Raised between Syria and South Carolina, Youssef Kobach’s life has been anything but straightforward. On his new track, ‘Rebirth,’ he documents trials, tribulations, and what it means to forge his narrative.
22-year-old artist Seffo – Youssef Koach – is gearing up to make waves in 2024 with his new single ‘Rebirth.’
Youssef’s whirlwind life story has made him one of the most distinctive rap artists penning rhymes.
Youssef was born in South Carolina and raised in the Syrian city of Jableh throughout his early childhood. When he returned to the US, he was fluent in Arabic – but only had a handful of words in English. Fearful of being discriminated against by others his age and deeply frustrated by how English was taught in local schools, he turned to rap music albums for help and comfort. Youssef taught himself English by listening over and over again to artists like Eminem, Kanye West, Nikki Minaj, Drake, and Biggie. In doing so, he came to admire hip-hop’s ability to channel big ideas – and allow individuals to vent personal issues with an unknown listener.
Youssef began creating his songs as a youth. Initially working under the moniker ‘YoYo,’’ he released an album titled The Renaissance LP. It was an essential first step for a talented artist, but Youssef was filled with hang-ups and lacked the self-confidence to make the album the success story he wanted it to be.
With his new single ‘Rebirth,’ he doesn’t make the same mistakes. Now operating as ‘Seffo,’ his new song is brimming with the kind of hard-earned confidence needed for an artist of his caliber. His vocals are gritty, seasoned, and heavily accented, so the lyrics have a deliberately confrontational edge. He sings about the highs and lows of wanting to change certain parts of yourself – while also learning to accept the things you can’t change.
Speaking about the single, Seffo said: “‘Rebirth’ is a breath of fresh air for me as an artist, but more importantly, it offers a new start for the listener. It’s about not being afraid of having goals and being willing to reinvent/grow in the pursuit of achieving those goals. It’s also about saying that life is short, so use your time wisely to become the best version of yourself.”
‘Rebirth’ also gets its release as Seffo plans to recreate his debut album, The Renaissance LP, to make it the record it deserves to be.
He continued: “I wanted to show people how, through time, you can evolve and learn. ‘Rebirth’ depicts that in a multitude of ways. It shows how I’ve evolved as an artist compared to my old work – and I take this further by recreating my first album. I want to share hope and express that growing and maturing are good things, so we should embrace them.”
