Cebassian Severe is a 26 years old upcoming Haitian DJ living in Florida. That not too long ago I was on Instagram and saw a flyer about (YoBabou!) AKA Cebassian . For some reason, the flyer really caught my attention, so I did a little bit of research. After that, I went to a friend asking him questions. He was like: “oh yeah, hold on.” A few minutes later came back with his contact.
What can you tell someone who doesn’t know you, about who you are?
I’m a pretty chill individual once you get to know me, an introvert, super sensitive at times but pretty decent to have as a friend. I’m also told that I give good advice so if you want any just hit me up 😌
Where did your love for music come from? Was being a Dj have always been a passion of yours Since Haiti, or it happened when you moved to the US?
My love for music started when I came to the states. My entire music library at the time used to be in a 2nd generation iPod that I carried around EVERYWHERE just in case I was told to play music at parties, hangouts, chills, etc… The feedbacks that I used to get about the playlists were surprisingly good so I thought to myself why not make it a hobby……From there, I got my first DJ controller and that’s how this journey started.
What is the biggest challenge you faced in this industry?
The pressure of not knowing what to expect from a crowd before a gig.
How would you hope to differentiate yourself from other DJs?
By making an impact with my style of playing everywhere I go.
I’m curious to know how you got your parents on board with this. How did you initiate the conversation with your parents?
At first, momma wasn’t about it at all, it was always an issue for her every time I used to step out of the house for a gig. She got used to it eventually and now she’s the one keeping track of all my gigs, my schedule, etc…
How would you describe your career for the past year?
It went from 0 to a 100 real quick…..LITERALLY
in December 2019, you had the chance to do a show with Joé Dwét Filé. How was the experience?
Honestly, it wasn’t one of my best gigs because I had personal issues going on but Joé’s performance was gold and I enjoyed every second of it.
What would be the dream Gig for you?
My dream gig would be playing in front of several thousands of people; an Ultra Music Festival setting like.
I have noticed that more people are talking about you and your craft. How does it feel to be recognized?
It feels unreal in all honesty, but I owe everything to my support system, they’ve been with me since day 1 till this present day and that’s something I’m very grateful of.
Besides being a Dj, what else do you do?
Outside of being a DJ, YoBabou! Is an Administrative Assistant, a Youth Soccer Coach and a Junior Associate at a private Mental Health and Art Therapy company.
Every artist wants to be recognized for their craft, and their styles. What’s yours??
I want to say that I put people in a whining mood when I play because I always get “Depi Babou pral jwe Bouda Anlè li ye” (When Babou is playing all about the asses in the air) but I’m still figuring that out along the way.
Who do you hope to Collaborate with national or international?
I don’t produce music so collaborating with another artist isn’t something that’s top on my list honestly but if I had to choose I would go with Dj Bullet.
What should we expect in 2020 from you? What’s next for you?
In 2020 nothing’s changing; just bigger goals. Securing the bag’s top priority and big events are coming up so stay tuned.
If I would to ask your friends to describe you, what would they say and why?
LMAO you would get different answers on this one but top 3 would be
1)”He loves to curse”
2)”He has no filter”
3)”He’s super shy but once he gets comfortable somewhere it’s a wrap, lap tou pran zone lan pou li”.
Any lucky leading lady in your life? If not, what do you look for in a woman? ( believe it or not, I am a matchmaker 😂)
LOL….No but I do have someone in mind, still working progress though; we’ll see how it goes. As far as what I look for in a woman all I ask for is trust, loyalty, and respect. (Fok ou gen gwo dèyè, gwo kwis ak 2 ti tete byen won tou😊)
What are your hopes for Haiti? How do you plan on making a difference?
The day we decide to change our mindset is the day that we’ll see change but right now I don’t see any type of change coming anytime soon. As much as I would like to start something and make a difference I feel like it’s going to be in vain so…….
What’s a day in the life of YoBabou! Looks like when he’s not DJing ( lol is that even a word)?
It is a word lol but we don’t take breaks from Djing, to be honest, a heavy load of songs comes out daily so we always have to keep a tab on what’s hot and what’s not so I’m always Djing. If I’m not performing live I’m always practicing at home, if I’m not physically practicing, I’m mentally mixing songs but other than that I do have regular day breaks just like everyone else. On those days I mostly relax and play soccer.
I know you play soccer, did you ever thought about going pro?
Yes I did but that didn’t work out as you can see lol.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
That I work at a Church Office 😂
YoBabou! is happy when…
YoBabou! Is happy when there’s food…..lots of it
Since starting in this business, I assume you have learned so much. What is one thing you can share with any young ones?
I have several. Just do it! Not because of the money but because you love what you do. The money will eventually come knocking; just be patient. Embrace criticism and learn from your mistakes. Don’t ever think you’re good enough because there’s ALWAYS room for improvement. Last but not least; be and stay humble.
What is one issue that you are passionate about and would love to raise awareness?
Global warming! Global warming! Global warming! I can’t stress this enough…..
After reading this interview what’s one thing you would hope people remember from you?
Always do what you love and love what you do.
It’s a tradition for me to ask anyone that I’m interviewing if they have one last thing they would like to say. I don’t know, a message or anything that I might have left out to the readers.
I want to Thank You Lady Sergine for interviewing me, I enjoyed answering these questions. Also, a big shout out to my Mother, Jino my manager, Alcol, Dorly, Entre-nous epi tout ban dèyè djazz la, nou kon kiyes nou ye deja; e noul ye ❤️ #WapJweWiLa #Woooorddd ( shoutout to my backbones for your endless support)
A huge thank you to YOBABOU! for this interview. it has been an absolute pleasure working with you. It has been a while since I have connected to someone that I am interviewing. I am looking forward to what’s next for you.
Follow him on Instagram @yo_babou, in order to keep with everything.
Happy New Year !!! May this year be filled with love, positivity, and everything that you desire!
xoxo
Lady Sergine 🌹💋
ladysergine.com 