Yung Raja
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Yung Raja
| image = Yung Raja SXSW Sydney 2024.jpg
| caption = Yung Raja at SXSW Sydney, October 2024.
| birth_name = Rajid Ahamed Yousuf Arafat
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|12|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Singapore
| education = Ngee Ann Polytechnic
| nationality = Singaporean
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Rapper
- songwriter
}}
| years_active = 2018–present
| awards =
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| origin = Singapore
| genre = Hip hop
| instrument = Vocals
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| website =
}}
}}
Rajid Ahamed Yousuf Arafat{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/924955488 |title=BOMBAE |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=September 13, 2024}} (born 14 December 1995{{Cite web|date=14 December 2020|title=thank u for ur birthday wishes my kanmanis / chellakutties ❤️|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CIxoeH7BOSt/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CIxoeH7BOSt |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration|url-status=live|access-date=13 December 2021|website=Instagram}}{{cbignore}}), known by his stage name Yung Raja, is a Singaporean-Tamil rapper and songwriter.{{cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/worth-watching-in-2021-local-hip-hop-artist-yung-raja-takes-crack-at-american-market|title=Worth Watching in 2021: Local hip-hop artist Yung Raja takes crack at American market|first=Anjali|last=Raguraman|date=2 January 2021|newspaper=The Straits Times}} {{closed access}} He is known for his use of Tanglish, a mix of Tamil and English, in his raps.{{Cite web|url=https://www.femalemag.com.sg/gallery/culture/yung-raja-rap-tamil-english-singapore-music-america-universal/|title = Yung Raja is Bringing His Brand of "Tanglish" Rap to America}}
Early life
Rajid Ahamed was born in 1995, in Singapore, to Tamil-Muslim parents from Thanjavur Tamil Nadu. Ahamed has three elder sisters, which led to him being given the nickname "chinna thambi" (Tamil meaning: younger brother), and subsequently inspiring the first half of his stage name. The second half of his stage name, Raja, pays tribute to the Indian composer, Ilaiyaraaja.{{Cite news|last=Kannadasan|first=Akila|date=21 February 2019|title=Meet Yung Raja, one of Singapore’s promising rappers|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/rapper-yung-raja-interview/article26328793.ece|access-date=13 December 2021|issn=0971-751X}}
Rajid Ahamed attended Ngee Ann Polytechnic and graduated with a diploma in mass communications.
Career
Before becoming a singer-songwriter, Ahamed was a child actor acting in local dramas and having cameos in films including Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen and Joker Game.
Released in early 2018, Yung Raja's debut single was a remix of "Gucci Gang" by Lil Pump, titled "Poori Gang".{{cite news|url=https://tnp.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/singaporean-rapper-yung-raja-infuses-indian-culture-hip-hop-tunes|title=Singaporean rapper Yung Raja infuses Indian culture into hip hop|date=6 May 2019|first=P. Bala|last=Subaramaniam|newspaper=The New Paper}} Yung Raja came to prominence after being featured in an episode of the Malaysia hip hop web-series, 16 Baris, in 2018.{{Cite web|date=9 March 2018|title=Fariz Jabba and Yung Raja drop fire freestyles on 16 Baris – watch|url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/fariz-jabba-and-yung-raja-drop-fire-freestyles-on-16-baris-watch|access-date=13 December 2021|website=Fariz Jabba and Yung Raja drop fire freestyles on 16 Baris – watch {{!}} Bandwagon {{!}} Music media championing and spotlighting music in Asia.|language=en}} The same year, he rose to prominence with the single "Mustafa", which was followed by "Mad Blessings". A sequel to "Mad Blessings", titled "The Dance Song", was released in October 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/features/yung-raja-singaporean-hip-hop-star-tamil-and-english-raps-dance-song-interview-2020-2770593|title=Yung Raja: Singaporean hip-hop star sparks joy with dizzying Tamil and English raps|newspaper=NME|date=5 October 2020|first=Karen|last=Gwee}}
