An independent artist content with being the most known, yet unknown,
Taylor Boi shares his life. Coming up from a small town in Alabama, building
his own company, a brand and becoming an artist after being around surroundings
of his culture, Taylor Boi’s business ethic differs himself from other artists
but his craft is just as respected by many. Many times we here an inspirational
story of how picking up the microphone and deciding to take part of the rap
game, Taylor Boi’s story is no different, his journey starts here.
Video
AllHipHop.com: How long have you been
rapping?
Taylor Boi: I’ve been doing this
since 1999. I came in the game as a promoter, yanno, I promoted shows. I used
to bring all of the big acts to town. But as a writer, I’ve been doing this for
about seven years.
AllHipHop.com: What is the name of your
current project?
Taylor Boi: I got a new single I’m
pushing featuring Big Bang Black, it just hit radio “I.O.U?” – N***as think I
owe them something. (laughing) yeah, now you get the picture. Off the mixtape
tape, “Taylored Up”. It should be dropping in about another month, hosted by
DJ. Scream out of Atlanta.
AllHipHop.com: What style of music
would you say your music falls under?
Taylor Boi: Too be honest, I’m a GOD
fearing man but at the same time, I have to tell the truth – I’m a street dude.
So you can put me in that category with Shawty Lo, Jeezy, Plies, Trick Daddy –
the street dudes.
AllHipHop.com:How did you get into
rapping from promoter? Did you work with a lot of artists while promoting?
Taylor Boi: We used to bring all of
the main acts to town and one particular night I brought 2 Live Crew to town
and the MC didn’t show, that was supposed to host it. So I stepped, grabbed the
mic and fell in love with it. I MC’d the whole concert.
AllHipHop.com: So you’ve just been
rapping since? Word! Who have you worked with production wise? Who has contributed
to you with your craft and assisted with you falling in love with it more?
Taylor Boi: There have been a lot of
people in my culture that have influenced me. People that have helped me fall
in love with it more. It’s a lot of great artists out here doing their
thing. I’ve collaborated with a
lot of Gucci Mane, Big Bank Black and a lot of others
AllHipHop.com: So where
exactly is Taylor Boi from?
Taylor Boi: I’m originally
from Dothan, Alabama
AllHipHop.com: What other artists are
from the area that the readers would know?
Taylor Boi: Oh yeah! You know we are
trying to put Alabama on the map. Ya know, Rich Boy did his thing and put it on
the map some and Dirty Boys put Montgomery on the map some. So we trying to
keep it going.
AllHipHop.com: Are you currently in
Bama?
Taylor Boi: No, actually we are in
Atlanta.
AllHipHop.com: Oh yeah? For how long
have you been out there?
Taylor Boi: I’ve been here since
1992.
AllHipHop.com:Oh okay, so would you
really say you moved there for music only or what made you choose ATL verses
staying in ‘Bama?
Taylor Boi: Yeah. Actually, I came
to Atlanta because it was a lot of black people and I figured I could go down
there and do some business with the music side of the game. So that’s why I
moved here.
AllHipHop.com: Oh okay. So you moved to
ATL to expand music wise?
Taylor Boi: Yeah. That’s exactly why
we moved. Out here getting it in
AllHipHop.com: Your following – how did
you get to building one?
Taylor Boi: People know me from when
I did promotion work, promoting shows. I went across towns booking shows and
I’d have the people open up for me. I saw the crowd was giving me the same love
they were giving the big acts so I just started doing it on my own and got my
fans.
AllHipHop.com:How do you work to make
yourself stand out from the other artists in Atlanta?
Taylor Boi: I’m a business dude, so
its business first. I just don’t do what others do. A lot of people are just
artists and they want others to do the business work, but I do both, I’m about
my business. So I’m going to stand out. I just know what sales while others
reply on the artist and not business.
AllHipHop.com: Do you have your own company
beyond being a rapper?
Taylor Boi: Yes. We have a street promotional team; T.B.E, Taylor Boi ENT and
Naptown Management. Not only in the states but in Canada also; Toronto and,
Vancouver. We have an overseas work as well.
AllHipHop.com: Can you explain a little
more about your company?
Taylor Boi: I still got that
promotional side in me so I formed a team. Whenever I have a show, they may go
down and promote in the streets for me, making sure that they hitting the
streets real good. So whatever promoter is bringing me to town, we got it
covered for promotion so that they know they are getting their money back and
getting a crowd.
AllHipHop.com: So your approach is to
have your business savvy work ethic gets you recognized?
Taylor Boi: Yeah, because my music
is going to speak for itself because it’s the truth; I spit nothing but the
truth. People understand the message that I’m delivering to them
AllHipHop.com: What are some of your
accomplishments and goals thus far?
Taylor Boi: To be independent like
we are. We done came this far and I’m proud of where we are right now. We have
come a long away and we are blessed to come this far. Still got a long way to
go, but we are blessed. We get paid shows right now. We are independent on a
few radio shows right now; we’re just blessed.
DW: What are some things you
are doing to obtain recognition? Performances and such?
Taylor Boi: I’ve performed on major
platforms with major artists from Jeezy to Ludacris. I’ve been in a couple of
magazines. We are on like 10 radio stations all through Alabama. We did the
Core DJ Retreat, did it real big out there. We performed and I got a lot of
features
AllHipHop.com: Final words for the
readers?
Taylor Boi: I’m coming to show the
world that I’m a platform artist and I’m going diamond. Be on the look out