Meet: Santa Barbara's YZ Choppa
UNDRGRND Magazine | by Michael Pofsky & Andrew Mason | Jan 14th, 2024
Since beginning UNDRGRND Magazine in 2019, we’ve come across our fair share of Santa Barbara rappers on the rise. The most popular is definitely SadBoy Loko, while former cover artists like Kilo Tae, DG, and Chris the Thr!llest also proudly rep Santa Barbara County.
Adding to the network of artists in SB is YZ Choppa, a 20-year-old who we just met in late 2023, but had the talent and people skills to fit right in off the bat.
“I want to make sure I maximize my outreach,” YZ says, “and stretch my creativity beyond its limits. I’m trying to get better any way I can, every single day.”
Like a chunk of our generation’s rappers, YZ was inspired to make music after the legendary 2016 XXL Magazine Cypher, featuring Lil Yachty, Lil Uzi Vert, Kodak Black, and others. He also credits A$AP Rocky, Young Thug, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar as major music influences. The Sagittarius began releasing music under the name “Yung Zay,” but switched to “YZ Choppa” when encouraged by his high school football teammates.
In May 2023, YZ dropped his 19-track debut album, WHOISYZ?, featuring Marco Javier, JNUG, DJK, and Hayes. The project is meant to “push boundaries and show new sounds and flows.”
As we enter the new year, YZ has another project ready to drop in the next couple of weeks. He emphasizes that 2024 as a whole is about building his internal team up. Aside from developing his image and branding, he specifically is looking for a mentor of sorts to help guide him in the industry.
“One thing I really want to achieve is finding a manager,” YZ says. “Someone who can focus on helping my career boost to the next level and get my music marketed efficiently.”
Follow YZ Choppa on Instagram at @theyloveyz, and watch the music video for his 2023 track, “Virtue” (dir. by Jacob Plaza), out now.