Life & Work with YMeach of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to YMeach.

Hi YMeach, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started dancing when I was around 14. My brother taught me how to do the wave and introduced me to ticking, and I just kept going from there. I started dancing at house parties, battling whenever I got the chance, and developing my own style. During my senior year of high school, I joined my first dance group, the Infamous Six. That was my first experience really performing onstage in front of people.

After high school, I became involved with Dale House, a local arts center, while also performing with a group of my own. We performed throughout Cleveland, and dancing gradually went from something I enjoyed doing to something that shaped a major part of my life.

In 2005, I auditioned for the Cleveland Cavaliers Scream Team—but I almost didn’t go. If I’m being honest, I was a mixture of cocky and scared. I felt like I had already made a name for myself in Cleveland’s dance community, and part of me didn’t want to stand in front of judges and possibly find out that I wasn’t as good as I thought I was.

Some of my friends wanted to audition, and because we already danced and performed together, I decided to go and support them. I arrived extremely late—probably halfway through the audition—but fortunately, they still allowed me to participate. Every time they started the choreography from the beginning, I would pick up another move. By the end, I had learned it as well as, or even better than, some people who had been there the entire time. I made the team, became captain during my second season, and was promoted to assistant coach during my third.

From there, I continued moving into leadership positions, including head coach, choreographer and entertainment management roles, eventually helping oversee multiple entertainment teams. I stepped away in 2020, returned in 2023 as a Scream Team member, and was later offered the opportunity to coach again. I accepted and coached for the next two seasons before closing that chapter after this past season. It was a journey that spanned more than 20 years and taught me a great deal about performing, leadership, creativity and developing other people.

Throughout all of that, music production was always a constant in my life. I started making beats when I was around 18, and no matter what job I had or what I was doing with dance, I always continued creating music. What I love most about producing is the freedom. You can begin with nothing, follow wherever the sounds take you and eventually turn an idea into a complete song. Hearing something I created become a finished record—whether I’m on it or another artist is always an incredible feeling.

I’m naturally an introvert, so producing also gives me the space to get lost in my own creative world. Now, my main focus is YMeach and building YMeach Beats. I spent many years putting my energy into performing, leading and helping develop other people. At this point in my life, I’m intentionally putting that same energy into myself, my music and the brand I’m building. And if anybody needs some fire, holler at me.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Anytime I truly commit myself to something, there’s pressure because I have a real fear of not succeeding—or not being great at what I’m doing. Even after all these years, that feeling never completely goes away.

With dance, I was performing at an elite level in front of more than 20,000 people. With music, I might create a beat that I feel is absolute heat, but music is subjective. The next person may not connect with it the same way I do. In both situations, I’m putting something I created in front of people and allowing them to decide how they feel about it. There’s always some vulnerability and pressure involved in that.

What has kept me going is genuinely loving what I do. Certain situations and setbacks can make it easy to give up, but when you truly love the craft, those things may slow you down, but they won’t completely stop you. I’ve learned that fear doesn’t necessarily mean I’m supposed to quit. Sometimes it simply means that what I’m doing matters to me.

Finding balance has also been a major challenge. Dance, coaching, producing music, working and handling everyday responsibilities all require time. You still have bills and responsibilities while trying to build something creatively. Regular life doesn’t stop because you have a dream, and your dream doesn’t stop needing attention because regular life gets busy. I’ve had to learn how to be disciplined with my time and accept that I may not always be able to give everything 100 percent at the same time.

Leadership brought another set of challenges. Coaching a team means working with many different personalities, needs, communication styles and levels of confidence. Every season brought a different group of people, and it was my responsibility to keep everyone working together, treat people fairly, make them feel valued and still maintain a high standard. Coaching was never just about teaching choreography. A major part of it was learning how to connect with people and bring them together as one unit.

Stepping away in 2020 was also difficult because I had been part of that world for so long. It was scary walking away without knowing exactly what the next chapter—or even the next paycheck—would look like. Once I made the decision, things became clearer, but taking that initial step into the unknown was challenging.

Being an introvert in a performance and creative industry has created challenges too. I can perform in front of thousands of people, but when I walk into a room, my natural instinct is to observe, stay laid-back and take everything in. I love creating, but selling and promoting myself have never come as naturally. I’ve had to learn how to put myself and my work in front of people without pretending to be somebody I’m not.

At this point, redirecting more of my energy toward YMeach and YMeach Beats doesn’t feel like another struggle—it feels like a release. There is still pressure, but now I’m focused on building myself, becoming a better person and putting more into my own music and vision. I’m taking everything those challenges taught me and using it to bet on myself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work really lives at the intersection of music and movement. As a producer, my sound sits mostly within melodic trap and rap, but I also enjoy creating smoother, R&B-influenced tracks that give singers room to work. I like combining melodies that carry emotion with drums that give the music energy. Because I also rap and have recently started experimenting with singing, I think about a beat from both the producer’s and the artist’s point of view.

On the dance side, hip-hop has always been my foundation. I specialize in styles such as flexing, popping and waving. I don’t really separate dancing, producing, rapping and the other ways I create. To me, they are all different parts of the same hip-hop language.

I create music primarily by ear, instinct and feeling. My dance background gives me a different relationship with timing and rhythm because I don’t just hear a beat—I can feel where the body naturally wants to react. I understand where a track needs a strong hit, a pause, a pocket, a transition or a change in energy. If a beat makes me want to move, I know that feeling can translate to other people too. That understanding influences everything from my drums and melodies to how I arrange a complete track.

What sets me apart is that I don’t spend all of my time trying to copy what everybody else is doing. I listen to other music and understand what connects, but I also give myself room to create from within and trust what feels raw to me. My experience as a dancer, performer, rapper, producer, choreographer and coach allows me to look at creativity through several different lenses. I understand what the artist needs, what the performer feels and how the audience responds to energy.

What I’m most proud of from my Scream Team years is the people. I’m proud of everyone who was ever part of the program, whether they were there for one season or several. Being able to contribute positively to their lives, watch them grow and help bring so many different personalities together means a great deal to me.

I’m also proud that our team performed in front of more than 20,000 people and that I had the opportunity to choreograph and lead on one of the biggest stages in professional sports. When I look back and realize that my work, leadership and creativity left a mark on an NBA organization and on the people who came through the program, that is extremely special to me.

All of those experiences now feed into YMeach Beats. The rhythm, discipline, leadership, performance experience and creative instinct are all part of what I bring to every beat and every project.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can work with me through my BeatStars page at BeatStars.com/ymeachbeats, where artists can listen to and license my production. Anyone interested in custom production or collaborating on a project can contact me on Instagram at @ymeach or by email at ymeachbeats@gmail.com. I’m always open to working with serious artists who want to create something original and bring the right energy.

Beyond music, I’m also open to dance, choreography, judging and other creative opportunities. Supporting me can be as simple as following, sharing and listening to my work, licensing a beat or sending my page to an artist who needs production. Every listen, share and connection helps as I continue building YMeach Beats. If you need some heat, holler at me.

Pricing:

• Non-exclusive beat licenses start at $50 and include MP3 and WAV files.
• Exclusive licensing is available by offer.
• Custom production and other creative services are priced by project.
• Current licensing options and terms are available at BeatStars.com/ymeachbeats.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beatstars.com/ymeachbeats
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ymeach