Taylor J

Many artists spend their days finding ways to build relationships with their listeners, and Taylor J has already laid that foundation with his loyal Taylor J Takeover legion of fans. But his musical beginnings focused on strengthening his bond with his incarcerated older brother. Taylor J was initially only a rap fan, but he caught the writing bug when his older brother caught a bid. His older brother let him hear his own rhymes, and an 11-year-old Taylor J dug up instrumentals and wrote dail...

Many artists spend their days finding ways to build relationships with their listeners, and Taylor J has already laid that foundation with his loyal Taylor J Takeover legion of fans. But his musical beginnings focused on strengthening his bond with his incarcerated older brother. Taylor J was initially only a rap fan, but he caught the writing bug when his older brother caught a bid. His older brother let him hear his own rhymes, and an 11-year-old Taylor J dug up instrumentals and wrote daily verses to share during their phone calls. With his brother’s steady encouragement, his skills improved and his passion developed, despite not having the early support of parents who had more traditional values. “The music brought us closer because it was something that we both were growing for. When no one else understood, I could talk to him about any of my problems with music,” Taylor J remembers. “Later, I just started falling for it: seeing my thoughts unfold the way they appear in my head, onto a beat. It was a personal thing now.” Once Taylor J began high school, he joined a group with two other rappers after impressing them with a freestyle in the cafeteria. They performed at talent shows and other community events, but the other members stopped recording as they got older. Taylor J moved to Las Vegas for several months to pursue his music full-time—a trip that he says raised his ambitions. “Here in St. Paul, you already know what’s likely to happen every single day,” he admits. “But in Vegas, I just saw so many people living happy. I thought, ‘There’s no way in hell I’m not getting that and living that life.’” Once he arrived back home, he built his buzz in the Twin Cities by performing at parties and opening for the likes of Ace Hood, Nipsey Hustle, and Wale while circulating his Now You Know mixtape and music videos online. Tees and sweaters with his new logo flew off the shelves, and the TJT—Taylor J Takeover—fan base was born. “I also just stay positive and stay natural to myself, and people spread the music through word of mouth” he says to explain TJT loyalty. “I really try to bring everyone together and make this brand something that everybody can be involved in to better themselves.” His weekly Taylor J Tuesday leaks and his latest mixtape TJT Takeover Vol. 1 (Hosted By DJ Woogie, of Soulja Boy fame) satisfy his constituency with a confident flow, distinctive Midwestern drawl and candid lyrics. “Gold” narrates falling victim to materialism, “Visions” sees him trading bars with Neako about future success, and the subdued “I’m Straight” affirms his spot after a brief hiatus. His base of supporters is much bigger than the older brother that jumpstarted his addiction, but he revels at the opportunity to show his talents to the world. “I’m not where I want to be yet,” Taylor J admits. “But I’ll get where I need to be once the opportunity comes. I won’t stop, I’m going to keep going.” An 18 -hour drive from Minnesota and a dream brought Taylor J to the Atlanta’s music scene. "The Taylor J Takeover" campaign is establishing its place in Atlanta and he is currently working on his mix tape with DJ Holiday. In 2012, TaylorJ’s "Mental Dope" is scheduled for release in March, and as a creator of Scenious Entertainment he is seeking to represent other artists and young songwriters.  In the future, Taylor J plans to venture into songwriting for artists and have a positive, dynamic presence in the hip hop industry.