capital Newspaper
YIMRA is a talented young Ethiopian rapper who is not new to the music industry. He has been doing music for more than a decade, with 2 mixtapes out that have gained traction even in the United States. His artistic vision has proven to be one of the most anticipated among the youth. He incorporates elements of old school rap and hip hop with traditional homegrown sounds. He currently resides in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Capital sat down with this future icon for an insight of his music. Excerpts;
Capital: What made you start a music career?
Yimra: My music career started when I was 10. My brother played a huge role in that. He is the one that taught me how to rap. He and our neighbor Abiy used to freestyle sometimes. I even remember their first rhyme. It went like “Man, get your own life. Don’t take mine to impress your wife.” I started taking it seriously and began performing when I was 13. I owe my brother for this deep found inspiration. I even have a song dedicated to that story called I’m Still Here which is on my second mixtape, Good Vibes, and Celebration. My music is modeled after old-school rap and hip hop. The 90s influence is quite significant in my music. YIMRA is my real name but I like to think that it’s an abbreviation for Young Incredible Man Rapping Ambition. I think it is fate. It felt like love at first sight when it comes to rap. Two days after I heard my first rap I started scribbling my raps on a notepad. I have 389 written tracks so far. All of the tracks convey different emotions. I would like my audience to feel inspired by my songs. I am not in the game for the money. My goal in it is to make people chase their dreams. What makes me happy is knowing that I can at least inspire one person that listens.