S2 Episode: "Dragon Heart"

This week's episode is a deep dive into the world of our featured guest DJ Yamz, with a curated selection of songs that influenced his latest album, "27 In Accra Town".

With a broad range of influences from Fela Kuti and Juls, to Nina Simone and Lauryn Hill, DJ Yamz strives to create empowering stories that inspire change through his music.

Often creating from a place of raw emotion that is both thoughtful and eclectic, his work reflects not only his exposure to so many talents and icons but also captures his own personal and creative journey. Eschewing the limitations of genres and other labels, his sound is a mirror of his state of being throughout the seasons of his life: at times reflecting a heavy jazz influence, and other times hip-hop or Afrobeat.

He discovered his love for music as a child when he found himself wearing out his Dad’s tape of Kojo Antwi’s ‘Densu’ on his walkman, and even printing out the lyrics to tracks from 50 Cent’s ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ – connecting strongly with the vivid storytelling and visceral nature of the music. In high school, he began to look beyond the performers to the people behind the scenes, looking up instrumentals and becoming fascinated with the producers who crafted the music into the finished product. In January 2018 – as an adult living in Los Angeles – he took a chance on himself and his passion for music and learned to make mixes and later taught himself how to make beats – fulfilling a lifelong dream.

DJ Yamz currently lives and works in his native Ghana where his creative journey continues. He’s also a partner of Palava Hut (PH) Crew.