Encompassing themes of self-empowerment, overcoming and reflection, Ghanaian-Australian hip hop artist and producer Yawdoesitall delivers his long awaited debut EP, Life I Chose.
A series of observations and thoughts collated and delivered on a record that thrives with a variety of sounds, the Life I Chose EP perfectly represents a creative who has been at the fore of some remarkable and original hip hop compositions in recent years.
Since 2020, Yawdoesitall has been refining and finessing his sound out of studio spaces in Sydney, against a backdrop of social upheaval and unpredictability, as many artists were forced to do.
And during this time, he was able to pose different questions to himself – questions that he found ways to navigate ways toward answering, through the music. Life I Chose reflects these processes, while ultimately dishing up Yawdoesitall’s personality with precision: an engaging and charismatic performer who wears boldness with pride.
Featuring recent releases ‘HOLD ON’ and ‘G.Y.M.’, Life I Chose is a seven-track EP that revels in different energies. The harder edge of a song like ‘G.Y.M.’ beautifully contrasts the vibrancy of a song like ‘EHLUMENTS’. For fans of early Kanye West and contemporary-day Kendrick Lamar, there will be moments on Life I Chose that will grab immediately.
And then for fans of biting lyricism in the vein of Headie One or Dave, Yawdoesitall’s flex on songs like ‘LIGHTS’ and ‘ONLY ONE HERE’ stand out as more than impressive.
Clashing guitars meet gospel vocals; soulful R&B licks thread with cocky rap production – reflective of the exciting way hip hip and its adjacent lanes are currently moving, Life I Chose establishes Yawdoesitall as a striking artist to keep an eye on.
“Life I Chose documents my journey into Yawdoesitall. It’s a decision, it describes my step into creativity. In my family, I stepped out of the usual “Be a doctor, be a lawyer” and what was expected of me, instead, taking a risk.
To instead pursue the arts, taking photos and making music. From the start of the EP, it goes from me feeling like I’m the only one here who wants more for myself, and feeling like I’m the only one who sees that there is more to achieve.”
“The process felt long. It feels like a timestamp on the progress of Yawdoesitall. There is one of the first songs I ever wrote on the EP and there are songs that I only wrote a few months ago!”
YAWDOESITALL
Since breaking out with music back in 2018, Yawdoesitall has proven himself as a consistent talent as a songwriter and producer.
Delivering solid release after solid release leading u to 2020 – which saw collaborations with Maina Doe and Tawanda on ‘ARMADILLO’ and ‘TEST DRIVE’ respectively earn him more widespread attention – the momentum surrounding Yaw’s material grew in strength. To date he has accrued over 300,000 streams to date, continued support across Australian radio including triple j, FBi Radio, 4ZZZ, 3RRR and Radio Adelaide; Spotify and Apple Music via various editorial playlist placements; and industry praise as one of BIGSOUND’s Top 50 (2020).
This year, Yawdoesitall supported Baker Boy on a multi-date regional tour of Victoria, giving him an opportunity to tease some of the unreleased Life I Chose material live for the first time.