TIRON (June 2010) | Interview By: Lil Jay

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Interview was done in May 2010

Questions Asked By: Lil Jay
 

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Dubcnn: First of all, give a brief introduction for the people who might not know about you...

TiRon: My name is TiRon, I'm from L.A. I grew up in a lot of places, but this is my home for now, so this where I'm from. But originally I was born in a spot called Kankakee, 60901. It's kinda like on the outside of Chicago, maybe like an hour away. I moved out here in 1990 and then I moved back in 92, 93 and then I came back out here in 94 and went back in 95 and then I came back officially to set up shop and live here in 7th grade.


Dubcnn: So which song or project do you think is the one that people should know you for the most?

TiRon: Well, I'm on a couple different ones. There's this blog called theexactly.net, they put out a mixtape called "Your New Favorite Mixtape", I was on that. I did a couple records with Pac Div, I did a record called "Throwin My Money" which is on my mixtape "Ketchup". I was just part of the resurgence of West Coast shit coming out, so I was just part of that and got caught up in it. But the song that stands out the most is probably "Paper" with Pac Div or "Throwing My Money", which is my single.


Dubcnn: Even though "Throwing My Money" got excellent feedback, I think it had the potential to do even better with the catchy song and the dope video.

TiRon: Really, it's just the name of the game. A lot of it is just getting it in the right hands. People are a little apprehensive to check out new stuff these days. Especially when it's so much music out, so you just stick to what you know and what you're used to hear. If that artist that they like co-signs another artist, then of course they're gonna listen to it. That's just how this game works. Unless you get that MTV or BET blast. And then you get the co-sign.

I do think that ["Throwing My Money"] could have done more, but I also think that "Reasonable Doubt" could have done more. Not comparing myself to that in no way, but I also think that "Life After Death" could have done more. But you know, what I'm meaning to say is that it's always room for improvement. You just take it and learn from it. And in all honesty, I think it helped me. On one side, I learned from what. I also think that it could have done more, but I'm glad that it did something. I'm glad that I put a dent in something.


Dubcnn: I was actually one of many people who first heard you on "Ketchup". Of course "Paper" was already out by then, but I'm talking really getting into your music. So I guess that whole concept for people to catch up really worked out?

TiRon: I think a couple people, or maybe more than a couple people, but they know me now more than they did last year and the year before. It's a growing process. A snowball effect, the farther it rolls down, the more snow it gains. I think that's how it's going right now. Progress is always cool to me, no matter how much or how little. I think people liked it, they fucked with it, but I still got a lot of work to do.


Dubcnn: Whats your history coming up as an emcee?

TiRon: My uncle is a blues musician, he played with Bill Clinton and a bunch of other people. So when I was living out in Kankakee, he had a studio in his basement. [...] My mom was like 'You can stay with your uncle', but he had all daughters. So I can't really play with girls, and my brother stayed with my other cousins. So while all the girls was playing, my uncle would be in the basement playing on the guitar. I used to sneak down there just to get into it, cause I always wanted to do music. So I used to sneak down there and he kicked me out cause he'd be smoking stuff.

Then I started playing viola and trumpet in like 7th grade. And then I met Larrance and Bam from 1500 Or Nothin. We were all in the same band class. They were playing drums and they were killing it, so I was like 'OK, I need to play drums'. And we all started playing drums together and then moved over to the keys for a little bit. But I had always been writing. I've been writing poetry or R&B songs, that was my kinda thing. And then in like 11th grade I started rocking little talent shows or stuff at the school. And from there I would go to Project Blowed and all these different spots. So I just kept going, kept going, kept going.

Had little groups like me and this dude No Can Do, me and him were in a group together in high school. This whole L.A. shit is just connected. I met Chordz from Jack Sample Pros down at the Blowed. So that's how I got involved with the L.A. Hip-Hop culture, I really grew up with a lot of these dudes that's doing it now, we all kinda came up together.


Dubcnn: There was a time when artists were really trying to get signed to a major. But these days it seems like some cats rather stay independent. Do you think you could need a label backing and get the right push or are you comfortable where you're at now?

TiRon: I'm never comfortable. I'm always trying to do better than I did yesterday. I can't necessarily say a label would hurt or help me. It works for a lot of people obviously, history shows that. And it also hurts a lot of people, history also shows that. So I think it depends on what you're able to go in there and get for yourself, but also how you make what they give you work for you. Cause you have a lot of people who think that the label is supposed to save you. And all your worries are over, you just put out hit records at that point. But really it's still a lot of grinding, actually the grinding stars even more. Cause you sign that paper and you're now on somebody else's watch. I guess it just depends on what you can handle.

