The DNB-infused bop is produced by his frequent collaborator Trizzy
Filipino rapper-producer Young Cocoa revisits his experiences of growing up in Jakarta on "J-TOWN (PM)"—his new single via pan-regional label, OFFMUTE.
According to the prolific young artist, "J-TOWN (PM)" maps a pivotal moment in his life where he embraced the joys and pains of living in a multicultural city, pursued his goals and dreams, and met people with diverse backgrounds.
"The song is about how I feel about Jakarta," Young Cocoa reflects. "It’s not so much a nostalgic visit as it is one where I express how much impact the city has had on me."
While the majority of the lyrics are delivered in English, some of the lines in Young Cocoa’s latest track are in Bahasa Indonesia. The Manila chart-topper shares, "The way I did it was inspired by other Southeast Asian artists who would mix English and their native languages into their lyrics. I chose to incorporate Bahasa because I felt it was necessary to tell my story as authentically as possible, as this is a more serious take on how I normally structure the lyrics and storytelling of my music."
"J-TOWN (PM)" is produced by Young Cocoa’s frequent collaborator Trizzy, whose work pushes the rookie act to experiment and explore his sound even further. Combining drum n’ bass elements with UK Garage and lo-fi textures, the song showcases a grittier, edgier, and more serious side of Young Cocoa, while allowing listeners to get to know him on a deeper lyrical level.
"JTOWN is the most different song I’ve ever made," says Young Cocoa. "I consider it a benchmark in my discography in terms of my sound selection, tempo, mood, and overall evolution of taste."
"J-TOWN" will be on Young Cocoa’s debut mixtape, Sari Sari, to be released in the coming months. The soon-to-be-released EP contains a collaboration with an Asian artist he met last year at a music festival, as well as some bops.
Check out Young Cocoa’s “J-TOWN (PM)” on all digital music platforms via OFFMUTE.
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About Young Cocoa
As one of the most promising hip-hop artists in the Southeast Asian region, OFFMUTE signee Young Cocoa quickly rose to fame after BTS’ resident rapper RM included his track “Manila” in one of the global superstar’s online playlists. The trailblazing bop, which finds the Filipino artist rapping over lo-fi beats and jazzy soundscapes, eventually went viral, and received endorsements and playlist inclusions from Korean artists such as RM of BTS, Jay of ENHYPEN, Yeri of Red Velvet, Eric of The Boyz, Omega X, Dawon of SF19 and Lia Kim from 1Million Dance Studio.
Currently based in Manila, the 25-year-old rapper and songwriter has established himself as genre-averse artist whose music draws a lot from his personal narratives and observations on life. With groove-oriented production and smooth urban sound, Young Cocoa’s work explores a diverse range of genres and sonic template that often reflects a state of dreaminess and escape, but whose verses embrace the confessional and authentic side of storytelling.
The eclectic Filipino artist considers Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Anderson Paak., Saba and Tyler TheCreator as some of his music influences. He works with some of the most underrated and innovative hip-hop and electronic producers in Asia, from Korean-based beatmaker Lazy Wanderlust to Indonesia’s very own Ghidd. Blending his own artistry with sonic collages set up by his collaborators, Young Cocoa provides a unique music stamp with layers of childlike nostalgia, countryside daydream, and city futurism, and touches on themes derived from his experiences as a third culture kid.
As the first hip-hop artist under pan-regional music label, OFFMUTE, Young Cocoa is determined to push the Southeast Asian sound to the next level, while retaining his personhood in the creative process. He is currently working on new songs off his debut EP to be released soon.
Source: Nyou