Single Focus: Rising Hip-Hop Star YungVV Releases Moody, Menacing Track ‘Geekii’
‘Geekii’ is one of the best tracks from trap-rap artist YungVV’s ferociously brilliant debut mixtape, The V Tape.
For those searching for a new trap-rap artist to immerse themselves in, New Jersey artist YungVV’s debut mixtape, The V Tape, offers six ferociously brilliant tracks for new fans to pore over.
The 26-year-old artist, Julian Mahan, began developing a following back in 2019 after dropping a stream of singles on SoundCloud and other streaming platforms. Having been passionate about music from a young age, YungVV decided that same year to drop out of studying at Temple University and commit himself to his music career full-time.
Initially known as VV$ Julz, he changed his stage name to YungVV in 2021. His music since then has shown him trying to find a genuine connection with his fanbase, offering songs that are tailor-made to be blasted loud from speakers or listened to on repeat through headphones.
For those looking to fully acquaint themselves with YungVV’s music, ‘Geekii’ is a perfect introduction to him as an artist. Its heavy, energetic bassline and off-beat, weird-funk synth sounds define the track. Working together, the production feels deliberately inspired by the artful chaos of old-school video game sound design.
Against this backdrop, YungVV spits out lyrics that are soaked in his unique vernacular but with a consistent theme of being graphically sexual (“Ima put these racks on ya face/Baby u can dick up/better say ya grace” he sings in the song’s opening lines). Accompanying the track is an excellent music video, which has already racked up over 100,000 views in just two weeks.
‘Geekii’ is immaculately layered, as are most of YungVV’s other tracks on The V Tape. This mixtape embodies many elements that continue to make modern trap rap an exciting genre (despite being oversaturated with lesser artists).
Over the tape’s six songs (or 11 songs, if you want to explore further on The V Tape Deluxe Edition), YungVV takes a dynamic, unpredictable, and freewheeling approach to production, lyrics, and themes. When he’s not delivering ‘sad boi’ emo lyrics, he boasts about his wealth and how far he’s come, or he tells you straight up how he’s going to take your girl and make her his. All of this is delivered in a smooth, laidback voice and tuned to perfection – but can be confrontational at the drop of a hat.
On these songs, the low-end bass, metronomic drumbeats, and pummeling synths all work together to build deep walls of sound, creating what can only be called a claustrophobic atmosphere (YungVV even mentions feeling “boxed in” on the opening song ‘HIT (Intro)’). However, it feels like the artist uses his lyrics to break out of these walls he finds himself in. For every mentally tortured emo rap bar, there’s a line that shows YungVV’s tenacity, courage, will to succeed, and overall confidence in himself as an artist.
