Youngman

Youngman is the performing name of Simon Smith, a vocalist from Derby, United Kingdom. He works across drum and bass, grime, bass and electronic music, and also appears in dubstep, R&B and bassline scenes. He starts singing at the age of five and performs professionally from the age of 16, after turning away from DJing to focus on vocals.

Career

He relocates to London in 2007 and studies Business Management at the University of London while maintaining a busy recording schedule. Early in his career, he establishes himself in drum and bass with a self-titled EP on Bryan Gee’s Chronic Records and with Body Pump, a collaboration with Drumsound & Bassline Smith. That track draws strong support from Radio 1 presenters Annie Mac and Zane Lowe.

In bassline, he becomes known as one of the style’s early MC voices and performs at major events including Sily City, Bassline Heaven and Movement. He also releases They Call It Bassline with Wynn & Smith, a track that appears on compilations such as Ministry of Sound’s Garage Classics and All Around The World’s Addicted To Bassline.

Dubstep and collaborations

Youngman’s work with BBC 1Xtra’s Crissy Criss leads to the album Give You The World, and the single Kick Snare/Pimp Game gains wide support from figures including Skream, Benga, Mista Jam, Caspa, Rusko, Chase & Status and Adam F. He later works closely with Benga, who becomes his choice MC for worldwide tour dates and produces much of his debut album Me & My Music. That album also features collaborations with Skream, Breakage and Kutz. His street single Ho/One & Only becomes a major underground release, and he follows it with Tear It Out/I Warned Ya, both produced by Benga.

He also links with Magnetic Man and Benga in both studio and live settings, and signs to Shy FX’s Digital Soundboy label.

Live work and recognition

As a live performer, Youngman tours across the UK and Europe and appears at Fabric and Ministry of Sound, as well as festivals including Sziget in Budapest, Urban Art Forms in Austria, Creamfields in Liverpool, Nocturnal in Los Angeles and Tomorrowland in Belgium. He is runner-up in the 2008 Drum and Bass Awards in the Best Breakthrough MC category.

Other projects

Beyond music, he designs the clothing range Peng People and helps to lead the education scheme Music & Life Workshops. He is also the son of drum and bass DJ and producer Simon “Bassline” Smith.