Roll out the green carpet: KC activist-turned-global performer readies for his 1,000th clean energy show

AY Young is counting down to music history, he shared.

After an almost 13-year journey through 100 cities and 40 countries, the singer, songwriter, activist, and entrepreneur has 41 shows remaining until his Guinness World recording-breaking 1,000th show powered solely by clean energy.

He’s planning to hit the milestone Oct. 6, 2025: Green Sports Day.

AY Young performs in New York City’s Times Square; courtesy photo

“I’ve been on the mission of getting the world plugged in,” Young said. “Everyone in the world is an outlet for change and plugged into each other — at the local level, the community level — we can power change.”

The Kansas City native and United Nations Young Leader founded his startup, Battery Tour, in 2012 as a platform to perform, while also sending sustainable solutions (such as portable solar-powered generators) to people around the world. 

“I’ve brought energy to 18 countries and there’s still, what, 900 million people who don’t have power?” he explained. “Even in Florida, part of my team is helping bring power to people that lost it during the hurricane.”

“If you have power, you can have access to the internet, you can give people education, and then you can really change the world,” he added.

For Young — who will be performing Saturday at the Record Bar along with fellow KC rapper and entrepreneur The Popper — the road to 1,000 kicked off with show 958 in Times Square at Father Duffy Park during Climate Week NYC in September.

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