In 2019, Ahamed hosted the Asian reboot of YO! MTV Raps alongside Kim Lee.{{Cite news|last=Hadi|first=Eddino Abdul|date=10 April 2019|title=YO! MTV Raps celebrates the diversity of hip-hop in Asia|language=en|work=The Straits Times|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/yo-mtv-raps-celebrates-the-diversity-of-hip-hop-in-asia|access-date=13 December 2021|issn=0585-3923}} Yung Raja was one of six inaugural signees of Def Jam Southeast Asia (alongside Joe Flizzow, Daboyway, Fariz Jabba and A.Nayaka) in September 2019.{{Cite web|last=Aswad|first=Jem|date=17 September 2019|title=Def Jam, Astralwerks Launch Label Divisions in South East Asia|url=https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/def-jam-astralwerks-universal-south-east-asia-1203339190/|access-date=13 December 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}} After becoming the first Asian artist signed to Alamo Records,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55145607|title=The rap stars breaking out of South East Asia|first=Nyshka|last=Chandran|newspaper=BBC|date=4 December 2020}} he released the single "Mami" in March 2021.{{cite news|date=29 March 2021|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/listen-to-yung-rajas-dancey-new-single-mami-2908307|title=Watch Yung Raja's video for dancey new single 'Mami'|first=A. Azim|last=Idris|newspaper=NME}} Yung Raja gained international attention after "Mami" was featured in a The Tonight Show segment when Jimmy Fallon roasted the song's repetitive hook.{{Cite web|date=13 July 2021|title=Jimmy Fallon roasts Yung Raja’s single ‘Mami’ on ‘The Tonight Show’|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/jimmy-fallon-roasts-yung-rajas-single-mami-on-the-tonight-show-2992000|access-date=13 December 2021|website=NME|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=14 July 2021|title=Jimmy Fallon praises Yung Raja’s song ‘Mami’: "We loved that jam!"|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/jimmy-fallon-praises-yung-rajas-song-tonight-show-roast-the-roots-2993003|access-date=13 December 2021|website=NME|language=en}}
Influences
Yung Raja was influenced by musicians including A.R. Rahman,{{cite news|url=https://browngirlmagazine.com/2021/04/singaporean-artist-yung-raja-takes-his-music-global-with-bilingual-hip-hop/|title=ingaporean Artist Yung Raja Takes his Music Global With Bilingual Hip-Hop|first=Jashima|last=Wadehra|date=2 April 2021|newspaper=Brown Girl Magazine}} FlightSch, Alyph, Sid Sriram, and Drake.{{cite news|url=https://www.timeout.com/singapore/music/meet-yung-raja-the-singaporean-rapper-breaks-into-the-global-market-with-new-song-mami|title=Meet Yung Raja: the Singaporean rapper breaks into the global market with new song Mami|date=2 April 2021|first=Cam|last=Khalid|newspaper=Time Out}}
Discography
= Extended plays =
- One 65 (2021)
- Mike (2021)
=Singles=
== As lead artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row" | "Poori Gang"
| rowspan="2" | 2018 | rowspan="5" {{n/a|Non-album singles}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Mustafa" |
| scope="row" | "Mad Blessings"
| 2019 |
| scope="row" | "Amazing" (with ALYPH and Trifect)
| rowspan="3" | 2020 |
| scope="row" | "The Dance Song" |
| scope="row" | "Muneru Valiba"
| One 65 |
| scope="row" | "Mami"
| rowspan="4" | 2021 | rowspan="2" {{n/a|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row" | "Spice Boy" |
| scope="row" | "Mike"
| Mike |
| scope="row" | "And Then" (with Fariz Jabba)
| {{n/a|Non-album single}} |
== As featured artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row" | "PrettyGirlBop" (SYA featuring Yuna Raja) | 2020 | {{n/a|Non-album single}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | "No Shade" (Kayan featuring Yuna Raja) | 2022 | {{n/a|Non-album single}} |
== Guest appearances ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Other artist(s) ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"| "Qualified"
| 2021 | Snoop Dogg, Larry June, October London | Snoop Dogg Presents Algorithm (Global Edition) |
|---|