It’s crazy to think YungManny is only 17-years-old, and he’s already on his way to becoming a household name.
Hailing from the DMV, the rising star recently released “Clap For ‘Em,” tapping two of rap’s most buzzing artists: Flo Milli and Sada Baby. The song accumulated over 300K streams within one day of its release and currently has over 2.4 million views on TikTok alone.
YungManny arrives with his own unique sound and style, exploding with energy and equipped with endless melodies, bars, and pride for his hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.
In fact, he shot the “The One” visual in Lagos, bringing to life his braggadocious bars while performing in the heart of the city. But don’t get it twisted, YungManny is actually classically trained in piano, incredibly smart, and has a huge passion for giving back.
At the young age of 15, Manny exploded onto the scene with viral smashes such as “Moana” and “I’m YungManny.” The next year continuing the momentum with “All My Guys Are Ballers.”
Now, it seems the sky’s the limit for the young recording artist.
AllHipHop: It’s crazy how young you are, do you feel like you’re 17?
YungManny: I mean, I know I am. But I’m the GOAT, so I know what that comes with. All the GOATs are recognized. Michael Jackson was 5 years old, so I know what I’m trying to achieve.
AllHipHop: What’re you trying to achieve?
YungManny: To be recognized as the best to ever stand behind a microphone, ever. I got Michael Jackson on my sleeve [shows tattoo] so on the pedestal, I could look down on him. ‘Cause ain’t nobody better than Michael.
AllHipHop: That’s facts, but he’s more pop no?
YungManny: Nah, I’m talking about greatest of all time! When you talking about the greatest of all time, you can’t put nobody with Michael.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite Michael Jackson song?
YungManny: I got a couple, but I can say my favorite video is the “Remember the Time” joint. I look at him for videos. Videos are how they really see the artists. I don’t be playing about my videos. The energy gotta be there because that’s how they can mess with a song or not mess with a song, literally off the video. Every video he had looked like a movie, from “Smooth Criminal” to the one with Chris Tucker to the one with the Egyptian pyramids to the ones where he was in jail. Everything was a movie, there wasn’t no bland video. I take after that because that’s what made his music as influential as it is.
AllHipHop: How much of a creative hand do you have in your visuals?
YungManny: I love to give my ideas every time. Every time I make a song, I’m thinking about everything: the concerts, the videos, all of the above. It’s important that gets across because I know what I’m trying to convey to the world and let the world to see. It’s way better when s### is aligned. I know what I’m doing.
AllHipHop: You got on at age 15, what happened then?
YungManny: I had a song that blew up, it was Moana. I released it on my mixtape, but I didn’t really focus on that. I had another song that I thought was better, so I was focusing on that.
AllHipHop: Damn, it be the ones that you don’t expect right?
YungManny: Yeah, I learned that. But I know I make good music, especially now. I got better. I’m just about putting good music into the air. I don’t really care too much about numbers. As long as I put forth my full effort into the studio and in that video, everything that comes out with that song — whether it gets a million first day or 10 views first day, I know it’s in the air. One day whether it’s today or tomorrow, they gon’ catch it.
AllHipHop: When did you learn how to play the piano?
YungManny: My father forced me to learn when I was 10 or 11. I’d be playing in the church every weekend. He wasn’t trying to pay nobody every week to play the piano, so he invested into my lessons. Although I hated it when he was forcing it on me, me becoming a musician came full circle.
AllHipHop: How was it growing up in the DMV?
YungManny: It’s a cool area. It’s where I’m from so I’ll never forget that. It shaped me into who I am. It taught me lessons. The winning and losing, all the above. For me, that’s what that place is.
AllHipHop: How’d you get your name? When did you want to go by YungManny?
YungManny: My big brother was rapping with his friends for fun and his name was YungKeeK, so I’m like YungManny!
AllHipHop: “Clap for ‘Em” out now, going crazy! How you feeling?
YungManny: S###, it’s a blessing. I’m grateful, came a long way. I got the hottest record out right now. Like I said, this is what’s supposed to happen, from the jump.
AllHipHop: How did that collab with Flo Milli and Sada Baby come about?
YungManny: Flo my dog, Sada I met through that record. My folks know his folks. I f### with his music so I told him “let’s get in touch. Let’s knock a record out.” He was with it, got that s### sent it back like this. [snaps]
AllHipHop: How did your friendship start with Flo?
YungManny: We were in the studio together, just 2 hungry m############. We clicked as soon as we met each other. She’s always been real cool, even through the stardom and the fame that’s continuing to grow for her daily. She’s never changed, never acted different. Never acted like nothing else but what she acted like on the first day, I respect her for that.
AllHipHop: How was the song made? Did you send it?
YungManny: I sent it to her, but I let her know as soon as I made it. I knew who I wanted on it before I even finished my verse. I saw it and it’s funny because that’s the part that’s going viral on TikTok. I knew what it was, my intuition ain’t a shaky intuition. I give glory to God, it ain’t me. God gave me the mind that I have and the wisdom to do what I do, but I know what I’m doing.
AllHipHop: 2.4 million videos on TikTok, that’s wild! How does it feel to see the song go up like that?
YungManny: I didn’t even know it’s at 2.4 million, I haven’t checked it. These past couple weeks have been busy, I be working daily. I gotta get better at multitasking. Once I’m doing something, I be focused on that. When I’m recording, I don’t do s### but record. Sometimes when I’m on TikTok mode, I don’t do nothing but be on Tik Tok. My ole girl would be mad, I used to hang up every 5 seconds because I had a new idea for a TikTok.
AllHipHop: That’s hilarious! I’m sure it’s fun to be yourself on the platform, right?
YungManny: Hell yeah, I’m the funniest guy in the world. I be doing me, it ain’t nothing but that. I guess TikTok’s the perfect app for me, I got a funny personality.
AllHipHop: Why are you “The One”?
YungManny: If you observe me, you’ll get the answer for yourself.
AllHipHop: How was it shooting the video in Lagos? I’m guessing you’re Nigerian.
YungManny: Yeah, I’m Nigerian. I’m from the Motherland. It was cool, my second time back home. It was definitely nice to be in the community and capture the beauty of my country. People think it’s all huts and s### like that, but it’s way more than that.
AllHipHop: Best memory from shooting back home?
YungManny: Just capturing what back home really is. It’s beautiful, and that’s rare people don’t get to see s### like that out here. I wanted my friends, the community, and everybody in America to really see what was going on.
AllHipHop: Being 17, what do you like to do for fun?
YungManny: Make music. Nothing else, that’s all. I got a goal, tunnel vision to be the greatest. But I’m already the greatest, it’s just for the world to find out.
AllHipHop: What do you need in the studio to record?
YungManny: I need nggas to be quiet. Nggas to shut up and let me do me, that’s it.
AllHipHop: You don’t like a packed studio?
YungManny: No, ‘cause ngga’s energy be off. Nggas just be coming to come, I hate that s###.
AllHipHop: What does moms think? How does family feel?
YungManny: It’s a blessing. They still over protective and what not, but it’s a great opportunity to do something. They believe in me, they know I can change the world. I express my feelings about it deeply, as much as I can. I’m not over my head with this s###, but at the end of the day they’re my parents. My safety and my well-being comes first, that’s how they feel about this s###.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next?
YungManny: Everything I drop! Because I’m coming with it every song. Whether it’s a rap song or a singing song, it’s a #1 hit regardless.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
YungManny: Everybody gotta stay tuned in. Tap in, endless records coming this year. Probably 30 more records coming soon. Features, singles, albums, all of the above. No song is dull. No song ain’t capable of being on the billboard. Let’s get ready, I told you first!