Alyst, a rising hip hop artist, blends authenticity and innovation with his unique lyrical flow that captures the vibrant spirit of his city.
How has your journey in hip-hop shaped your perspective on the music industry?
This was before I met Oscar and Affluent Records. Shout out to him. I was going through what every new artist goes through, which is basically making music but not really having a plan for it. I was just making a bunch of songs and just putting them out. Now my team and I are putting out content. We are not only making hot singles, but we are able to put visuals to it. In this day and age, to not only have songs, but the visuals are super important. That’s what I have learned about the industry. You must have the full package, including content to let the people know who you are.
What important themes or messages do you aim to convey through your music?
I definitely want to inspire people. My main reason is that especially during these tough times where the world is getting crazier and crazier, it’s important to really go for your dreams and passions no matter what your situation is or your age. Let’s say you have a boring job. There’s something out there that you’d love to do. Go for that. You never know what will happen if you take it seriously. That’s the first message I want to put out there. Secondly, trust in God and his plan for you.
Can you share a bit about your personal creative process when crafting new tracks?
What I have learned is that it is all about the vibe. If I want to have a track that is hyped—an up-tempo high energy song, doing the ad-libs and the background vocal tracks of the song first, works a lot better for me than just trying to come up with lyrics. If I start with the lyrics first, it’s not going to come across the way I would like. If I can not worry about the words at first, I know I will come up with something amazing.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how do they inspire your work?
I would say number one is Chris Brown. I have always been a big fan of the way he puts his songs together. He is such a versatile artist. He has records like “Look at Me Now” where it’s more hip-hop/rap and he has records like “5 Hours” which is a more pop/EDM styled track… He makes so many different types of music. I am inspired by that because I want to be known as an artist who can fit into different types of pockets. I also appreciate the high-energy and style of Travis Scott and Nelly’s melodic flow as well. I am also a fan of The Weeknd.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how do they inspire your work?
I would say number one is Chris Brown. I have always been a big fan of the way he puts his songs together. He is such a versatile artist. He has records like “Look at Me Now” where it’s more hip-hop/rap and he has records like “5 Hours” which is a more pop/EDM styled track… He makes so many different types of music. I am inspired by that because I want to be known as an artist who can fit into different types of pockets. I also appreciate the high-energy and style of Travis Scott and Nelly’s melodic flow as well. I am also a fan of The Weeknd.
What do you think sets your style apart from other artists?
I would say that the biggest compliment that I get is that I sound like myself. When people ask me what sort of music I make, it is hard for me to say. Other people have a hard time putting it into words as well. I just say that I created my own genre. Of course, people have to put in something. Sometimes, the sound is R&B. The way I explain is that put my own kind of flip on it. I’m not all the way singing or all the way rapping. It is sort of a blend of harmonizing lyrics. I would say that I have found my own way of harmonizing notes, combining hip-hop, R&B, and pop together. It’s a sound that a lot of different people who enjoy different types of music can relate alike.
How do you navigate the balance between staying authentic to yourself and adapting to evolving musical trends?
That’s huge because at the end of the day, you have to keep the listener engaged. Trends can tempt you to try to keep up, but I try not to fall too much into that. I like to go days and weeks at a time, listening to what other people are listening to. I don’t lean too much into it because I never want to copy or have it influence me, even subconsciously. Let’s say the trend is auto-tune. I may use a little bit of that, but I make sure that I am still staying true to myself. I make sure that the rest of the song is cohesive with the way I approach my other songs, so it still reflects my authenticity.
Be’n Original
