Sparni has the distinct honor of calling themself New York City’s greatest 22 year old jazz vibraphonist who also raps (there aren’t many rapping jazz vibraphonists). Raised in Staten Island, Sparni’s love for music began at the age of 4 when they began learning basic drum beats on a fisherprice drum set. In their teens, they fell in love with rap, punk, and jazz, and desiring a way to blend these sounds, they began recording solo music under the name “Yung Mallet.” They began releasing music in college, dropping new music every year on their birthday. On their newest project “Sparni Plath’s Lament,” they deliver an album that is as eclectic as it is unflinching and raw. This album blends influences from boom bap, hardcore punk, avant garde and midwest emo, to soundtrack a downward spiral of self hatred, addiction and social isolation, but ultimately, self reflection and growth. Sparni’s long term career goal is to be a college professor and they actively don’t want to become famous off of a solo career. As such, they treat the Yung Mallet recording project as a space to experiment with ideas that may not have mainstream appeal, as well as write lyrics with references that only their friends would catch. Outside of this recording project, Sparni plays drums for Emerson Hill and calyx!, has performed alongside veterans in the jazz world such as Bobby Watson and Steve Nelson, and actively gigs in NYC and New Jersey when they aren’t working their day job.