Article By: Lissa Prudencio 11/13/09
Photographer: Lewis Jennings

Imagine being back in high school, walking down the halls during lunchtime. You see some guys crowding around in a circle. At first you want to see what’s going on, so you step closer. You notice that nothing out of the ordinary is going on. It’s just a group of guys spitting freestyles and battling against each other to pass the lunch hour. So, you pay them no mind. The next day you see two of the same guys running full court pick up basketball games. One drives it in full force against a defender and calls an “and one” as he gets fouled making a lay-up. The defender complains, saying that it was not a foul. As it looks to you an argument is going to erupt; the tension calms down because the defender realizes he can’t do anything about it since the basket went in. So again, you go along your merry way and pay them no mind.

Now bring yourself back to present day. Ever wonder about the lives of high school friends, acquaintances, or even just those guys you used to see spitting flows or shooting hoops? At least for two of those guys, life is progressing, fame is quickly growing, and money is soon to follow – not to mention the potential for Grammy’s, MTV Moon Men, and everything else that comes along with success in the music industry. Looking at them in adolescence, you might have seen two cool guys that could rap and play ball. But, you probably had no clue that merely a few years after high school those two guys would be performing as artists and sharing their musical gifts to audiences around the world – yet alone sharing stages with Industry Greats such as Lupe Fiasco, Ludacris, or Redman…just to name a few. The guys who were once known to teachers and classmates as Yonas Michael and Yannick Koffi would be better known as U-N-I. Allow me to introduce you to Y-O and Thurzday.

Behind the music, behind the Twitter and the MySpace, behind the name “U-N-I”—you have two guys that are unique in their ownways. Their music roots, and overall style, stem farther back in their pasts than the day Thurzday randomly introduced himself to Y-O in high school with a simple handshake and a, “My name is Yannick.” Y-O and Thurzday are known for their witty rhymes, unique styles, and their drive to keep it real. U-N-I’s music can hardly be categorized or compared to anything. Listen to “Land of the Kings,” and you’ll start to get an idea. Then, try “Hollywood Hiatus” or “Herb” to hear a more lively, upbeat sound. They have fun with the ladies on tracks such as “Calendar Girls” and “Lauren London.” But, they can also deliver a more street sound, such as “Pulp Fiction Pt. 1.” It doesn’t stop there.  They can also offer feel good music, 90’s style, with songs like “Beautiful Day.” Similar to Outkast, UGK, Mobb Deep, Dead Prez, and other great hip hop duos, the two feed off of each other while also offering individual sounds. The Los Angeles-based hip hop duo has performed at numerous shows and have worked with many music artists and producers in both the mainstream and underground scenes. More importantly, kicking off their first tour in October 2009 and making plans to release their first official album in 2010, they are set on making their own mark.

If the buzz about them hasn’t reached you yet, you may be sitting in the wrong beehive. U-N-I has had positive reception both domestically and internationally, especially with the help of the Internet. The duo has also caught the eye of powerhouse music publications, such as VIBE and Billboard, and continue to find their name on up-and-coming lists left and right. Their name derives from The Roots’ song, “UNIverse at War,” whose hook begins with the line, “When you and I verse at war.” The name is more than fitting for the duo that originally met in high school and found frequent interaction in cyphers and freestyle battles. U-N-I became official in 2006 after the duo broke off from their original group of four, Rap-Ture Kamp. Through various projects and mixtapes such as Fried Chicken and Watermelon, Before There Was Love, and A Love Supreme, U-N-I has established a unique style that blends true hip hop beats with witty, out-of-this-world, but down-to-Earth lyrics people can relate to and simply enjoy.

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Y-O in LA

Is it the way he flows, the kicks, or the mohawk (that he has been rockin’ for six years) that makes him unique? Maybe all three, or maybe he’s just an original guy. Tweeting numerous times daily, Y-O keeps his friends, fans, and followers updated on his day-to-day. However, for those who know him from childhood, tweets are just an smidge of the story behind the rapper/songwriter who hails from Seattle, Washington. Before moving to the Inglewood area of Los Angeles around the age of ten, Y-O had a home, friends, and a life in Seattle. At the time, parting invoked tears from the eyes of the pre-adolescent. However, Y-O says, “[the move] turned out to be a blessing.” While the Seattle house he grew up in (which he jokingly claims to have been haunted with paranormal activity) will always be a part of him, he indeed found another home in Southern California.

