Nana, an 18 year old rapper from Los Angeles, began making music when he entered the 8th grade. Though he didn't feel any connection to what he was assigned to play in a guitar class, Nana found that creating Hip Hop came of ease. His various EPs released on the web, which teeter along the boundaries of playfully weird to dementedly honest, soon started gaining a viral and local buzz. Since then Nana has been taking his work more seriously, with music videos, working with local producers and so on. Nana continues to be a rising hip-hop artist with promising talent for the near future and one to watch.
Who is Nana the rapper versus Nana the person?
Nana the rapper is a teenager who has been making music for the last four years. Nana the person is a student, worker and heavy thinker.
Upon internet search, I learned Nana Yeboah seems to be a common African name. Can you talk about your background and why you choose to keep your name?
My family is from Ghana, located in West Africa. I chose to keep my name Nana because thats my original name. I didn’t want to lose originality so I kept my real name.
Nana's latest "Zebra" music video out now.
Tell us the process you have with making a track - selecting instrumentals and working with producers? Who are the producers you worked with?
I select a beat I know I can make a classic song out of. I have a good ear for beats so if I hear a nice beat then I’ll use it in a song. I find a lot of producers online. Some producers I worked with are Melrose Zee, BkBrown and Se
Nana "Everything Good" Music video
What do you think makes you different in this age of the changing hip hop landscape? From oddballs like ILoveMakonnen and Young Thug to Schoolboy Q? What makes you stand out?
I think I’m a unique person. I like to discover new things. I like new experiences. Besides that, I plan to carve out my own lane in music and show people the potential within them. I believe if you put in enough work and believe in yourself then you’ll be successful.
What do you think about comparisons between yourself and Chance the Rapper?
Chance’s music is real cool. We come from different struggles but I can definitely see some similarities in our artistry.
You have a good amount of songs out on your SoundCloud. What are the first must-listen tracks you recommend for people who haven't heard of you yet?
I like the songs Rain, Cool Shit, Zebra and 1OH8.
What's the best compliment you received about your music?
When I was in the 9th grade my high school football team liked my music. Stuff like that is what gives me the motivation - I need to continue making music.
What're you currently listening to? Who are your most influential artists?
I like a lot of music. Right now I listen to artists from Xavier Wulf to Doughboyz Cashout.
What do you think about the saying "Hip Hop is dead?"
I don’t think Hip-Hop is dead. It might not be what it used to be but Hip-Hop is continues to be an impactful musical genre.
Find Nana here: