TBliss: The No Cap Indie Rapper
As a hardcore rap and hip-hop fan, I’ve been feeling lowkey bummed lately that the music scene’s just becoming more and more obsessed with glam and glitz, to the point where there’s too much style and not enough substance. Yeah, you’re not alone.
So the other day, I was kinda shooketh when YouTube served me up a track called ‘Numb’ that was so simple and direct, it was like a yoga bar compared to the usual hip-hop tracks that are so extra, they’re like a double portion of fried sausages, bacon and eggs. Added to the minimalist music and the slick production, the lyrics were pretty punchy, too… like the line, “crazy how I never searched within myself for my worth” that just vibed with me.
I found myself asking, “Who is this guy?!” and decided to look him up. The artist’s name on the track was ‘TBliss’, so I went from there. After a few hours and DMs, I was chatting directly to Jay N aka TBliss, the young rapper from Baltimore, Maryland. The conversation was as refreshing as I’d thought it would be, given how his debut single hits different. So of course, I had to share a few snippets of our chat with the readers here (edited for flow and clarity). In the excerpt below, TBliss is denoted by ‘TB’:
Q. TBliss, I must confess that it’s been a while since I’ve listened to a track that’s as minimal as ‘Numb’ and that made such a powerful connect with me. Could you tell us a bit about your ‘sound sauce’ — what makes your music distinctive?
A. My music… my brand… they’re just a reflection of my personal life. That’s what makes them unique. I’m just a regular guy… I don’t drive a fancy car or wear designer clothes, I don’t own million dollar mansions… I drive a Honda, I dress in tees and jeans, I pay my bills, I work a 9 to 5… I even pick up extra shifts… and that’s what I want to come through in my music, the feel of ‘being ordinary and living an average life’.
Q. Your music is not what I’d call ‘ordinary’, though… it makes a real impact. What’s your biggest inspiration in creating your music?
A. Thank you. I have to say that there are two major inspirations that drive me as a musician — the first is my belief that you don’t need to be special… we’re all human… I’m human… and success is a journey of personal growth. That’s the message I want to get out to my audience, that’s what I think my peeps need to hear. The second big thing for me is my fans and supporters — people who show me so much love, who appreciate my art and my message… I wouldn’t be on this journey without them. Everything I do, all my music, is for and about my audience.
Q. As an independent artist, you’re a business owner and a musician, side by side. What led you to choose this path? How do you feel about the odds of succeeding?
A. Those are great questions. I do own my brand — “RealityMakers LLC”, and that’s been an important decision in shaping who I am, and what I stand for. When I was younger, I kept hearing that I couldn’t chase my dream, I was often told that what I wanted just wasn’t possible… for example, I was told I didn’t have what it takes to make it as a rap artist.
At some point, I realized that if I wanted to pursue my dream, I needed to stand behind it, to give it everything. I wasn’t going to sit and wait for a label to sign me, to show me they had confidence in me… I was going to believe in myself, in my hard work, my persistence and determination.
And that’s reflected in my brand name as well, “reality makers”… I’m all about making your dreams your reality. But if you wanna do that, you’ve gotta do it yourself.
Q. Wow, that’s deep. Looking at the progress you’ve made so far, would you say it’s all paying off?
A. Absolutely. I may not be some fly, flashy guy, I may not be the wallpaper on people’s phones… but I’m 100% honest, and my audience can relate to that. I’ve gone from releasing singles with hardly any listeners in high school to where I’ve got thousands of listeners on Spotify, I’m giving shows, getting written about in newspapers and magazines… I’ve even had experiences where people who were criticizing me turned into my fans. It’s a long way to the top, no cap… but hey, I’m willing to walk the walk.
Our readers will no doubt agree with me that this young rapper is on to something real. Just keep that positive vibe and complete honesty, TBliss, and there’s no saying how far you’ll go… meanwhile, we’ll keep chillin to your dope rap.
