Yak Ballz

Scifentology II, the new album from Queens-bred MC Yak Ballz is proof that dynamic, thoughtful, creative hip-hop is hardly a thing of the past. - Impose Magazine

Through raw lyrics and graffiti inspired album art by Ewok-One, Yak holds fast to the era he originated. - Mass Appeal Magazine

Despite having possibly the worst name in music and a style that automatically incites comparisons to his mentor, Cage, who appears here on “New Communication,” Yak Ballz truly deserves to be heard by a wider audience based on his own merits as a skilled MC. Yak, like many of his Weathermen brethren, interweaves
his own personal narratives with
horror and sci-fi references, and does so with a wit, style and confidence that brings his wild, wild world to life. His production choices consist of an outstanding mix of
gritty, New York underground beats and dense Def Jux noise, although it does get a bit much on the aggressive chorus section of anti-love song “Taking Good Care.”
While it’s unlikely Yak will be heard on commercial radio any time soon, Scifentology II does have the potential to be an underground smash. - URB Magazine

In 2008, it is not such an easy thing to bring Hip Hop fans back to supporting the culture’s often overlooked yet powerful socio-political leanings. On Scifentology II, Yak Ballz combines profound social commentary with a myriad of musical styles and embellished choruses in a worthwhile attempt to do just that. - HipHopDX.com

Growing up in Queens, Yak Ballz had a variety of inspirations, but even though he cites Q-Tip, Organized Konfusion and O.C. as his influences, there is something completely unique and free from adaptation in his approach to Hip-Hop. Maybe it is his intricate story-telling or his accessible metaphors or the fact that he isn’t driven to preach or save Hip-Hop but more interested in the art of telling a story. On his sophomore release, Scifentology II, Yak Ballz demonstrates why this clever MC is on the rise. With production being provided from Aesop Rock, Camu Tao, Govone, Mondee, Chapter 7, Adept, Chris Maestro, the soundscape fuses the backbeat of jazz with the raucous, in your face, punk swagger. In many ways, Scifentology II demonstrates why Yak Ballz and El-P’s Weatherman partnership works so well. They both tap into the darker recesses in their subject matter, but Yak Ballz never seeks to glorify these misdirections in life but use these examples for others to learn from. Despite the often heavy subject matter (suicides, body image issues, drugs), his rhymes are breezy and bounce over the production quite nicely. Scifentology II pushes the indie Hip-Hop envelope to its lyrical limit. Armed with rhymes that will resonate with you long after the song as finished, Yak Ballz isn’t the next MC to mimic the great rhymers from New York; he is the next New York MC to do great things. - Jive Magazine

Packing a track record which speaks volumes more than an inflated ego ever could, the NYC native is ready establish his residency as one of hip-hop’s next heavy-hitters. - Format Magazine