• Donna Collins
The expression “dynamite comes in small packages” is an apt description of rising rap artist, ‘Nads Young’, who is gathering a growing following of fans on SoundCloud with her punchy lyrics and true to life messages.
The petite 25-year-old Namibian born rap artist, real name Nadia Meyer, considers herself a fairly “reserved person” but when it comes to her rap music, she’s in your face, up your grill and doesn’t hold back. She runs a tattoo studio in Swakopmund by day. With her music playing in the background, Nads who prefers to go by her stage name, confidently moves to the beat of her tunes and rapps through some of her songs with enough swag, leaving no doubt that she is deeply connected to her creative side. She calls herself a “DIY music pioneer”, having taught herself everything she knows today, from writing through to recording and producing all her own material. Inspired by many such as Locksmith, rap producer Scott Storch and even Eminem whom she relates to on many levels, Nads is in there with the momentum of what makes rap music unique in its own right. And that is exactly what Nads is – unique.
One would never guess that she is battling a combination of four incurable genetic illnesses that has seen her in and out of hospital over the years. And as a result her way of coping the solitude of home schooling, she manifested her thoughts through writing, which later turned into ‘fly’ rap lyrics. The rest is history. “I write about my life, because that’s all I can do and reflect what I know and feel. I don’t spread anger and negativity and want to inspire people through my music,” says Nads, adding that the feedback through social media is positive, and that she is establishing a large organic fan base. “I built up my recording studio at home from scratch, which has enabled me to be self empowered and do everything, myself, from writing, playing the keyboard, recording, mixing and producing my own material for release,” she continues.
Nads also design the artwork for the cover of each new song that is put out, so every song has its own identity. She has released at least 70 songs on Sound Cloud with her latest material, Starry Eyes, and Get Your Mind Right, notching up social media hits. Her next step is to produce a video which she is working on – and will also be a solo project. Nads has already been noticed by Yvonne Chaka Chaka, whom she had the privilege of recording with at the coast, and has worked with a rap producer in London.
Her beliefs on human rights, gay rights and the right to belong in this society no matter who you are, runs like a thread through her music, as she tackles issues that everyone wants to talk about. Nads ultimate aim is to take her music internationally, and perform shows where people sit down and listen to her word for word – where her message is heard and her lyrics inspire. “Because of my health condition, I am not physically strong enough to keep up with the exertion of back to back live performances, so my dream would be to perform selected sell out concerts where I give it my all in one go.”
Meanwhile, she keeps on producing and putting her rap music out there for the world to hear believing one day she will land up where she wants to be, and can’t wait for that day to make Namibia proud.You can find Nads Young on all social media platforms, Sound Cloud, U-tube and instagram @ forevernadsyoung