TY Q and A

UK Hip Hop Producer TY had his live return last Friday at Rich Mix.

 

The legendary TY is one of British music’s true innovators. With four critically acclaimed albums, collaborations with the likes of Tony Allen, De La Soul, Damon Albarn and Estelle, and a Mercury

Music Prize nomination amongst other accolades; he's been stretching boundaries between genres and archetypes for more than a decade. He is currently working on his first fully independent album, which will be released in 2012.

 

Shrine founder and BBC World Service Africa presenter, Rita Ray touched base with TY before
he played joint headline show (with Afrikan Boy) at the Rich Mix on 2nd December and put the following
questions to him:

Where are you at musically at the moment?

Musically I am feeling closer to making Hip Hop music than ever before. I still like to push the envelope but I feel real Hip Hop music’s being over looked!

What part of the creative process are you in? Are you writing, recording?

I'm in the process of narrowing down demos, I didn’t want to make another album as I feel it takes up too much time and the market is moving too quickly for me to take all that time out!

What directions are firing your music making?

I don’t fire my music in a direction generally. I make the music I want to make! I think the current marketing ethos is spoiling the music for me! I created a group called the ‘Beat Inn’ on Facebook for likeminded lovers of the music process to catch vibes off each other and connect in a manner that is outside of the current mindset of music business!

What's rocking your world musically at the moment?

The music and participants of the Beat Inn are rocking my world at the moment I prefer to hear beats straight from out the studio rather than a record campaign!

Which of your tracks / albums should we be listening to in preparation for your appearance at the Shrine?

Folk should listen to the last one especially Special Kind of Fool! But any of my songs from any era can get played!