Tyla Yaweh is living life like a rock star and loving it.
When Daily Star Online calls him for an interview, he’s still in bed having returned back to his Las Vegas hotel room just two hours earlier after a late night in the Neon Capital.
“I made it on Rolling Stone’s upcoming artist of the month or year – one of those. I’m enjoying it, man. I’m loving every minute of it”, he tells us a little hazily, but still totally upbeat, when we ask him how lockdown has been.
And why shouldn’t he be loving life right now? The 25-year-old is one of hip-hop’s brightest prospects thanks to his versatile, genre-busting sound and natural charisma.
It’s seen him collaborate with music’s biggest talents, such as close pal Post Malone on colossal hit Tommy Lee – named after one of the most recognisable rock personas on the planet.
Just having a song named after the Mötley Crüe icon wasn’t enough for Tyla. The pair actually hooked up to remix the track, flipping it onto its head to give it a huge, rocked-out overhaul.
Today, the Orlando native’s ascent is further highlighted on new track, and bona fide summer hit, Stuntin’ On You, featuring the chart-topping rapper DaBaby, who Tyla tells us gave him a chance in the industry.
He said: “The fact he gave me that chance I appreciate him a lot.”
His forthcoming album – RAGER BØY – is hot off the back of his acclaimed breakthrough debut record Heart Full of Rage, which featured the huge single High Right Now and tracks I Think I Luv Her feat YG and Understand Me.
Tyla spent much of 2019 and early 2020 on the road with Post Malone and Swae Lee on a sold-out global arena tour, enhancing his reputation as one of the best live performers around right now. “We let everybody let out their energies at my show. We want people to have fun from all ages”, he tells us.
RAGER BØY is set to catapult Tyla even further ahead of the field as he plots global domination in 2020 – the year of rage.
Daily Star Online’s Rory McKeown called Tyla for a chat about his singles Tommy Lee and Stuntin On You, working with Post Malone and DaBaby, how Orlando shaped him into the artist he is today, and what we can expect from him in the future.
(Image: Chris Villa)
Hi Tyla, how are you?
“I’m doing good, man. How are you?”
I’m good thank you. Are you in Las Vegas?
“I am in Viva Las Vegas!”
Thanks for waking up so early to talk to me.
“I don’t mind, man. I’m a rock star.”
How’s lockdown?
“Lockdown has been treating me well. I made it on Rolling Stone upcoming artist of the month or year – one of those. I’m enjoying it, man. I’m loving every moment of it. I made it on Rolling Stone, that’s the best thing in the world.”
That’s the dream, isn’t it?
“It’s the dream of life! I can’t complain.”
Last month you released the track Tommy Lee with Post Malone. Tell me about how you wrote and created it? What’s it about?
“It’s about Tommy Lee, man. Mötley Crüe bro! That’s the best answer in the world.”
What was it like making the song?
“In the song I was supposed to say ‘To look at me that cost a fee, I’m living life like Tommy Lee’. I changed it up. I wanted to name the song after him. And now I’ve got a song with Tommy Lee. I mixed it and have a fire ass song. I’m enjoying the moment right now. I get to make music with rock stars for the rest of my life.”
It’s had 16 million views on YouTube and hit the Hot 100 – how pleased are you with the reaction?
“I just want to keep it going, man.”
It also shows you riding around on an ATV – that must have been a lot of fun to film?
“That was the funnest time of my life. I got my whole team with me. Post (Malone) got his team, I got my team with me, which is my whole family. We didn’t even think about having a video shoot. We were just being ourselves. Having fun, man. Every single day.”
And you’re also releasing the Tommy Lee remix with Post Malone and Tommy Lee himself – how did that happen? It’s a real rock spin on the track.
“Yeah, man. Me and Tommy Lee worked on it. We both sat our asses in his studio, put our brains together and came up with something we both like. We came up with the idea that it’s a masterpiece. The whole world is going to love it.”
What’s he like to work with?
“He’s like working with me. It’s like having fun.
“That’s all I want people to do is have. I want you to have fun! I want you to think that you’re not talking to a stuck up artist on the phone right now. I really want you to have fun and enjoy this interview, man. We only live one life.”
