Dreaming Big with Young Seda
Rap can unfortunately have a bad rep depending on who you’re talking to in Delaware. Being a swing state, you would expect to see more diversity on the lineups for local venues and festivals, but alas, the hip hop scene tends to stay underground, with special events and parties advertised through flyers on light posts and through word of mouth. With how rap is portrayed through mainstream media, you can’t help but wonder if the exclusion is by design.
As the state grows, so does the music scene, with fresh new lyricists popping up more often than ever. Wilmington native Young Seda has joined the ranks of Delaware rappers and he’s using his stories to empower and uplift the community he loves so deeply and show Delaware another side of one the world's most popular styles of music.
Name, pronouns, where were you born, where do you currently live
Hey, I’m Young Seda. My real name is Giovanni Paredes. My pronouns are He Him His. I’m from Wilmington, DE and I still live here lol.
What inspired you to create music in the first place?
What inspired me to create music was the violence in my city. In 2015, I had lost a childhood friend to gun violence and the only way I knew how to cope with my emotions was to write. It motivated me to use my voice to bring change and be a light in the midst of chaos. Me and him were about the same age so seeing him suddenly pass away was a wake up call for me to use my gifts, not take life for granted, and walk in my purpose.
Your latest single $20 Dreams featuring Taiche was released in March and already has over 3k streams! What inspired this song?
The song “$20 Dreams” was inspired by moments in my childhood where my father would give me and my brothers $20. It would be for holidays, birthdays, and whenever he wanted to or whenever we asked. It was pretty frequent. But, I didn't realize how rare it was for parents to give their kids money in the hood until I got older. Friends of mine who lived close by had to steal, rob, or sell drugs to get $20. I wanted to shed light on the different lifestyles we shared even though we came from the same place. For me, money wasn’t too important because it was given freely, but for them, getting money, even if it was dirty money, was all they knew.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations musically?
Honestly, I get inspired by so many artists and genres so it’s hard to just choose a few. But some artists I like a lot are Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Cordae, Nobigdyle, Phora, Rexx Life Raj, Kota The Friend and more.
What's a song you really wish you would have written and why?
There’s a song that’s my all-time favorite called “Fight for me” by GAWVI and Lecrae. I love that song. It gets me through days when I’m not feeling good and I want to make music that holds that same power.
What do you hope listeners will get from your music?
I hope they are encouraged, feel motivated to walk in their purpose, and become who they were destined to be. I hope it finds a way to inspire the next generation.
What can we look forward to from you musically this year?
Yes! I have an upcoming album entitled “A Riverside Story“ which will be coming out later this year. As for events I’m always performing somewhere in the city so catch me outside lol.
