Local rapper Yung Tyran, born Thamsanqa Silanda, kicked off September with the release of his fourth solo studio album "Look What It's Come To".
In a recent conversation with IOL Entertainment, he unpacked his latest album and offered a glimpse into his career.
The independent artist is steadily making a name for himself in the hip-hop streets, building himself a solid fan base.
He has 30 376 monthly listeners on Spotify, which, as an independent artist, he calls a "blessing".
He said he wanted to put out his best work and deliver an album that was of to quality and to ensure he told his story sonically and creatively.
"Look What It's Come To" consists of seven tracks of blustery raps complimented by excellent production, most of it done by Tyran, who also wears a producer hat.
On the opening track, "Where The Crown Belongs", Tyran sets the mood for the album as he asserts his place in South African hip-hop and even throws a “shot” at rapper Priddy Ugly.
“I wouldn't call it a shot. I think it was a situation I was addressing, and it wasn’t really like a personal attack or anything like that,” Tyran shared.
“We had an interaction on Twitter, and I felt like, as an artist who's been in the game for long enough- to recognise, we are still at the same level.”
He continued: “He hasn't achieved much, but I guess his tone and energy has always been like, ‘I’m schooling you younger guys on how to move’. But I'm like, you haven't filled up the dome or something like that.
“You are basically still trying to plant your feet in the game as well. So you can't be the person to give me advice on how to move cause I really do have the OGs that I speak to that give me the pointers that I need.
“I feel like they are reputable sources of information for me because they have done it all and seen it all.”
A Mzansi hip-hop artist OG that Tyran has a good relationship with is K.O. He even turned to the “Sete'' hitmaker for pointers when it came to his album.
“My biggest inspiration for this album, I could say, is K.O because he was one of the people I was speaking to a lot during my process of producing the album, asking for pointers.
“We actually had a relationship. I was supposed initially to sign to Skhanda World, but it ended up not materialising, but he taught me something about longevity.
“It’s one thing that only comes from the music, and you always have to make sure you are ahead of the curve and putting out timeless music. And I feel like that is what I did with this album,” shared Tyran.
For the album’s sound, Tyran stuck to his guns and created a project rooted in hip hop, which is earning him praise among his fans in the country and Africa.
This is a notable move from the artist, as with dance music currently dominating the airwaves, most artists are creating sounds to cater for those markets.
Tyran produced 90% of the music on the album, and he also mixed and mastered the project himself. Having to handle the entire production of the album by himself came with “burn out” and its own fair share of challenges for the independent artist.
Remaining objective was important for Tyran because he did not want to be blinded by his own bias. To avoid this, Tyran often stepped away from the music to get a fresh perspective.
He may have not been signed to the record label Skhanda World, but he has entered into a joint venture with Symphonic Distribution which handle distribution of his music. Based in Miami, the independent record label offers “really great label services''.
“They handle everything on the digital end of things as far as making sure I am playlisted and get the most visibility on streaming platforms. They have been really supporting me.”
Tyran explained that he opted to work with Symphonic Distribution rather than a major label because he felt that he needed to gain leverage in order to get the kind of deal he wants in the future.
The rapper hopes that in the next to years he will be among the conversation of the biggest artists in the country.
“That’s my goal. I'm trying to make sure within the first year of this album dropping I’m somewhere in the top five, but in two years, I want to be the top guy,” he shared.
Tyran’s aspirations don’t just stop at the borders of South Africa, his long-term goal is to conquer the international music scene.
Visuals for the album will be dropped soon and will “fill in the dots”.
"Look What It's Come To" is currently streaming on all digital platforms.