After coming onto the scene in 2012 with his project 500 Autumn Nights, Yours Truly, T.Y. has been running back and forth between Hamilton and Toronto creating music, collaborating with artists and performing for a steadily growing fan base. What makes T.Y. different is his adamant respect for paying dues and recognizing those who’ve come before him, most evident in his 2014 music series titled, #TYTUesdays, in which he remixed a series of classic hip hop tracks and incorporated them into today’s music scene. Following performances at Manifesto, A3C, NXNE, CMW and varying other stages, Yours Truly, T.Y. has gained the respect of his peers, as well as the gatekeepers of Toronto’s music scene. In his latest release, T.Y. teamed up with producer Chef Byer to release The Beautiful Exchange a 9-track project underlining Yours Truly, T.Y.’s ties to Toronto, while affirming him as one of Hamilton’s hometown heroes. – Erin Lowers
Yours Truly, TY will be performing at Live at the Square at Yonge & Dundas Square on September 19. Follow Yours Truly, T.Y. @YOURSTRULY_TY
What part of Toronto (GTA) are you from/ Where do you live in Toronto (GTA)?
I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. It’s about an hour away from Toronto. Blue collar, hard working, not really a small town but not really a big city.
What is your favorite thing about where you live or the part of the city you are from?
One of my favourite things about Hamilton is it’s tight knit. Especially when it comes to its music scene. Different artists from different genres have no issues crossing over and trying new things which makes it exciting. It’s a good time for Hamilton’s hip hop scene as well. It’s had some OGs get the ball rolling for us and we’re ready to pick up where they left off. The food’s dope, too.
How have you seen art and creativity directly impact the area of the city you live in?
A lot of my closest friends are artists themselves. I’ve seen firsthand how somebody can go from spray paint on walls to a full time job, based on the same thing. I’ve seen people with limited resources create great music. Hamilton does that to people. It’s a very, “you’re either in, or you’re in the way type of city”, just gotta choose the right team.
What do you think that you as a creative person brings to the table that is different than other artists?
I bring perspective. I bring an honest approach. Not everybody’s born rich and not everybody has to sell drugs. I’m the blue collar guy in the middle. Do I have rich friends? Yes. Do I have friends that sell drugs? Yes. It makes it easier to tell a broader story when you can come at it from all angles.
Why is it important for you to take part in the Manifesto festival?
Every stage is important to me. I enjoy being a part of Manifesto because of what it means to the community and Hip-Hop in general. It was one of the first festivals that took me on, as well. Aside from the fact that I’m down with what Manifesto stands for, loyalty is also important to me. It makes the decision to pursue Manifesto simple.
If you were to name a Canadian rap song that embodies our hip hop landscape, what would it be?
I’ll run with the second half of this question. “Top Of The World” by The Rascalz with k-os and Barrington Levy is what Toronto sounded like to me while I was growing up. The outro of that song, when Levy starts adlibbing, still knocks.
LISTEN TO: Yours Truly, T.Y. & Chef Byer – The Beautiful Exchange
