featuring @therealaplus
For a generation of music fans who grew up in the late 1990s, few songs are as instantly recognizable as A+’s “Enjoy Yourself.” Built around Walter Murphy’s disco-era interpretation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the track was an unlikely combination of classical music, hip-hop and infectious pop appeal — and it turned a teenage rapper from Hempstead, New York, into an international star.
But A+’s story is considerably more interesting than a single hit.
Born Andre Levins, A+ entered the music business when he was barely a teenager. He released his first album at just 14, found himself working alongside some of hip-hop’s biggest names, travelled internationally and eventually scored a major European hit with “Enjoy Yourself.”
Then, seemingly almost as quickly as he had arrived, A+ disappeared from the mainstream spotlight.
So, whatever happened to the rapper who once encouraged the world to “Enjoy Yourself”?
Growing Up in Hempstead
Long before the record deals and international success, Andre Levins was a young music fan growing up in Hempstead, Long Island.
Levins has spoken about growing up in the Adams Court projects, where his passion for hip-hop developed at an early age. In a 2016 profile, he returned to his old neighbourhood and pointed out the apartment where he had lived as a child. He recalled putting a speaker out of his bedroom window so that people in the neighbourhood could hear his music.
His surroundings were not always easy. Levins grew up in an environment where violence was a reality, and he has recalled having to run home to avoid gunfire. His mother also remembered how seriously he took music, with Levins spending much of his time writing and recording rather than becoming involved in the street life around him.
Even as a youngster, however, he was already developing connections within hip-hop.
His mother recalled him participating in rap cyphers with artists including Redman and attending parties involving groups such as Smif-N-Wessun. He was also reportedly connected to the likes of DMX while still incredibly young.
The teenage rapper was clearly operating in a world far beyond what most kids his age were experiencing.
A+ Arrives on the Scene
Levins’ breakthrough came in 1995 when he won a national talent competition sponsored by Def Jam Records.
The competition brought him to the attention of music executive Kedar Massenburg, who subsequently signed him as the first artist to his newly established Kedar Entertainment label. Massenburg reportedly saw something different in the young rapper, with the name A+ representing his ambition to strive for excellence.
That ambition quickly became reality.
In 1996, at only 14 years old, A+ released his debut album, The Latch-Key Child. For a teenager to release an album would have been impressive enough, but A+ was surrounded by established hip-hop royalty.
The album featured appearances from artists including Q-Tip and Prodigy, helping establish the teenager as a legitimate young talent rather than simply a novelty act.
Its lead single, “All I See,” made an impact on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 66 and spending 14 weeks on the chart.
A+ was suddenly one of hip-hop’s most talked-about young artists.
He even found himself appearing on the cover of Word Up! and alongside some of the biggest names in hip-hop culture.
But there was a complication: A+ was still a kid.
The Pressure of Being a Teenage Rap Star
A+’s age was both his selling point and one of the things that made his career difficult.
The music industry saw an incredibly talented young rapper who could appeal to an audience of teenagers, but Levins’ own musical ambitions were considerably more mature than the image that could be expected of a teenage performer.
In later reflections on his career, Levins discussed how his label wanted to steer his music towards a more commercial sound. He felt that the industry was attempting to make him follow contemporary trends rather than allowing him to continue developing the rawer style that had characterised The Latch-Key Child.
Nevertheless, A+ continued moving forward.
And then came the song that would define his career.
“Enjoy Yourself” Changes Everything
Released in 1998, “Enjoy Yourself” was a bold change of direction.
Produced by Ty Fyffe, the track famously sampled Walter Murphy’s 1976 disco/classical crossover “A Fifth of Beethoven,” itself based around Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
The combination was almost impossible to ignore.
The production was bright and instantly recognisable, while A+’s youthful delivery gave the song a playful energy that separated it from much of the harder-edged rap dominating the era.
“Enjoy Yourself” became A+’s breakthrough international hit.
The song reached the Top Five of the UK Singles Chart, peaked at No. 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and found audiences across Europe and Japan.
For a rapper who was still only in his teens, it was an extraordinary achievement.
The success also helped propel his second album, Hempstead High, which was released in February 1999.
The album featured an impressive collection of guests, including Erykah Badu, Canibus, the Lost Boyz and Chico DeBarge.
A+ had gone from promising teenage rapper to international recording artist in just a few years.
So, Where Is A+ Now?
A+ Comes Home
One of the most revealing glimpses into A+’s life today comes directly from his Instagram. In a recent post, A+ shared footage and photographs from the Hempstead High Multiclass Reunion, celebrating his hometown and the community that watched him grow from a young rapper into an international recording artist. And A+ wasn’t there simply as a guest.
He performed.
The accompanying event post describes A+ as a “hometown legend” who took the stage and electrified the crowd, officially opening the dance floor for the gala. The photographs show him dressed in a sharp black formal suit and bow tie, microphone in hand, performing in front of a packed audience. A+ himself celebrated the occasion, giving a shout-out to “the whole HEMPSTEAD” and thanking the reunion committee for putting everything together. It is a striking contrast to the image many fans may still have of him.
The teenager who once appeared on television and music channels promoting “Enjoy Yourself” is now a veteran performer returning home to entertain people who have known his story from the beginning.
He’s Still Making Music
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that A+ isn’t simply living off his back catalogue. Recent streaming listings show that he remains musically active. In 2025, he appeared alongside UK DJ and producer Riordan on “Party Out,” bringing his name into a completely different contemporary musical environment.
A+ Hasn’t Forgotten Where He Came From
Perhaps the most consistent theme running through A+’s current presence is Hempstead. His social media posts regularly embrace his connection to the community, and the recent reunion performance makes it clear that his hometown remains an important part of his identity. There’s something fitting about that.
A+ became famous as a teenager, but he never stopped being the kid from Hempstead who wanted people to hear his music. His career began there. His biggest memories were created there. And now, decades later, he is returning there as a respected veteran of hip-hop.
And Yes, He Still Has “Enjoy Yourself”
More than 25 years after its release, “Enjoy Yourself” remains the song that most people immediately associate with A+. But perhaps the more interesting story isn’t what happened to the teenage rapper after his hit. It’s what happened when the teenager grew up.
A+ experienced fame before he was old enough to fully understand what a lifelong career in music might look like. He released albums, worked alongside some of hip-hop’s biggest names and achieved an international hit before most people his age had even finished high school.
Today, he appears to have found a different relationship with music. There is less of the pressure that comes with chasing the next massive hit and more of a sense of celebrating the career he has already built. He can walk back into Hempstead and receive a hero’s welcome. He can pick up a microphone and still command a room. And he can release new music for an audience that remembers exactly where they were when “Enjoy Yourself” first played. For A+, that may be the greatest achievement of all.
The teenage rapper who once told the world to “Enjoy Yourself” is still doing exactly that — only now, he’s doing it on his own terms.
- Email: neill@outloudculture.com
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