Nobody has ever considered the state of Minnesota to be a haven for talented rappers. However, it’s been a long time since hip hop was confined to the coasts. One rapper who has found his way to stardom from the mean streets of Rochester, Minnesota, is Yung Gravy. Known to his friends and family as Matthew Hauri, Yung Gravy burst onto the scene in 2017 and has carved out a strong following of fans who understand what a joy it is to see him perform live. On the outside, he doesn’t look the part of a prominent master. But when you get him in front of a microphone, it doesn’t take long to realize that Yung Gravy has serious rapping skills.

Up in the Clouds

In true Millennial fashion, Yung Gravy got his start on SoundCloud. In the beginning, he was just a college student with a part-time job who liked to rap for fun. When he had time he would record songs, although he slowly started to get more serious about music. Eventually, his songs “Mr. Clean” and “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot” became hits on SoundCloud and helped him gain a following. It was enough for him to quit his job, put his marketing degree on the shelf, and focus entirely on his music career. Today, both of those songs have been certified platinum, and Yung Gravy is a bonafide star in the rap community.

Not Stopping There

Of course, with “Mr. Clean” and “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot,” Yung Gravy was just getting started. He’s managed to blend hip hop with qualities of soul and funk from several generations to create a fresh sound that few had heard before he came along. He’s described his influences as being both OutKast and Smokey Robinson, as well as everyone in between. His samples come from songs that date back to the 1950s. Three albums and more than a dozen singles later, Yung Gravy keeps finding a way to make it work, creating a catalog of songs that fit his unique style and make him a treat for audiences everywhere he goes.