Yooda

Deltravious Batten aka “Yooda,” adopted his stage moniker from his favorite childhood movie, "Star Wars." Having been influenced by Yooda’s strength, endurance and determination allowed him to focus on attaining many of his pursuits and goals. Yooda, born April 21, is an American rapper, native to Miami, Florida. He grew up in the South Miami areas of Liberty City, Carol City and Richmond Heights. While Yooda's childhood was not bad it was also not the best, he experienced a life altering sit...

Deltravious Batten aka “Yooda,” adopted his stage moniker from his favorite childhood movie, "Star Wars." Having been influenced by Yooda’s strength, endurance and determination allowed him to focus on attaining many of his pursuits and goals. Yooda, born April 21, is an American rapper, native to Miami, Florida. He grew up in the South Miami areas of Liberty City, Carol City and Richmond Heights. While Yooda's childhood was not bad it was also not the best, he experienced a life altering situation at the impressionable age of 9 when his cousin was shot in the head. Not knowing how to handle his grief, Yooda lashed out at everyone, refusing to express his pain, anger and thoughts. In the face of this tragedy, Yooda turned to music as an outlet to ease his pain, listening to such Artists as Baby face, After 7, Michael Jackson, Barry White and New Edition just to name a few; he also became fans of groups such as Naughty by Nature, N.W.A and Poison Clan. As Yooda matured, his perception and attitude began to evolve as he was witness to many of his peers either being murdered or going to jail. As a youth in high school, although Yooda played football and he also took the time to groom his musical talent while rapping and writing love songs. In 2001, he became serious about his craft after seeing his older brother "Vido No Shake" one half of the Miami group "Piccalo" performing, travelling and commanding the stage. It was at this point in his life when Yooda began to recognize that rap music was in his heart and had begun to use it as an outlet for many of his thoughts, experiences and reflections. In 2002, Yooda furthered his burgeoning interest in rap by creating a local group with a couple of friends known as the Junkyard Squad. It was also at this time Yooda founded his Record Label, Junkyard Entertainment. Under this label and with the group, Yooda released two albums on the streets entitled "Laugh now, Cry later" (2003) and "The Predator" (2004). In 2005, Yooda began pursuing an opportunity as a solo artist, it is then that he released an album entitled "Chronicles of Yooda" (2006), followed by Chronicles of Yooda, Chapter 2, entitled "Green Eyez" (2007) and Chronicles of Yooda Chapter 3, entitled "305 Shotta" (2010). Now that Yooda has evolved and matured as an Artist and in every aspect of his life, he is on the cusp of making a name for himself on the musical scene, his mantra is "Music is Yooda and Yooda is Music." Keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on the musical top 10 list for this rising young Artist.