Y-O’s mother got him involved in sports at an early age, such as basketball and track. Among his buddies from running track as a kid in Seattle were Nate Robinson (point guard for the New York Knicks) and Aaron Brooks (point guard for the Houston Rockets).  Like them, he knows he has the talent to go pro. Basketball did not turn out to be his professional path, even though he did end up playing varsity basketball in high school and was set to play Division II hoops for a college in Iowa. An issue that was out of his control with the school’s coach  changed the plan. After giving it one last go at a junior college in Palmdale, he realized his heart was not in professional ball like it used to be. It was music that he wanted to take to the professional level.

Y-O’s music incorporates his style, wit, and charm. Classifying himself as a big flirt, Y-O, as a sixth grader, loved to charm the females at the all-girls’ high school which neighbored his Catholic school. However, he now goes beyond his word and lyrics to express himself. With five tattoos, including tats on his neck and forearms, he loves to use art as a means of self-expression. Also, both he and Thurzday have a unique, fly sense of fashion. Y-O says, “Thank Mom for the fashion,” referring to her dressing him up in suspenders, turtlenecks, and plaid pants. He also notes that as a child his mother tricked him into getting XJ900 light up shoes from Payless Shoe Source, as opposed to the Air Jordan shoes that he longed for. From then on, he made it a point to stay on top of his style.

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BORN ON A THURZDAY

Y-O’s U-N-I counterpart, Thurzday (or Thurz for short), shares an interesting story himself. Born on a Thursday and raised in Inglewood, CA, he derived his nickname from the fact that his last name, Koffi, translates into “born on Friday.” Like Y-O, he was engaged in sports at an early age. Sports kept him off the streets, which was especially important during the years he lived in South Central, Los Angeles. In addition to athletics, his grandmother would take him with her to knock on doors as Jehovah Witnesses. His strict grandmother did not allow him to get tattoos, piercings, or even keep his flat top hairstyle that he came home with one day. The influence has carried over to today, making him the opposite of Y-O, sporting zero tattoos. In staying grounded, Thurzday’s path consists of a strong educational background and hard work along the way.

For instance, after Thurzday’s high school days at St. Francis (where he met Y-O), he continued on to a four-year university. At first refusing to go to Loyola Marymount University (LMU), he chose to go to California State University, Northridge (CSUN). However, in his first year, he began to doubt that he or any of his friends would complete their Bachelor’s degrees because their days often consisted of partying, drinking, and rapping in the dormitories. That was when Thurzday decided to make moves by transferring to LMU. Yet, the raucous continued. Y-O recounts visiting him at LMU saying, “That’s where I got my first drink!” However, although the fun and games carried on, this time Thurzday was able to balance business with pleasure.

While majoring in Finance through college, Thurzday built an extensive resume by taking up internships at Rhino Music Group, Capitol Records, and Merrill Lynch, which eventually caused him to land a job as a financial analyst – a job that he just recently lost due to being caught spending too much time promoting U-N-I on various social networking sites. Music was calling out to him. Thurzday simply realized that he wanted to fully pursue music….and that is just what he and Y-O are doing.

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A LOVE SUPREME 2.0

In anticipation of their first official album, U-N-I is working on releasing a project called A Love Supreme 2.0 (a sequel to their last project). U-N-I has set high goals, and the two have every intention of accomplishing them. Individually, Y-O and Thurzday have high goals as well. Thurzday says, “I just wanna be better than the people I look up to.” Y-O adds that he would like U-N-I to be used in the same sentence as the Greats. They have a difficult journey ahead but have already begun the climb to the top. They were once just guys participating in cyphers and battles and playing pick up basketball at the park. Now, they are Y-O and Thurzday…a duo gaining the respect and admiration of listeners worldwide. Say hello to U-N-I!

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Connect with U-N-I:

Website

MySpace