Yasin El Ashrafi knows what rock bottom feels like. He knows how it feels to be written off – to grow up poor, without a Dad or a strong male role model. Today he is an award winning music mentor, providing a platform for underprivileged youngsters who face an uphill struggle to be heard in an already challenging industry.
Yasin is the owner of HQ Recording Studio in Leicester City Centre which he opened in 2012 and is a Director of HQ CAN, a Community Interest Company he set up in 2016. He has a string of impressive accolades under his belt; a British Empire Medal, a British Citizen Award and even an honorary degree from De Montfort University.
This Doctor of Music certainly has a lot to be proud of. But it wasn’t always that way…
Picture: Yasin El Ashrafi
In his early 20s, Yasin was on a rudderless path – lost in a world which didn’t seem to offer much hope to people like him – those from a poor background with little-to-no support.
He grew up on a council estate in New Parks with five sisters and a single Mum. Expelled from school at 15, he fell in with the wrong crowd and his main ambition in life was to get high.
His never knew his Dad, who was deported before he was born…
However, it was when Yasin became a Dad himself, aged 26, that he decided to turn his life around and really take it by the horns.
“Before I had my son, I had a bit of a live fast die young attitude. I didn’t really feel like I had anything to lose and I didn’t care what anybody thought of me or anything,” he tells Pukaar.
“As a youngster coming from a council estate, aspirations were really low. I wasn’t academic so people used to tell me ‘you’ll either end up dead or in jail’. The more people say these things the more you start to believe them.“
“But as soon as I knew I was going to be a Dad, something clicked in me,” he continued. “I just thought, I need to be someone that my kids can be proud of.
“I need to be a good person and I need to get some sort of direction.”
Yasin’s son was born with severe Cerebral Palsy. Because of his disability, he felt that he needed a career with flexibility and one which would provide enough money to support his complex needs.
At 29, Yasin quit his job as a delivery driver and plunged his efforts into a brand new venture.
Picture: Yasin El Ashrafi
Armed with a small amount of funding, he set up a project in New Parks which saw him reach out to people in the community. He went into community centres and libraries with laptops, speakers and a huge passion for music.
“We did that for a year and then we got a chance to get a studio and it kind of got a bit more serious then. That’s when we looked into how to monetise it – how to turn it into a career and help other people do it,” he revealed.
“There are so many people who are talented but they’ve just not got the resources or they’ve not got the guidance.
Without that, it’s easy to go down the wrong path. But the more positive people you’re around, the more positive and the more aspirational you become. Sometimes all it takes is one person to believe in you…”
The people Yasin mentors and lets into his studio are often underprivileged – unemployed and often from troubled backgrounds. However, giving them a chance to write and record their music helps with their self esteem and overall well-being.
Some of the people he has mentored have had their songs played on national radio. Thanks to his guidance, they are able to make a living out of their passion. Yasin is proud that he has been able to do this too, but what he’s really proud of is being able to influence change and help make a difference in the lives of others.
Picture: Yasin El Ashrafi
“So many people come in with real low confidence. Sometimes they can’t even make eye contact. Then you see them and they’re performing on a stage – or they’ve got a song on Spotify – they’ve got something to show their friends and family and it’s a real big confidence boost,” he revealed.
“Once you start helping people it’s quite addictive. I call it ‘soul food’. You make money and you spend it, but when you really help somebody change their whole life around, the reward it gives you inside, it lasts a lot longer than a financial one.
“We’ve had people come to us at ground zero and now they make their living following their dream. That’s the best feeling. That’s something that money can’t buy.”
By Louise Steel
