2Gun Yvng

Jermaine Watkins, known by his stage name 2Gun Yvng, was born July 28 in the Queen city of Buffalo, New York. Under the influence of family, he started rapping at just 5 years old. He began to take his craft more seriously once he moved into his grandmother’s custody at 11. Being exposed to poverty, abuse, violence, and other unfortunate circumstances made Yvng begin to use music as a way of expressing his emotions. As he grew older, he became more aggressive and clever with his word play.  Yvng always says that he wanted to show his passion through his words and be heard. 

Yvng is no stranger to struggle and hard times. At 16, Yvng was arrested for armed robbery and was sentenced to four years in prison on the very same day of his 17th birthday. A month before he was set to serve his sentence, his grandmother and number one supporter passed away from colon cancer. 

After his release, Yvng was introduced to a group of artists and, unbeknownst to Yvng, these same guys would become family. This hip hop conglomerate now goes by the name of Loyalty Life, fitting since these same members have been creating music together for over 10 years. Later joining the Loyalty Life umbrella, Yvng started to get more in tune with the music scene. As the crew started to gain some success, unfortunate situations would once again follow the Buffalo rapper.  Yvng would lose his mother to suicide and then later, he would be sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for possession of narcotics. 

Now Yvng is back and revitalized, returning home stronger and more focused.  On June 25, which is the birthday of his late mother, Yvng would go on to release his debut single, No Subliminals from his upcoming project, Ronda’s Son. 

2Gun Yvng’s mission is to not only reach the ears but the souls of people through his sound. He is aiming to shed light on the struggle of street life through his words while giving music that the streets can relate to on all sides. There is a gritty side but there is also a compassionate side. His music is a reflection of the lifestyle he was exposed to and a testimony of his pain in the relief of his recent depression. Confident but humble, 2Gun Yvng intends to change lives and give back while still making tunes the hood can relate to.