Yebba Releases Official Video For “Louie Bag” Feat. Smino

Grammy winning singer/songwriter/arranger/producer Yebba releases the official video for “Louie Bag” featuring rapper/singer Smino.

The video was directed by award-winning photographer and director Francesco Carrozini (Jay-Z/Beyoncé/Lenny Kravitz).

The track was co-written by Yebba, Smino, Q-Tip, and James Francies and produced by Yebba and Mark Ronson.

Billboard writes of the track: “With her untouchable vocal skills… (and) punchy verse from Smino balances out the Arkansas native’s smooth melodies, the duo forming a musical yin and yang.” UPROXX continues “Led by her soothing vocals and detailing her recent successes and distaste for friends who are ‘talking sh*t for no reason,’ Yebba delivers a track that stands strong on its own but gets a boost with the addition of Smino’s slick verse.”

Yebba shares the inspiration for “Louie Bag” which came to her during a rough period after she lost her mother to suicide:

“Someone said to me, ‘You have to make sure this is not going to make you bitter. Bitterness will rob you.’ And at the time I started that song I was in Resentment City, with all these labels trying to sign me and people pressuring me, telling me, ‘you’re never going to see a deal like this again,’ when I just wasn’t ready. So I said to them, ‘If you ever tell me I’m going to miss my chance or I’m going to run out of time, I will pack my bags and go back to Arkansas and I’ll quit singing. Because if I say I’m not ready because my mom just killed herself, then I’m not fucking ready. The answer is no.’ I don’t even own a Louis bag, but when I got my first check from publishing I wrote that line: “Put it in my Louis bag, don’t let it overflow.” It’s for any label that tried to sign me – for all those men talking to me like that. It’s me talking about all the confusion and the disarray I was feeling at the time, and delivering that right to their doorstep. I just sent those bad vibes right back to those motherfuckers.”

Yebba’s debut album Dawn will be released September 10th via RCA Records. Her previous single “October Sky” was released last month along with an acoustic performance video and received critical praise (“a master class in conveying complex emotions”– NPR) along with love from H.E.R., Justin Timberlake, Brandi Carlile, Zane Lowe, and Mark Ronson, who produced “October Sky” and executive produced the album.

Lead single “Distance” was nominated at the 2021 Grammys for “Best Traditional R&B Performance,” was included on Barak Obama’s annual playlist to extraordinary critical raves. Clash writes: ‘Distance’ is a phenomenal exhibition of Yebba’s dramatic vocal ability.”

Rolling Stone concurs “Yebba delivers a characteristically stunning vocal performance,” and NPR calls the song “the ultimate exercise in restraint. Fully aware of her ability to vocally run circles around any production, she matches the tenderness of the orchestration and lyrics.” Okayplayer continues “At just 25 years old, Yebba has become an acclaimed vocalist due to her unforgettable sound.”

Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe winning musician and producer Mark Ronson executive produced the album, and other key collaborators include Questlove, the Roots, A$AP Rocky, Kaytrananda, Pino Palladino, Smino, James Francies, Smokey Hormel and many more. The album was recorded at New York City’s Electric Lady Studios.

St. Louis artist Smino has been on quite the feature run over the past two years working with artist like SiR , Doja Cat , J.I.D , J.Cole and more while working on his long awaited follow up to 2018’s NIOR that he has been teasing for fans is coming in 2021. Smino dropped his Monte Booker produced record Rice & Gravy earlier this year as warm up to what’s next as the frequently collaborators gave fans their signature sound.