I am! This is a fun interview. You’re releasing your second album RAGER BØY this year. What can we expect from it and what was the recording process like?
“You know what. You ever seen angels from the sky?”
No I haven’t.
“Do you want to see angels come from the sky?”
Yes, I do.
“Then wait for RAGER BØY to drop! (laughs)
“RAGER BØY has a lot of cool, organic features. Nothing was forced. It’s crazy the features I have on it.
“I could name drop all day. But I’m not going to sit down and name drop. I’m going to wait for you to hear it.”
You’re going to be dropping the track Stuntin’ On You with DaBaby too. Can you tell me more about that?
“It’s a hit! I want people to dance, I want people to have fun. I want to give people a fun record to enjoy themselves with.
“Tommy Lee was a fresh record. It was fun, it was enjoyable. Now it’s time to turn up, live life. You only live once.”
What was it like working with DaBaby?
“He made me feel like part of the industry. He made me feel like I’m not just this kid working. He made me feel like I’m doing something. He gave me a chance.
“He’s a number one artist. He gave me a chance in the industry to show what young artists have in this game. The fact he gave me that chance i appreciate him a lot.”
(Image: Chris Villa)
Do you think more people should do that in the industry?
“Of course. That’s all I want to do, give people the opportunity and more chances.”
What did you learn from your first album Heart Full of Rage?
“Heart Full of Rage is just the beginning. It’s a summary of my life. I want RAGER BØY to be a chapter to show people that this is the beginning of what’s becoming now.”
You’re from Orlando. How has it moulded who you are today and your sound? What was it like growing up there?
“It made me appreciate everything that comes in your life.
“I’m enjoying the moment. I’m enjoying to realise that I have a talent to push the next person to actually believe in something.
“I want to make sure that this interview shows you that you can do whatever you want in life. I want to make sure this interview shows you that you have the talent to do whatever you want to do. It shows you energy, improvement, and to become whatever you want to be. That’s what I believed.”
Who influenced you to get into music?
“I had my sister. She was in a dope ass girlband back in the days when I was a young’un. I used to go to her music video shoots, her photoshoots, her studio sessions. That inspired me to become who I am today.”
Who inspires you today still?
“My fans, to be honest. If I didn’t have my fans I wouldn’t be here today. My manager, my mom, my dad, my friends, everybody in my life who’s in today inspires me to be who I am. I feel blessed to have these people in my life.”
It must be good to have that support network.
“Every day, man. I’ve been homeless, had nothing, I have literally slept on concrete floors, cold nights. Now I can have a roof over my head. It’s amazing.”
I understand you’re a big Nirvana fan – how did Kurt Cobain and the band influence you?
“Of course, who’s not a fan of Kurt Cobain? Melody-wise, not giving a f***. I got ‘f*** the rules’ tattooed on my neck, that tells you a lot (laughs). They did not give a f*** about the rules. Rest in peace Kurt Cobain.”
You’re signed to Post Malone and Dre London’s label London Entertainment. What are they like to work with and how supportive are they of you? How did that partnership begin?
“That’s my family. It’s more than supportive. I can call right now and talk about anything. I can let them know that I’m going through something.
“This is a family. Not just someone I’m signed to. It’s someone that cares about me, that’s devoted their time and let me go around the world with them. I give them everything.”
You’ve toured around the world playing shows. What are your shows like and what can fans expect from them?
“We like to sit in the mosh pit, bro! We like to f****** crowd surf. My brand is called RAGER BØY. Why would you ask what do you expect from a Tyla show? (Laughs) I’m the RAGER BØY himself!
“We let everybody let out their energies at my show. We want people to have fun from all ages. I’ve seen people from 50-60 years old come to our shows and have fun with us, rage, sing word for word, have fun.
“Every time you come to a show you are letting out your energy. That’s what rage stand for me. For other people rage stands for chaos and all this crazy s*** but rage stands for letting out your positive energy.”
What can we expect from you for the rest of the year and beyond?
“Number ones, number ones, number ones. We’re going number one. I’m hungry for it every single day.”
Tyla Yaweh’s RAGER BØY is coming soon via London Entertainment/Epic Records