Profile of
Tyga
Type(s) of Music: pop rap, emo rap
Real Name: Michael Stevenson
Place of Origin: [city], California
Year the Act Began:
Musical Influences: |
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Biography/History of
Tyga
 Not
long ago - Tyga (born Michael Stevenson) was just another kid from the
hood struggling to rise above the negativity that surrounded him. Born
and raised in the infamous Compton, CA armed with nothing but an amateur
mixtape and hunger, he built solid local buzz through impressive live
shows and an online hustle. Still, a kid with lofty dreams wondered if
he’d ever catch that “big break”. Then one day a conversation at a
popular LA sneaker store changed everything.
In the aisle of Flight Club LA he and Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes
had a debate that switched from ranking the greatest Jordans ever to the
greatest rappers. "We started talking about music and I got enough
courage to give him my little mixtape" Tyga says. "He was telling me all
this stuff he was doing with his band and I thought he was just lying to
seem cool. Then one day I saw him on MTV, then I started hitting him up
on AIM non stop!" he says with a chuckle. "Next thing you know I'm on
tour with him going all over the world. It was crazy." Travis relates “I
can see myself at his age whenever I watch him perform. It’s an
innocence and a sense of urgency a lot of artists today lack and it’s an
honor for me to welcome him to the inner circle”. Travis signed Tyga to
his Bat Squad Records imprint. A bond had been made indeed.
Tyga soon became an unofficial part of Gym Class Hero’s crew and his
undeniable presence would be felt at various events, appearances and
shows. People began to wonder “who is this kid?” His charismatic swagger
gave off the aura of a star while he patiently waited for his real
chance to shine.
That moment came at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. The night before
the show Tyga found out that he would be perform the "Arms Race" remix
with Fall Out Boy alongside Travis and Lil
Wayne. Unexpectedly thrust into such a huge arena, most young
artists would crumble under the pressure. Instead, Tyga stepped up and
traded vocal jabs on a stage full of pop-culture heavyweights in front
of millions of viewers. The star had arrived.
Thoroughly impressed by the youngster's gusto, Tyga and Weezy became
fast friends. Wayne remembers “At rehearsal I thought he was just a
stand in, but when the cameras were rolling I realized he wasn’t playing
around”. Soon, Tyga would find himself in the studio with the
self-proclaimed "greatest rapper alive" laying down verses for an
appearance on the most anticipated album in years - Lil Wayne's The
Carter 3.
Another famous musician known for his ability to spot talent -
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz also
took notice. He was so excited he suggested his label Decaydance team up
with Bat Squad on a release for Tyga. “Gym Class’ success has opened a
lot of new doors for us, “ Pete says “Yeah, it’s different but I think
it’d be pretty lame if I only put out stuff that I thought everybody
loves or gets. To me this is the future.”
The press has also taken notice with early mentions in Blender, AOL.com
and MTV. VIBE magazine even declared him as one of the best undiscovered
rappers in America. The fact that momentum has started rolling in Tyga’s
favor has not been lost on the humble artist. “I truly am blessed to
have such great people believing in me. I’m real lucky and I can’t wait
to get out there and make everyone proud. I just gotta stay positive,
keep my faith in God and I know things will turn out great”
Tyga’s aptly titled debut album NO INTRODUCTION is set for release this
spring. The lead single - “Coconut Juice” - produced by SAM & Sluggo
(Gym Class Heroes, Method Man) is a track just screaming to take over
radio. Tyga explains the meaning behind the unusual phrase “I don’t
drink alcohol, so at parties I would just walk around with a cup mixed
with whatever else I could find. When people asked what I was sipping on
I would say ‘coconut juice’ because it sounded funny. So I made a song
about it.” The album also features diverse production from Patrick Stump
(Fall Out Boy, The Roots, Lupe Fiasco) and Stress (Ghostface Killah,
Cassidy) as well as appearances by Stump, Travis, & Lil Wayne. Ladies &
Gentleman, meet the most famous unknown artist in music, someone who
needs no introduction – TYGA.
Biography Courtesy
of Think Tank Marketing
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Listen to Music
"Coconut Juice" ft. Travis McCoy
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