coaster yakima valley rapper

Yakima Valley Rapper Coaster Independently Rocks 26 Shows In 29 Days

Selah, WA based emcee Coaster just completed quite the feat. After headlining 17 cities in 17 days across the Pacific Northwest he took a three-day break and then joined Afroman for 9 shows 9 straight nights in a row. He’s home for a few days before headlining the hip-hop stage at our Evolve 4-20 festival in Spokane.

We had a chance to catch up with one of the hardest grinding artists in the PNW and chop it up about music, touring over 5800 miles in less than a month, and the Yaks. 

RMR: What’s good man? How you been…how did tour life treat you?

Coaster: These back-to-back tours have been extremely monumental and momentous for me! It’s definitely been a test of will but the reward has outweighed any speed bump or obstacle I’ve faced on the road. I’ve received so much love all over the region, it’s been unreal.

RMR: 26 shows in 29 days. How did your body and mind handle this? What are the main things you learned from this type of travel and performing?

Coaster: It’s extremely exhausting both mentally and physically. The best thing you can do is have a good routine and healthy habits. Always always always mind your stomach. It’s ok to explore different foods but be cautious of what you’re putting inside your body, especially fast food! I tend to stay away from energy drinks, coffee, and food such as chicken wings or anything spicy. Also I personally stay away from alcohol but that’s because I’m over 4 years sober. Not feeling good on tour will make your experience 10x worse. As far as mentally – sleep and nap when you can and go for walks when you have time. Its always good to recharge your body and state of mind.

RMR: You’re from Selah which is a “suburb” of Yakima. What’s the music scene like in Yakima?

Coaster: To be honest, in my opinion, there’s not much of a scene in Yakima when it comes to hip-hop. There’s a lot of talented artists and no direction. There’s no longer any thriving music culture and live music venues have become scarce. I feel like over time Yakima’s hip-hop scene slowly dissipated and all of us artists got the short end of the stick. This is why I haven’t performed in or around Yakima/Selah since 2017. I love all of my fans and supporters back home but they understand why I have to stay on the road until I have a big enough platform to come back and change the way things are.

RMR: As a small market PNW emcee, you’ve been able to amass quite the fan base. What has been successful for you in building your traction without much love from the big city or media outlets?

Coaster: Hands down its connecting with people and networking. Shaking people’s hands. Being professional from the moment I step in the building to when I leave. Knowing how to market myself and understanding my own demographic. Not to mention the music has to be relatable and resonate with people. Going out of your way to make someone smile or laugh can really go a long way. I try to create positive energy around myself and my brand. I always try to give people a reason to remember me. 

RMR: What’s your favorite city to perform in?

Coaster:Honestly I dont have a favorite city to perform in just yet. Everytime I revisit a city for a show I always meet a ton of new people! On top of that, I’m always performing in new places that I’ve never stepped foot in before. Like with these back-to-back tours I performed in 7 new cities. 

RMR: Best food you’ve ever had on tour?

Coaster:I can’t even pick! Shamelessly I eat a lot of good food on tour. I love experiencing different cultures and trying new things. Hawaiian food is definitely one of my favorites though. Big shout out to Kona Kitchen in north Seattle and No Ho’s in Portland! 

RMR: Anything else? What you got coming up?

Coaster: I’m excited to go back to Spokane, WA on April 20th to headline the hip-hop stage at Evolve! I’ll also be performing at Weedstock in May. But mostly I plan to focus on creating new music and new music videos for the fans over the next few months. We’ll see what’s in store!

Catch Coaster in Spokane on Saturday, April 20th

Smoke and Flow coaster

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