Newcomer Yung Pepp: A Voice for Crisis-Stricken Youth

Pepe, who doesn’t reveal his full real name for privacy reasons, has been making music since he was twelve. He comes from a musical family—his mother is a vocal coach, and his father is no stranger to the Leipzig rap scene. In 2022, at the age of 13, he released his first EP, “13,” under the name Yung Pepp. Little by little, he’s been building a fan base and achieving success.

But according to him, the 17-year-old really took off just under a year ago thanks to social media. This was followed by a collaboration with one of his biggest role models, the Bremen-based rapper Kid Kapri, on the song “Ganz oben,” released in May. The Leipzig native has also been collaborating for several years now with Kid Kapri’s producer, Luka Bodzin—aka “Florida Juicy”—who is known for his catchy hits. It’s been a meteoric rise for the young indie rapper: “A year ago, I shot a music video with my iPhone, and now we’re shooting one with cameras bigger than any I’ve ever seen.”

Going It Alone Instead of the Major Music Industry

To ensure the music industry doesn’t completely swallow up the young talent—after all, Pepe is still a student—he says he wants to take his career slowly. Instead of signing with one of the major labels, he’s releasing his second EP independently. Instead of an entourage of industry insiders, he surrounds himself with close friends and acquaintances. “That’s really important—very important for my parents, too. I’m a minor. They should know that the people I’m hanging out with are cool.” 

Meanwhile, the braces—once Yung Pepe’s trademark—are gone. And it’s not just the 17-year-old’s voice that sounds more mature—Pepe recorded his first songs before his voice broke—but his lyrics as well: “Laut Sein (Immer)” once again showcases Yung Pepp’s political side.

The song is about vocal protest against right-wing extremism and racism. It’s something the high school student has also encountered in his own community in Leipzig. The fact that he comes from the city of the Peaceful Revolution, where political activism is as much a tradition as music, plays less of a role for the 17-year-old. “I just write about what’s on my mind and what’s going on inside my head,” says Yung Pepp. “And those are exactly the topics I address.”

Right now, the musician is still focused on balancing school with the stage and the studio. “My dream, of course, is that someday I’ll simply be able to say, ‘I’m a musician who makes a living from it,’ and that this can be my profession.”

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