Tyke T releases new album
Memphis rapper continues to find new and innovative ways to to promote his music to his fans.
Memphis rapper Tyke T's new album is called “R.O.N.A.” While the title certainly alludes to the current coronavirus pandemic, it's actually an acronym that stands for “Ready or Not Adjust.” It's something that could double as a statement of purpose for the rapper. h “For me it's about working hard and trying to build something as an artist and a businessman for years… and then you get smacked in the face with coronavirus,” says Tyke T, aka Tyrone Stroble. “For me, it's been about adjusting and getting to the finish line even when you're navigating a damn pandemic.” h The 34-year-old Stroble is uniquely equipped to do just that. A native of smalltown Smyrna, Tennessee, he got his bachelor's and master's degrees in business at Middle Tennessee State University, before moving to Memphis and pursuing his hip-hop career. That background has served Stroble well, as he's continued to find new and inventive ways to promote his music over the last half decade.
After winning WHRK-FM 97's “Next Big Thing” competition in 2014, being crowned the “Memphis Grizzlies Showcase” champion and making a good showing on VH1'S “Make A Band Famous” competition, Stroble released a pair of EPS, including 2017's well-received “The Prelude,” which made it to No. 14 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
In the last couple years he's put his business acumen to work, by creating his own Driven VIP subscription service for fans of his music.
“I started to look at a different way to build our tribe. It's like who are the people that would be ready to support you on a deeper level, more than a like or a share on social media?” says Stroble. “Who are the people that are going to be into a subscription-based model? It's similar to Patreon, but I didn't like the fees they were charging, so I decided to create something independently.”
Stroble's Driven VIP service is available at his website, Drivenbymusic, and allows subscribers access to exclusive content, including music, discounts to merch and other privileges. With subscriptions available at three different price points or tiers (ranging from $10 to $25), Stroble has sought to create a truly interactive model built on a direct exchange and involvement with fans — allowing them to vote on what videos they want to see made and hosting spe
cial member events. “I’m just looking for different ways to connect to as many people as possible,” says Stroble.
With his Driven VIP platform growing, 2020 got off to a further strong start for Stroble as he began racking up high-profile placements. His music was used on ESPN’S college basketball commercials and promos for Fox’s “The Masked Singer,” VH1’S “Black Ink Crew Compton” and rapper T.I.’S reality show, as well as the trailer for the video game “The Surge 2.” He was also in the midst of prepping a new recording project with plans for a big rollout later in 2020. Then COVID-19 hit.
Like most musicians, the pandemic postponed, then eventually thwarted all Stroble’s plans for the year. But he decided to keep pushing and finish his album, which he redubbed “R.O.N.A.”
“Doing this project in the middle of a pandemic, it was a total adjustment,” says Stroble. “Really it allowed me to experiment with the music. I was experimenting with different sounds, experimenting working with different people.”
Across the seven tracks on “R.O.N.A.” Stroble enlists a crew of Memphis collaborators that includes producers Hot Rod, J. Gill and vocalists Jon Rych, Izzy Moore and Doll Mccoy. Keeping the feel of the music and the personnel local remains a key for Stroble.
“If you network across, as opposed to always looking up, you’re going to do so much more. That don’t mean if Drake calls and wants to come sign me, I won’t look at the paperwork,” he says, laughing. “But being independent, doing things the way I have, I always try to connect with Memphis [creatives]. The Memphis sound is dominating hiphop anyway.”
With live shows and events on hold, as means of promoting the project, Stroble also spent many months working to create his own channel for Roku TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick. “The way people watch and consume entertainment now, it’s not the traditional platforms anymore. Building my own Roku and Fire TV channel has been a cool experience. I look at it as my own personal Netflix or Youtube. It’s like I’m meeting the audience on their TVS,” says Stroble, whose channel includes past live performances and videos, as well as occasional new content.
As is typical for him, Stroble developed the Roku and Fire TV Stick channel himself. “It made me put on a whole different hat. I had to learn so much IT stuff,” he says. “Being driven, being independent that’s my whole brand. I’m not going to run from something just because I don’t understand it at first. But, yeah, I did it all in-house and got it built.”
With the pandemic still limiting most incomegenerating and performance opportunities for musicians, Stroble feels he’s well positioned to ride things out. Although he’s already working on new music, he’s letting the “R.O.N.A.” record “get out there now."
"I want to let people to sit this with for a little while,” he says. “Then, for 2021 we’ve got big plans. I’m excited about the work we’ve been putting in quietly in 2020 and hope to be in a position to capitalize on that next year.”