The first thing to know about The Vampire Youth is that he is, in fact, a vampire. His identification with this fascinating subculture began in his private life and is central to his musical identity. Youth is hyper-aware of how toxic masculinity in culture has made it difficult for black men to feel, process and express complex emotions. His own challenges with deep emotions led him to his discovery of aspects of vampirism he found resonance with to restore his life force. Now he channels that energy into his dark, sultry hip-hop and R&B music. He is clearly onto something, as his shows are consistently packed with fans in vampire garb and Youth merch. No matter what your thoughts on vampire culture, Youth’s 2019 debut My Deceased & I is an undeniably great debut from a rising star who is not afraid to love and express himself. - Chris Davis