Young M.A Isn't Pressured By "OOOUUU" Success: "[It's] A Classic"

She said no other song she releases will have the same impact as "OOOUUU."

BYErika Marie
Link Copied to Clipboard!
2.5K Views
Slaven Vlasic / Stringer / Getty Images

It wasn't like Young M.A wasn't working hard at her rap career prior to her 2016 hit "OOOUUU," but that song definitely made the world pay attention. Artists whose introductions are as monumental as "OOOUUU" was for the New York rapper often have difficulty keeping on track with the upward momentum. Some rappers continuously chase the success of their first hit, but for Young M.A, she's not trying to compare her present with her past.

Rich Polk / Stringer / Getty Images

The Herstory in the Making artist recently stopped by the Trick & Trina Morning Show and was asked if she feels pressured trying to live up to the success of "OOOUUU." To begin, Young M.A said that she's "tired of this damn question." She admitted that there was a time when she did, but it's so long ago that it's not something that bothers her today.

"'OOOUUU' is a classic, you can't take away a classic," she said of her single. "This was my first introduction to the game. People ain't know if I was a girl or a boy, like, this record came with so much more than it being a record. It came as an introduction of who I am," even though she already generated a buzz in the underground scene.

"You can't compare that because now people know who I am from that record," she added. "At one point, yeah, of course [I felt pressure], because you come into the game unaware of things, unaware of how things work. You learn as you go. So, now, I'm at a space in my life where I know for a fact that record is always gon' stand out on its own. Even if I had another record that overpowered that, like streams, anything, that record is always gonna be known." Watch Young M.A talk about her first big hit below and jam to "OOOUUU" one more time.


  • Link Copied to Clipboard!
About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.