From Route Four to the Record: Young Vader Turns Real Life Into Rhymes

Written by Malik Perkins
June 20th, 2025

source @theregovader_/ig

Young Vader doesn’t need a notepad to write a hit — he’s already got the verses memorized by the time he walks into the booth. Raised on gospel, molded by ‘90s hip-hop, and sharpened by years of experience, the 33-year-old rapper from Dayton, Ohio, is turning lived experiences into lyrical gold.

“My process is kind of like Jay-Z or Wayne,” he said. “I build it in my head, say it over and over until it’s locked in, and when I get to the studio, I’m ready to drop.”

That efficiency is no accident. It’s a skill forged from repetition, discipline — and years of working his way up from homemade recordings to packed-out tours. And with his new album What You Tell 'Em 2 on the way this fall, Young Vader is putting his story — and his growth as an artist — front and center.

Born into Beats

Growing up on Dayton’s west side — Route Four, as locals call it — music wasn’t a hobby, it was the background noise of everyday life. “My dad was a DJ, so every weekend, the house would be bumping,” he said. “Grandmaster Flash, Big Daddy Kane, Curtis Blow — all of it.”

The early influence didn’t stop there. Church choirs gave him his first taste of performance, while MTV, Nickelodeon concerts, and artists like Michael Jackson and Bow Wow planted the idea that music could be more than a passion — it could be a career.

“I wasn’t even allowed to listen to rap growing up,” Vader said. “But my uncle — my dad’s twin — he had all the mixtapes. That’s where I heard 50 Cent, Ludacris, Ja Rule. That era made me want to write.”

The First 16

It started, fittingly, with a diss track — a kid-friendly one. “I did a remake of Lil Romeo’s ‘Shine Like Me,’ which was a diss to Bow Wow at the time,” Vader recalled. “I loved both of them. They showed me that a kid could be a star.”

That mix of playfulness and competition helped Vader sharpen his skills early, and over time, the playful freestyles turned into fully realized songs. By his late teens, he was learning how to record on phones, layer vocals, and shape tracks — even if the mixing wasn’t quite studio quality.

“It wasn’t perfect, but it taught me the foundation,” he said. “Now I’m at the point where I walk into the booth, my engineer’s got my preset ready, and I can knock out a song in under an hour.”

Real Life, Real Music

While Young Vader can rap with the best of them, what sets him apart is his refusal to chase trends. He raps about what he lives — the wins, the losses, and everything in between.

“The most powerful music today is relatable,” he said. “If I’m rapping about getting pulled over, taking a loss, or grinding through something, chances are someone in Philly or L.A. is going through the same thing. That’s how you build real fans.”

His upcoming album, What You Tell 'Em 2, is a sequel in spirit to his earlier project of the same name, but this time, the perspective is broader — shaped by travel, touring, and growing as both a man and an artist.

“It’s me reflecting on the road, the lessons, the grind,” he said. “There’s pain, there’s humor, there’s resilience. It’s all in there.”

A Touring Artist with Real Reach

In recent years, Young Vader’s career has taken a leap forward thanks to consistent output — and a key relationship with DJ Coop, a Nashville-based DJ who took a liking to Vader’s track Mama’s Name.

“One day, he got a call to go on tour as Lil Duval’s DJ,” Vader said. “I happened to be sitting next to him, and he looked at me like, ‘We going on tour.’ And we really did.”

What started as a one-off turned into multiple tours and four years of steady exposure, connecting Vader with comedians, celebrities, and new fans across the country. “Being around Duval, Mike Epps, and others — that’s not just inspiring, it’s strategic,” he said. “The DJ world opens doors most artists don’t realize.”

Building a Brand, Not Just a Song

In 2024, making music is just one part of being a rapper. Young Vader knows that content, image, and online engagement matter as much as bars — and he’s leaning into that too.

After years of avoiding TikTok, he finally joined. “I started the week with 30 followers, one video later I’ve got 3,000 likes and a few hundred new fans,” he said. “It’s wild.”

Still, he’s adamant that artists shouldn’t just post music. “Show people who you are. Your day-to-day life might not seem exciting to you, but someone else is inspired by it.”

What You Tell 'Em

With a new East Coast tour launching in August — including stops in Boston, New York, Philly, Rhode Island and Jersey — Young Vader is hitting the road once again with momentum and a message. And that message? Be real. Be consistent. Be yourself.

“The name of the album, What You Tell 'Em, that’s really what it’s about,” he said. “What are you telling people with your music? What do you stand for? For me, it’s all about turning my reality into something people can feel.”

You can follow Young Vader at @theregovader_ tour updates, behind-the-scenes content and the official What You Tell 'Em 2 release this September.