Ying Yang Twins: Southern Gentlemen

 

By Vic Everett LOS ANGELES , California -- In the 10 years since the Ying Yang Twins began to drop regional jewels on an unsuspecting public, the world of rap has been turned upside down. Gone are the rhymes about gloom and mayhem, replaced by songs crafted to make rhythmically challenged folk get on up and shake their tail feathers. Nevertheless, as the landscape of rap music has changed, so to have the sounds of the Ying Yang Twins. You may not know enough about them, but the 24-year-old Atlanta-born rappers plan to school their fans a bit.

The Ying Yang Twins are currently the most popular rap duo in the music industry.

“This ain’t the beginning for us. It’s the beginning of the worldwide mass appeal,” D-Roc said, when asked about the duo’s place in the music industry. “I don’t wanna be like a balloon star, floatin’. It’s a given we worked hard for [success] and it paid off. It’s a blessing, baby. We been doing this for years on independent labels and [major] labels. I see no difference. We just got as much a chance as these other rappers out here.” With the release of their new CD, United States of Atlanta (TVT), the Ying Yang Twins prove that past club hits like “Bankhead Bounce” and “Whistle While You Twerk” where no flukes.   Still, the duo didn’t always follow the rules when the idea of making songs came into play. In fact, you could say they threw caution to the wind. “Whistle While You Twerk,” for example, wasn’t expected to be anything more than a regional success, which was why the duo recorded and released the track after the woman who owned the publishing told them “NO” and refused to clear the tune. After “Whistle While You Twerk” became a runaway smash, the Ying Yang Twins gave the same woman, who initially refused to give them clearance to use her song, all the royalties from the hit.   Ying Yang relax at a photo shoot. Not surprisingly, the woman didn’t sue. From the Twins point of view, their objective had been reached. They wanted new fans and now had them.   CONTINUE