YNOT aka Anthony Avery (Interview)
Written interview condensed for internet and print.
Images by Steven “5amtoday” Jermaine
In June, I interviewed Anthony Avery aka YNOT, as he says he is an artist, son, and an honest person. And honestly, that was the vibe I got from him the first time I met him. As a man who recently changed from one life goal to his real one, we have a lot to learn about how Freedom relates to his life and his story. This interview was done before his debut EP “The Prelude “ dropped on December 10th. Listen to it here: www.soundcloud.com/whoisynot.
Ines - Hand Model/Assistant
Steven Jones: What's today's date?
The Room: June 15th 2018
Steven Jones: State your full name?
Tone: Anthony Avery, Oh God... I hate saying my full name.
Ines: Why do you hate saying your full name?
Tone: I don't know. Ever since I was young I've always gone by Tone or Tony. Hearing Anthony's like I'm in trouble or something's wrong, we need to talk.
Steven Jones: So was I the first person to say "Set the Tone?"
YNOT: Yes, you were.
Steven: Yoooooooooo you got to keep that.
YNOT: Oh for sure. That's going into my back pocket.
Ines: Who are you?
YNOT: Wow that's a deep question. I'm a producer. I'm a music lover. I'm a son, nephew, brother, a lot of different things. Um, how much further in depth. Do you want me to go?
Steven: If I was someone who didn't know you, what would you want them to know about you?
YNOT: Well, that I'm a music fanatic, extremely passionate about it, um I love family and friends. Very loyal guy. Um compassionate definitely.
Ines: Question 2, What word best describes you?
YNOT: Best describes me, I would say...honest.
Ines: What does freedom mean to you?
YNOT: The ability to make your own decisions and choices no matter what external forces, you know, say or do.
Steven: Who are your favorite producers?
YNOT: Can I give a top 5? I'd be sitting here all day if I did that.
Steven: Top 6
YNOT: Six? That's an odd number... actual even but ok... Jermaine Dupri
Steven: That's number 1? Rank them, there you go.
YNOT: In order..... shit. Alright you got to give me Dre at one.
YNOT: Jermaine Dupri Definitely number two number three would be Puff, Number four definitely Stevie J
Steven: So now I got to clarify this question, not only do you have to rank your top producers, you have to give me the song with them.
YNOT: Dre, definitely number one. The Dre joint I would go with, I'd go with "Nothing but a G thing" really, that sounds super cliche but I'll go with G thing. Who was second Jermaine Dupre? We could really say, "You got it bad", let's go with that. That beat is hard and very slept on.
Steven: OOOOOOOOooooooo
YNOT: Number 3 I'll go with Timberland in place of Puff. He's got so many songs. "Tom Ford" with Hov. You give me "Can't stand the rain" "Put you on the Game" by game, that's one of the hardest beats ever made ever. WHo was number four again, oh yea Puff. I'd say "Can't you see" by Total or Benjamins. That's four, five would be Pharell. Damn it man there's a lot of places you can go with Pharell. "Grinding" that's a classic. You got a song called "Amazing" with T.I. What is that six or that that's five, six would be Stevie J. Stevie J. You get any "More Money More Problems" "Niggas Bleed" B.I.G life after death album. He did he did a majority of that out.
Steven: So I'mma add questions not on this list. But um for the younger generation a lot of people you just named aren't people that this generation would recognize. So what would you say to them, what advice would you give to the younger generation of producers coming up.
YNOT: Oh, um to study them to really immerse yourself in their work because no shade to the way the culture is at this point, but everything sounds the same if it's not. You know an old G quote unquote or somebody who's grown up listening to those same people that I mentioned or whatever
Steven: like you're um, Kanyes....
YNOT: I'm trying to think of new dudes like Joey Badass like Rubin Vincent like sometimes Vince Staples but those guys are from the elk of those same, you know, the older generation. Um, yeah, my advice would be to study them and to just be yourself. Because everything is more natural and people believe you when you're yourself versus being the next x y z even for me. I don't want to be the next Dre. I don't want to be the next. JD I want to be me and of course I want to you know, do what they did and just do it way better but being them is not gonna help, you know what I mean?
Steven: Describe your transition from corporate to what you’re doing today.
YNOT: I was working. I can't say the name. I was working for an athletic retailer came. I was working with them for six years. And that was my dream. That was my dream job. That was what I really wanted to do. Um, I would say when I got three years I did in the store in three years. I did uh in the corporate setting so when I got to the corporate setting about two years in. Things weren't going as I thought they would because I had a whole idea of playing out like me getting year two; I'm gonna run company which wasn't really realistic but kid fresh out of college for sure.
YNOT: So, um these things started happening where I wasn't getting moved as quickly as I thought I was some things weren't as clear to me as you know with learning and making this transition. It wasn't as clear. Um, so think about that happening like I had um, There was an award ceremony and this man was getting an award for like 60 plus years of service and something happened in my something clicked and I was like, I can't be it.
YNOT: But even if they paid me a million dollars whenever you know, I don't think I could make somebody else's dream come true, you know what I mean versus my own so that happened and then he starts started for him and I started becoming I guess. I got angry and aggressive about just my situation. I couldn't pinpoint what exactly what the problem was.
Listen to the rest of the interview here:
Thank you YNOT for participating and your new EP is amazing! Go check him out please. He is truly living free.
