20-year-old Jacksonville, Florida rapper Yungeen Ace has been through a lot this year, but he's not letting any of it hold him back. After losing his brother and two friends this June in a drive-by shooting that also left him in critical condition, Ace pushed through and delivered his Life of Betrayal mixtape, showcasing both his talent and resilience. Now he's giving one of the tape's highlights, "Wanted," the spotlight it deserves.
The video for the YoungBoy Never Broke Again-featuring track, which Complex is premiering today, sees Yungeen hitting up the strip club before police track down those around him. The Edgar Esteves-directed video gets straight-to-the-point, making it the perfect accompaniment to the record.
Speaking with Billboard about the year he's had, Ace said, "I lost three of the closest people in my life to me. I went to jail right after the situation so I couldn't mention how I was feeling to anybody. Even now I still feel it."
Turning to music in the wake of death, he used it to cope with loss. "Any day could be my last day, so everything I do, I give it my all," he added. "I got shot eight times. The nurse told me I wasn't going to make it. I try to live my life to the fullest. I'm on probation so I can't really go outside as much. So all day I'm just making songs. I’m always thinking about different ways to be successful, all day. All there is, is time to think. I work harder and smarter."
