Y2K Is Alive

ORIGIN
Y2K is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter from Arizona. His musical genre of choice revolves around hip-hop, trap, and pop. In June of 2019, he teamed up with Canadian rapper, bbno$ to release the explosive single “Lalala,” a track that has witnessed over 1 billion plays in 6 months across multiple platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and SoundCloud. “Lalala” was quickly snatched up by Columbia Records and it comes as no surprise that Y2K was offered a contract. He has already worked with artists like Killy, Enrique Iglesias, and of course, bbno$.

Y2K was born Ari Starace on July 27, 1994, in Scottsdale, Arizona. His mother owns a music store and his father works with electronics. He attended Arizona State University with the intention of earning a Computer Science degree. After completing one year, he dropped out because he despised math and was more interested in producing music.

CAREER
Before Y2K dominated airwaves with “Lalala,” he was an amateur producer. In 2012, he started producing and experimenting with music. By 2015, his skills graduated and he began releasing exceptional work, which includes remixes and production material for other artists. He worked with acts like Killy, Yung Bans, YBN Nahmir, and Landon Cube. Y2K also added ink to paper and co-write for various artists.

Some of Y2K’s earliest music, tracing back to 2014, can be located on SoundCloud. Though he describes his preliminary tracks as “garbage can” music, his SoundCloud credentials speak otherwise. For the average up-and-coming artist, it’s extremely difficult to accumulate over 100k streams on a single track. Most of Y2K’s music has seen hundreds of thousands of streams with some crossing the 1 million milestone.

Over the next several years, Y2K released numerous remixes for some of hip-hop’s top performers. His list includes songs by Sophia Grace, Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Sahbabii, Lil Pump, Blackbear, Cardi B, Lil Wayne, A$AP Rocky, and others. Two of his top remixes were of Ro Ransom’s “See Me Fall” ft. Kensei Abbot and Blackbear’s “Do Re Mi.”

In November of 2018, Y2K collaborated with bbno$ on the single “Money Conversation,” one of the first songs to graced his Apple Music. As of January 2020, the song has been streamed 3 million-plus times on Spotify. The following month, the two released “Thankful” to critical acclaim. The track is currently sporting over 11 million plays on Spotify. As his career elevates to unseen heights, Y2K continues to work closely with bbno$, producing his most popular track to date.

“Lalala” officially landed on June 27, 2019. The two rappers deployed unconventional tactics to market the song, which includes the utilization of TikTok, eBay, Craigslist, Tinder, and telemarketing schemes. The song especially caught fire on TikTok after several prominent influencers featured the track on their feed.

The accompanying music video was unveiled on August 20, 2019. As of January 2020, the visual has accumulated over 210 million views on YouTube. The audio has been played over 450 million times on Spotify. The song has spawned many remix versions from various artists. “Lalala” was quickly snatched up by Columbia Records after the track ignited. Y2K would eventually ink a deal with the record company. “Lalala” also charted high on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart.

PERSONAL
Y2K is around 5ft10in tall and he is a Leo. His net worth is estimated at $1.5 million. He earns an income from his record deal, digital streaming, producing, monetization, live performances, and other avenues. During an interview, he admits that his stage name “Y2K” holds no meaning. He simply chose it because it looks cool and is easy to remember.

While enrolled at ASU, he was heavily immersed in video games and thus, thought computer science would be an appropriate major. He later forfeited that goal to pursue music. He strongly believes that digital marketing is an essential part of making it big in today’s music industry. His YouTube channel features 1.2M+ subscribers. His Instagram is home to some 208K+ followers. His relationship status is currently unknown. Who is he dating?

Y2K Bio, Net Worth, Height