Yung Gravy is coming to Cincinnati on his “Grits & Gravy Tour,” and his fans, otherwise known as the “Gravy Train,” are eagerly anticipating his arrival. Standing at 6 feet, 8 inches and often sporting a colorful, retro-inspired outfit with shades to match, the Minnesota-born rapper has made a name for himself through his breakout hits and eclectic charm.
Originally a SoundCloud rapper, the artist’s “big break” came in 2017 with the growing popularity of his famous songs, “Mr. Clean” and “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot.” Both feature samples of The Chordettes's "Mr. Sandman" and Dennis Edwards and Siedah Garrett's “Don't Look Any Further," respectively. Known for his frequent use of samples from popular tracks from the ’50s-’80s, Yung Gravy interpolates the samples to fit his playful blend of hip-hop, funk and vintage sounds. Pulled together by his smooth and deep-toned voice flowing over the beat, Yung Gravy’s Casanova persona melds with his outlandish lyrics in a fun-loving way.
Gravy has six studio albums under his belt, along with eight EPs, 31 singles and one mixtape released in December 2016 titled “Thanksgiving’s Eve.” His most recent release in early August, Serving Country, switched things up from his previous albums in a big way. The setlist for the “Grits & Gravy Tour” features tracks from the album like “My Garage,” featuring Zac Brown, and “Lone Ranger.” Alongside the newer releases are the oldies but goldies like “Cheryl,” “oops!,” and “Betty (Get Money),” which hit No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 list in July 2022. An easygoing and charming demeanor, paired with somewhat ludicrous but downright catchy lyrics and beats surely makes for a lively performance by Yung Gravy.
Yung Gravy plays Bogart’s at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11. More info: bogarts.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat's Oct. 2 print edition.
