LA Based Rap Artist Tyran Brown Talks About His New Single "Gettin Money" And How He Stands Out From The Rap Crowd
Tyran Brown is a LA based rap artist whose newly released single "Gettin Money" is a certified anthem for those striving to get the dead presidents. We connected with the talented emcee and Worldarts featured artist to find out more about his DOPE single, what motivated him to create the UNLV anthem "I'm A Rebel", his thoughts on how he stands out from the rap crowd and much more. Be sure to support DOPE music by streaming/downloading "Gettin Money" on iTunes -- https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gettin-money-single/id1209568119?ls=1&app=itunes
Your new single "Gettin Money" is really dope. How did you select the instrumental and what made you decide to release it as a single?
It's a beat my producer De Knight gave me in either 2013 or 2014. I recorded that song originally about 3 years ago, and I always liked it and anyone I ever played it for loved it. I picked it as a single because it's been a while since I put out my last single "Goin Up", and as I'm crafting my style for my next release, I wanted to put out a song I think could create some good energy.
What motivated you to create the UNLV Running Rebels anthem "I'm A Rebel" back when you were a student there?
A few things. For one, I had just begun to take music seriously. I would put out weekly freestyles on YouTube over popular beats. I wanted to find a way to get a following going. Two of my former roommates Chace Stanback and Matt Shaw told me that one of their teammates Mychal Martinez was good at making beats, so we met up and started working on music together. This was around the time that Wiz Khalifa's song "Black And Yellow" was out, and I came with an idea to make an anthem like that for my school that could possibly get played at the games and could build an audience for me. We made the song, it was played at the games, and featured on CBS Sports. I used that same approach years later with my Clippers anthem "Larry".
If you had to describe yourself as an artist in three words, which ones would you choose?
Handsome, Gorgeous, and Sexy hahaha. But let's see. I would say Versatile, Picture-Painter, Story-Teller.
What's the most important thing you have learned from your mentor Malik Yusef?
There are many things I've learned and continue to learn. First thing is patience; second thing is to not be subservient. I may not have sold 10 million albums, but I have to move and carry myself as if my product is worth what can sell that. One thing he instilled in me, which was already in me to a certain degree, is to not give anyone the opportunity to minimalize me or make me feel small because it will happen on a daily basis. These are things that I tend to notice a lot of people lack the further and further I immerse myself. I also learned to put that pride and ego away, and work with as many other talented artists as possible to create the best product. I constantly reach out to producers and songwriters who I think are great at something I'm not good at, and it's helping so much. Lastly, I would say to find a way to keep yourself in the right rooms and in the right people's conversations.
How do you as an artist stand out from all the other rappers making noise right now?
Most of them are 5'7" and I'm about 6'5" hahaha. But honestly, they haven't walked my path and I havent walked theirs so that would be the main thing. When it comes to rap, I'm a lyricist's lyricist first, and I'm always trying to switch my flow up and say something clever but yet very direct. When it comes to songwriting, I am truly spending hours on hours studying the greats because I really want to make classic records that will keep my legacy immortal.