YMC Ant, 24, is one of the latest artists to spearhead Baltimore’s rap scene. The Cherry Hill native hosts a sound that is assured to find traction in the modern era as he mixes his introspective lyrics with a fast-paced flow. Ant uses his skills to craft some of the most enjoyable music Baltimore has to offer.
“[In 2019] I was just driving and I started rapping a song off the random,” Ant told The Baltimore Banner. “It was my phony song, I did a video and all that.” He was discouraged by the reception, or lack thereof, of that song — the first one he released — and considered an early retirement. But after his friends continued to nag him to continue his artistic journey, Ant gave in and created an irresistible hit that same summer. “Round My Way,” an audio illustration of Ant’s home environment, co-starring frequent collaborator, YMC Tez, would be blasted throughout car windows for the months that followed.
“Tez was rapping way before me so I was more comfortable with him on my side,” Ant said. “Round My Way” would accumulate over 100,000 views over a span of just a few months of its YouTube release in 2019. From then on, Ant became a staple in the city.
Now backed by Tru Sound Entertainment, YMC Ant looks to fulfill his potential with his new “Sincerely From Ant” album. Explaining the meaning behind the title, Ant said: “It’s like a letter to the fans and the supporters just thanking them. It’s just a big ol’ letter cause for all the time I’ve been away, I still got supporters that stayed around.”
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“Sincerely From Ant” is 17 songs long and features some of the hottest producers in Baltimore such as WhiteboyCameWitDaBag and Tip12lve. “I feel like with this project I had to give a newer sound, with more like an industry type vibe,” he said. “After all this time, I done already put out enough songs to show what I can do so I felt like I had to switch it up.”
Ant’s personal favorite track on the album is the intro, “Beastmode,” which may or may not be an ode to Future and Zaytoven’s notable 2015 mixtape of the same name, or the nickname of former NFL star Marshawn Lynch. Opting to slow his flow down for two minutes, “Beastmode” is a peek behind the curtain of Ant’s lifestyle as he reflects on the journey to his current stature. “I feel like I just was just talking about everything and that’s like the perfect start for the project. I’m really saying any and everything, I’m just draggin’ and that set the tone.”
Like many of his other projects, there’s no shortage of tracks that he believes cater to his female fan base. The 808Tommy-produced and Yxng K.A-assisted “Best Stroke” is one of the album’s highlights. Ant croons throughout, fully describing a current relationship. “You gotta be versatile, you know? You gotta have a fan base with the women and you gotta just make music that everybody can listen to at the end of the day. But it’s better to have more female fans than male fans ‘cause I feel like the females go harder.”
Ant knows the importance of establishing his own voice, which is why he is very selective of having features on his album. Thanks to appearances only from some of the city’s heavy hitters, such as YG Teck, YBS Skola, Roddy Rackzz and YMC Tez, every feature on “Sincerely From Ant” feels important. “I’m never gonna get outshined,” he laughs. “I just feel like it’s important to have your own sound so everybody listening knows what you can do on your own. That’s why it gotta make sense when you doing a feature.”
“Sincerely From Ant” is a testament to Ant’s ability to adapt. While crafting the 17 tracks, he didn’t depart from what grew his fan base, but instead harnessed all of his tools to develop a cohesive album. Showcasing the versatility that Ant is fond of exhibiting, he blends vulnerability, bangers and street talk seamlessly on “Sincerely From Ant” and in turn, delivers one of the stronger albums of 2022. The entirety of the 39-minute album is an emotional rollercoaster without any repetitive drops, successfully producing an easy listen for fans.
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YMC Ant believes he is the perfect embodiment of what it means to be from Baltimore and “Sincerely From Ant” backs up his claim. “I’m representing Baltimore period. The struggle, the swag, the style. That’s why I come smooth, I come trim. I’m trying to make people realize that Baltimore ain’t always so hardcore.”
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