Young M.A

Young M.A emerged as a hardcore rapper raised in Brooklyn, one of New York City’s five boroughs. A lyric from her reflective cut “Though the Day” captures her stance—“It’s a cold world, so f*ck it, I’m a cold girl”—while also addressing the killing of her brother. Breakthrough arrived via the 2016 release “OOOUUU,” followed by the 2019 full-length Herstory in the Making and the 2021 project Off the Yak.

Affiliated with RedLyfe (also known as RedLyfe Pain Gang), she attracted notice in 2014 when the crew dropped “Brooklyn (Chiraq Freestyle).” During an April performance by Mobb Deep marking the 20th anniversary of The Infamous, Buckshot presented her to the New York audience as “one of the dopest MCs right now.” Later that year Duck Down handled her marketing and distribution; she issued the single “Body Bag” alongside the six-track EP SleepWalkin while readying her first proper album. Ahead of that debut, the gritty lead track “OOOUUU” entered the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2016. It became one of the year’s major rap successes, prompting numerous unofficial remixes that featured A$AP Ferg, French Montana, Nicki Minaj, and the Game, plus an official version with 50 Cent.

Declining major-label deals, she kept releasing music independently, resulting in the 2017 EP Herstory. The set included “OOOUUU” and a Monica appearance, landing on the Billboard 200. Throughout 2018 she issued non-album singles such as “PettyWap,” “Car Confessions,” and “Bleed.” Early 2019 brought “Stubborn Ass” and “BIG,” followed by her official debut album Herstory in the Making, which reached the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 and contained guest spots from Relle Bey and Max YB. The Red Flu EP arrived in 2020; the next year saw the single “Off the Yak” and its namesake album in May. Additional tracks included the Fivio Foreign collaboration “Hello Baby” and a guest turn on Chris Webby’s “Whippin.” Solo release “Tip the Surgeon” surfaced in 2022.