As far as me, I'm not comfortable period. If the opportunity presented itself then it's all good, let's figure out how it's gonna work. But independent is the way to go regardless, because I'm always gonna make music. This is what I do. So regardless of whether it's a major or indy, I'm just gonna be making music. If they don't give me no deal, I'll make my own deal.


Dubcnn: Do you have a main avenue when it comes to distributing your music, like the streets or the internet?

TiRon: Yeah, the internet and the streets. Or doing shows, going to different zip codes and different states and just trying to connect with the people, because they can't bootleg that live show. But it's just the internet really, cause on the internet you can get the music out fast. You can get the music out to a wider demographic faster. Street works just the same as internet works, they just work from different angles. It's from all different angles really, but I'm mainly through the internet right now.


Dubcnn: Cause it's funny how upcoming artists really depend on it these days, but the bigger you get as an artist, the more its gonna hurt you.

TiRon: Well... I don't know. Because what I think the internet does, it creates a hype. Cause when Wayne first dropped "The Carter III", it leaked and then it gotten over a million downloads. A lot of people would think it's gonna hurt him, but you gotta think: A million downloads is really not that much, considering how many people have computers and acess to it. But that's a good indicator of how many people are actually gonna go out and buy your shit. Because if you're getting a million in your first week or first day or whatever crazy thing happened, then it's a pretty good assessment that people are gonna buy it. Because you will have at least a million people who are willing to just check it out.

So I wouldn't say it hurts, I would say it hurts people who can't handle it. The industry is changing, as well as technology is changing. And if you can't adapt and learn how to get it regardless, then, you know.... because it ain't really hurting Wayne. I'm pretty sure he would do way better if the internet wasn't around, but he ain't starving. Cause it's gonna get crazier, it's gonna get more different and the game's always gonna change. Now they're giving out 360 deals, 20 years ago nobody would have even thought about that. A lot of people don't know how to make these 360 deals work for them. I'm not saying they're evil, I'm not saying they're great. But I'm saying you can allow things to work for you and still come up, but you just gotta know how to play the game.


Dubcnn: Speak on your next project that you're putting out, "Mustard".

TiRon: Yeah, "Mustard" is.... we've been working on a lot of records with a lot of dope folks. As far as production, the homeboy DJ Dahi, he did "Quitter" on "Ketchup". And Oddisee from D.C., he's amazing. He kinda reminds me of an East Coast Madlib, if I can say it. With live drums and everything. I got a couple bigger names, I guess you would say, on it, but I'm not gonna say anything [Editor's note: The song didn't make the final cut]. It's a couple nice surprises on the project.


Dubcnn: "Ketchup" was a project for people to catch up, obviously. What was the concept on "Mustard"? Like...Must-heard?

TiRon: *Laughs* That's a good one. I mean really, it was just to follow suit, because people were just kinda like 'Yo, so what's the next project gonna be, Mustard? ha ha ha...' So I was like 'Fuck you then, it is gonna be Mustard, now what?' Let me just give you what you either don't want or you do want. I'm just gonna do whatever. A lot of people were like 'Ketchup, what the fuck?' and they heard it and they were like 'Oh, ok'. If the music is ill, the music is ill. Whereas ketchup you can use excessively, you can't really have too much mustard. But when you do have it, it's real good. I might be diving a little too deep as far as the concept goes, but it's really just the rich shit.

And plus, I roll with a crew called The Cafeteria Line. So we got a little movement going on. We are the hungry. "Ketchup", "Mustard" and "The PB&J Solution". Me and Ayomari also got a collaboration project called "Sucker for Pumps", that will also be crazy.

And coming in the future, I'll probably drop a debut album. That's what everybody tells me I should do, so we'll see. But it all depends on what people want, cause it's supply and demand. You can't just come out here and do what you want. If people want an album, I'll give them one. And I'm just gonna make music at the end of the day, whatever you wanna call it. You can call it an album, you can call it a mixtape, you can call it whatever you wanna call it. At the end of the day I'm just making music.


Dubcnn: When you look at the bigger picture, like blowing up the international markets, there's still a lot of potential and a long way to go for you!

TiRon: Yeah, but then you also have to redefine what blowing up is. To people blowing up is different, but to me it's not having to work a 9 to 5, make some money, enough to the point where you can save and invest in some property. It's a career. That's like expecting as soon as you graduate a med school, all of a sudden you're gonna be a brain surgeon and you're working for the top of the line facilities. You have to work, it's all work, that's all it's ever been, it's a career. In the beginning of your medical career you will be making money, but you won't be making what the top dogs are making, because they're top dogs for a reason. Same thing with this music game. I'm doing what I wanna do at the end of the day. I think that's mainly the goal, to make money from doing what I love to do, cause not a lot of people can honestly say that. So that's making it for me.

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