HighTyde: Piece of a Larger Picture - Part 4


HighTyde: Piece of a Larger Picture - Part4

By Mr. Joe Walker

Hip-hop star HighTyde is making the most of his independence. Formally signed to Warner Bros./Word, the award-winning Battle Creek, MI native is taking every step to genuinely expand the reach of his brand by his means. He’s also doing so while remaining humble yet hungry, evidenced by Project Cypher - his charitable live performance series.

The first Midwest MusicChallenge winner is fully driven by love and desire to further the growth of hip-hop culture through community. With acclaim and attention continuing to find him, HighTyde realizes he is but a piece of a much larger picture.

When was the last time you felt super dope and super wack?

"The last two times I felt super dope was February of 2014 after winning the first ever Midwest Music Challenge.  After the surrealism wore off, it was less about being 'dope' and more of 'finally feeling respected by my peers' - which is all I ever wanted to be from the beginning.

I don't look at hip-hop artists as doper than each other because we're all fighting for the same cause.  But to look to my left, and to my right, and see artists like Ski Streetz and Smartmouf, and Nemoniq, and all these artists who have built followings and paid their dues, and for them to say, 'I respect you', to me, that is the essence of dope.

The last time was the feeling I had coming off the heels of the first Project Cypher.  This was the first event I had ever thrown.  It was an idea that I had kicked around in my head for several years, but it wasn't until the recognition and the connections I made from the Midwest Music Challengethat I felt I was truly able to pull off such an event.  After putting in so much blood, sweat, and tears, I think finally seeing the end product go off without a hitch was just another example of pure 'dopeness'.

  
As far as feeling super wack... That's harder to say.  I can't ever recall a time where I didn't want to show my face in public for fear of embarrassment.  I guess the closest to feeling wack was being signed to a major label, and feeling like I had no control over my own branding.  Being stripped of determining my own destinations, and basically being shelved because no one at the label had faith in me." - HighTyde

For more on HighTyde and his Project Cypher series, visit HighTyde.com. Download his newest releases NewTyded States of America HERE.

I write "good"!
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