FATHER. MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER. HIP-HOP ARTIST.
YK the Mayor empowers youth by helping them channel adversity into music and art.
Formerly known as Young Kidd, YK draws on his personal experiences to address difficult topics such as street life, gangs and drug abuse. His motivational speeches and workshops use the transformative power of music and storytelling to show youth how to overcome hardship and channel it into different forms of creative expression.
YK was born and raised by a single mother in the inner city of Winnipeg, MB. He is a hip-hop artist of Black and Indigenous ancestry who gained popularity after founding the label CTL Records more than a decade ago. Becoming a father of two inspired him to abandon the harmful activities of his past. He now devotes his time to sharing his craft with underprivileged youth, helping them to avoid similar mistakes and realize their full potential.