Today we’d like to introduce you to Spike Yee.
Hi Spike, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts when I was a child, growing up playing music, singing in choir, and doing martial arts. I was always in the spotlight, whether or not I wanted to be. I was always performing in church, doing recitals, or being made to showcase my talents to others in various places/events. Little did I know that I was meant to be a performer, as I always viewed it as an obligation when I was younger. I didn’t get to fully appreciate the skillsets I had picked up until I got to college and started gravitating towards the subjects that would help me fully pursue my passion in music, arts & entertainment.
My stage name used to be “J Mei” per my actual name, Josh Mei. I started writing raps in high school and started recording my own songs in college. I used to participate in freestyle rap battles, and I joined a rap group my senior year, which really gave me the confidence to strike out on my own as a solo artist upon graduation. As I matured over the years, I wanted to have a separation between my artistry and my personal life, and that’s how the name “Spike Yee” came about, it actually came from my love of movies and television. I’m a huge Spike Lee fan, so I thought it would be a nice homage to the legendary director for my name to be what it was. My tagline has always been “Spike Yee: I make lyrical movies.”
I graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ohio University in Athens, with specializations in Linguistics and Fine Arts. When I picked my specializations, it was a shot in the dark, because I did not know what I truly wanted to study at the time. I just chose Broadcast Journalism because I was surprisingly accepted into the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at OU (which, at the time, was the 2nd ranked Journalism program in the nation), so how could I turn that down? During my years in the program, I learned how to write news stories, shoot and edit my own videos and deliver my media packages live on air. Learning all these skills led up to me realizing that working in TV news was not the path for me. However, making music and writing my own songs lines up pretty parallel to my former career choice. As an independent artist, I’m essentially doing the same things as I would have been doing as a news reporter- but instead of working under a news producer telling me what to write about, I work for myself and get to tell my own stories as I feel fit. I’m a street reporter, reflecting on the stories in my life and the stories I see around me in my environment. That’s what most rappers/lyricists are, in my opinion. We tell stories for our people and have the ability to speak for those without voices. That is what I find most empowering about being an artist, and that’s why I will keep doing it until I no longer can. I love the music, and I love the process. It’s what drives me as a human being and keeps me going from day to day.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The path of any independent artist or creator is never easy. It’s been a long road, and I know there’s still plenty of pitstops along the way. Some specific struggles are definitely financial and emotional. Financial because you don’t know where your next check is coming from. Paying bills is frightening because if I don’t get enough gigs to cover my monthly expenses, then I’m screwed. The emotional struggle comes in for any artist that is fresh into their career, and honestly, that feeling never stops, in my opinion. We as creatives are fueled by emotion, as that’s where art comes from. It’s a constant teeter-totter with emotional stability. On one hand, we can create some of the greatest art through struggle (external or self-induced), but on the other- it’s not exactly healthy, is it? The crushing anxiety of the unknown, thoughts of “why aren’t people listening to my music?” and so forth. It’s a daily battle that artists are dealing with. Some you win, some you lose, but regardless you keep on going because you love it.
They say to enjoy the journey rather than focus on the destination, so that’s what I am trying to do right now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in Hip Hop and R&B, performance, and songwriting. In my scene that’s what I’m known for: my songwriting/lyricism and live performances (as the stage is where I thrive). I think what sets me apart from others is just my story and the way I grew up, I’m a first-generation Chinese American who grew up in the middle of Appalachia and makes Hip Hop music. I was raised with a Christian background in a traditional Chinese household. My parents were strict, but never as strict as the other Asian parents in town. They allowed me to pursue many of my passions growing up and in turn, changed my perspective on my life’s options. There is nobody like me. Some have called me a “diamond in the rough” because of who I am in relation to my geographic location. I currently live in Morgantown, WV, and as much as I love this place I feel like my talent and skills are not appreciated to their fullest extent.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you have the time, please check out my music on your preferred streaming service (under “Spike Yee), and my videos on YouTube. I have the same tag for every social media URL (@spikeyeezy).
I make music because it helps me feel better about life and my reality. It’s therapy where I get to talk about my greatest fears, achievements, and vulnerabilities. I just hope that in me sharing my stories, it can help others to build the confidence they need to share theirs too. Everyone has a voice (not just in a literal sense) and sometimes all we need is a little push to make it heard.
Pricing:
- $100/hr – live music performance
- $50/hr – event host/MC
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lnkfi.re/bookinmymind
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/spikeyeezy
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/spikeyeezy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-mei-58988143/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/spikeyeezy
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/spikeyeezy
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/spikeyeezy
- Other: https://dot.cards/spikeyeezy
Image Credits
Grayson Hall
Jesse Schiffbauer
Victor D
Tanner Henson
