saying in the song. He swears that he uses this gift as a tool and as a journal to not only help others but to help himself by expressing himself in an honest and vulnerable way giving you the real version of him, no gimmicks.
PERFORMANCES:
2006- Y.O. performed in front to a crowd over 2,000 at the Grand Tetons on July 4th in Jackson Hole Wyoming
2008- Y.O. has opened up for Cuban Link and placed third out of 150 artists in an “Industry Showcase” in NYC and was invited back for an encore performance.
2011- Y.O. was a guest host/MC and performed live at Montgomery Day, a community event that draws more than 10,000 people in Orange County, NY.
2012- Y.O. opened up for Fred the Godson and Jadakiss at The Downtown Hookah Lounge in Middletown, New York.
Other performances include:
Hookah Lounge (Middletown, NY)
The Grand Tetons (Jackson Hole, Wyoming)
Arlene’s Grocery (NYC)
Club T-NY (NYC)
City Beach (Sandpoint, Idaho)
Bellingham Washington Café (Bellingham, Washington)
Snugs Bar (New Paltz, NY)
Dutchess Community College (Poughkeepsie, NY)
SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz, NY)
Front Street (Jackson Hole, Wyoming)
Cabaloosa (New Paltz, NY)
Pub 151 (Newburgh, NY)
http://www.Twitter.com/theofficialyo www.OfficialYo.com
http://www.youtube.com/theofficialyo
http://www.Twitter.com/ChooseStellar www.stellarsoundandmedia.com
http://www.youtube.com/whyowecorporations
Alex Sherman Director and UrbabizedPhims ((www.UrbanizedPhilms.com) as editor
