If you’re in the age range of 18 to 24, chances are you know who Yung Gravy is. If you’re a college student, chances are he’s performed at your university. Yung Gravy is the moniker of Matthew Hauri, an American rapper and singer-songwriter from Rochester, Minnesota. Coming to fame in the late 2010s with his hit songs “Mr. Clean” and “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot”, Gravy has established himself as the king of pop culture throughout his career. With hits like “Oops”, “C’est La Vie”, “Super Smash Bros”, “Cheryl”, and “Betty”, Gravy broke the internet and has only skyrocketed from there. On his latest record, Serving Country, Yung Gravy brought his typical Gravy flair into a new area: the genre of country. We hopped on an °1824 chat to see what the rapper had to say about his seventh album!
What inspired you to go country?
“It was just fun. I was getting sick of making all the same stuff, I wanted to try new things and get better.” Gravy lyrics will always be Gravy lyrics, but he believed it was time for a change in sound. When the rapper became friends with country icons Morgan Wallen and Shania Twain, he decided that it was time to attempt something completely new, and told himself that he’d at least make a country EP. And then, an EP turned into a full album.
What do you think fans will think of your genre-shift for Serving Country?
“I’m not sure what people are gonna think.” For Gravy, this isn’t a full genre-swap. Hailing from Minnesota, the rapper was surrounded by country in his college days. He says, “College students that drink beer: this one’s for you.”
What’s your dog’s favorite song on the album?
Yung Gravy then proceeded to carry his laptop to take us on a tour of his home, and to find his dog, Hendricks. He looked at Hendricks, looked back at us, and confidently stated, “Cop a Truck” (feat. Brantley Gilbert).
How do aesthetics play into your music?
“I like to be different. Use the things you like (for Gravy, he likes leopard shirts and 70’s aviator sunglasses) and own something strong.” Even his cover art is aesthetically original, as all of the album covers are hand drawn.
What was it like to collaborate with Shania Twain?
“It was cool. We worked a lot and did more than one song together. We met at a Grammy party and I went up to her because she’s a hot mom, but I didn’t know who she was when we met. I knew her music, though.” Gravy just didn’t put a face to the name!
Is there anything you learned from attending a midwest college that impacted the album?
“I learned how to drink beer and heard a lot more country than in Rochester.” The country artists he really likes have been his favorites since he was young, such as Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney. Wisconsin opened him up to a lot more country.
Do you come from a musical family? Did you play instruments when you were young?
“My mom’s dad played the tuba in the navy band and in a traveling polka band – apparently he was a legend. My dad likes classical music, and my mom told me that I’d be a good musician even though I absolutely hated band class” (where Gravy played the sax for two years!).
What has touring in the college scene taught you?
“Anyone in the crowd wants to see you and thinks you’re cool. Don’t get nervous (even though I still do). Even if you make a mistake, people will think it’s intentional.” Just play it off that way. Also, for performers, he recommends looking above the first row!
What are some of your tour essentials?
Apparently, Gravy recently adjusted his rider to include the following: two dozen roses, three boxes of fruit loops, a jersey from the state/college that’s running the show, ginger shots, bananas, beef jerky, and coconut water.
What’s your favorite song off of Serving Country?
“I Went To Jail In Georgia’ is my favorite song because it’s a true story and I made the music video with the people I got arrested with 10 years ago.”
What’s the perfect environment for a fan to listen to the new album?
Gravy describes that in his dream world, people would listen to the album in the South surrounded by green grass, cigarettes, and beer. “Think of MGMT’s Electric Feel music video, just less cute and more ratchet.”
How do you choose the base samples of your projects?
In the early days, he just sampled old school songs. Now he normally creates something original. “The only sample for this album is ‘You’re Still the One’ with Shania’s master.”
How do you balance humor and authenticity in your songs?
“I have fun in the studio; I just write.” As we know, Gravy has an overall style, and he’s always written in the same way. “I got more serious when I was around serious rappers”, he says. “I need my lyrics to be clever enough for every line to have a punchline.”
What do you want your listeners to take away from your music?
“Happy. Party. Good vibes. Not complex. Ehhhhh it’s a little complex. It’s music to enjoy and feel good about. All good vibes.”
How does it feel to be touring with this many albums under your belt?
“I’m proud that I’ve survived this long, it’s longer than the average rap career. Every album has a few songs that people like.” This tour will have some of his old hits, some new hits, and all will have a lot of instruments.
Yung Gravy insists that you go into Serving Country with an open mind. In his words, “It’s not a country album, it’s Country Gravy. Classic Gravy with country seasoning. I hope people realize it’s something that they can actually like.”
One thing is for sure – we not just like, but love, Serving Country. Thank you to Yung Gravy for his time, the °1824 team for the opportunity, and to you for reading. Be sure to follow Yung Gravy on everything below, and if you love Serving Country, hop aboard the Gravy Train now to attend his Grits & Gravy 2024 Tour!
funky ppl press 
Leave a comment