There’s a list of Rockfordians who are nationally and internationally known. A Belvidere native said he will soon be a part of that list.
His name is Yash Musabji. Musabji has many titles. Some include recording artist, videographer, and co-owner and head of production of Icon Studios. This Rockford space includes a podcast and music studio.
The podcast area was dimly lit with a table that sits behind a three-camera set up. The other side of the room looked like a cozy night club. The black 3D designed sound boards added flavor to the walls. Musabji explained that there are two types of sound proofing — absorption is one of them. This type stops the sound from bouncing around the room and will not reflect on the walls, but Musabji chose something else.
“This is a deflection type of sound,” he continued. “So, when the sound hits it, it's not going to come right back into the mic, it's going to go up, or it's been hit down. So, it breaks it up into little pieces. Really, I bought it for stylistic purposes.”
In other words, these walls add a great esthetic to the room.
Musabji was born in India and moved to the Chicagoland area when he was two. He relocated to Belvidere in third grade. He said his love for photography and videography comes from his grandfather.
“I always knew, you know, my grandpa was a photographer," he said. "And when I started my business up, I didn't ask him for any advice or any of that stuff, because we just weren't that close at that time. We're great now. And I was like, trying to figure out my logo. What did I want my logo to be?"
The entrepreneur said he wanted to do something iconic and then he thought of a peacock. He said the bird’s feathers are distinctive. He said he went with choosing a part of the colorful bird’s eye-like feather.
“I showed my mom, after I get the designs,” he said. “I'm like, ‘Yeah, Mom, you know this my feather and she was like, ‘Oh, you took your grandpa's logo.’ And I'm like, what? ‘No way. I was like 'Get out of here.'”
When his grandfather learned about this, he painted Musabji a huge peacock. Musabji said he keeps this over his bed.
"And my grandpa's super happy and super proud that like, in a way, his legacy is continuing," he said.
But Musabji’s first career option had nothing to do with the arts. He went to college to study computer science.
“But then I took a couple of computer classes and I'm like, ‘This is so boring, I can't do this,’" he said. "So, I ended up taking a video class at RVC just so I can learn how to shoot music videos from my own music,” he added. “And it was, it was that that really sparked it."
That Rock Valley College introductory class gave him a hunger to learn more about video production. So, he started using the internet to teach himself more. This newfound love prompted him to buy his first camera, a Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5. He soon switched over to Sony cameras.
He said the production work he did for others made him set his musical endeavors to the side. He started using his skills to help others with their music videos. Musabji said he always wanted to have a podcast studio for himself. He said as a businessman it didn’t make sense for him to put all that money into something he would only use once or twice a month.
“If I turn it into a business, that way when I'm not using it, other people are using it, and they get benefit out of it,” he said. “And we also make some money out of it. That was like the thought process behind everything.”
Musabji said the space can also be used for people to take photos or do whatever they need creatively.
As Musabji spoke, producer Dave Jones Jr. was busy working on a project. The beat maker never took his eyes off the computer screen. Musabji said some producers use the space to make music and some bring their artists in to record.
The studio owner solicits the help of his friends to keep things up and running. Chad Bettis is his business partner and best friend. Musabji has been close to him since third grade. The two had a simple set up in the beginning. Bettis would use money from his job to buy equipment and Musabji uses the gear to make money for the business.
“Now, this year, we're finally at this key milestone that I've been dreaming about where he can quit his job and just come work full time, and not have to worry,” he said. “So hence, we actually just bought a house together as business partners for a real estate firm.”
Musabji said he is officially a Rockford resident. Outside of running the studio, the team’s efforts expand outside of the Forest City. They subcontract for local businesses. He said roofing companies are some of their biggest clients.
Musabji works with the younger creatives in the community by teaching them his craft. He is also a board member of the Rockford Area Arts Council. With all that’s going on, the musician has carved out time to get back to rap artistry. He said he makes music that has feeling and meaning for him personally.
“I rap about my life experiences that I've had," he said. "I don't come from the streets. I don't know how to - how things like that work, right? I don't rap about drugs or whatever. Like, I rap about the struggles of growing up with Indian parents.”
He said he takes samples from old Bollywood movies and put that into the songs. This is his way to bring a little bit of India to America.
The artist said he wrote a visual album five years ago. Prelude to L1F3 was released last year. He is currently working on another album with his friend, rap artist 815.
Outside of all his artistic endeavors, Musabji is making time to help his father.
“Me and my dad just opened up a liquor store in Belvidere," he said. "It's been his American dream to, like, open one up. I don't know why. But, like, he just loves the retail store business.”
Liquor on Logan, 1253 Logan Ave., in Belvidere opened last month.
Musabji said he is very confident in his skills, but he puts in a lot of hard work that people don’t get to see.
“I always had a dream that I was going to be the next big artist from Rockford, right? like Virgil Abloh. And Fred VanVleet. The next name will be Yash Musabji," he shared. "Like, that's just the way I see it. I just know it, I feel it. I have this star quality and something about it. And I have this amazing story that just works. And I've got this amazing community.”
Musabji said the studio will continue to grow. He said it’ll have a music department, visual department and eventually a marketing department, making the space what he calls a “cultural hub” -- an affordable place where people can come to create and collaborate with other artists.
