Today we’d like to introduce you to Zak The Tyrant.
Zak, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Before I became a recording artist, I was a baseball player. I’ve played baseball all of my life up until 2012 or so. In 2011 when I was a junior, I hurt my pitching arm and became disabled during a game. see, I Grew up playing baseball since I was three years old, baseball was all that I knew. Once my career ended because of my injury, I had to fall back on my back up plan. which wasn’t anything. So, my best friend at the time encouraged me to try music. Now, music was never in the ball park at this point. Ever. But I figured why not. So I gave it a shot, without realizing, music became a place of escape. I was able to find a type of confidence and self-belief that I never knew existed. I found a certain type of relief and empowerment that I’ve never had before, little did I know the amount of change that will happen surrounding my life. The moment that I discovered music, I began to grow as an individual, and as a man. But the closest friends that I had at the time took my unwavering focus and determination as a threat and began to drift away.
All of the friend circles that I once knew and loved were gone. Those same circles that use to help me through my rough days, were now filled with loud hatred and doubt. I found out the hard way that everyone isn’t always happy for you. And I found out the hard way that it’s usually the people closest to you that will envy and despise you. This world became a world of self-gratification. People can’t stand to see other people win. The only time someone wants to see someone else on top, is when they are about to pull the ladder from under their feet. Apparently it’s never enough to just win, we need everyone else to praise and glorify what we’ve done or else it isn’t worth anything, So in between my closest friends abandoning me, A broken home with either two parents who despised each other, or just one parent who just couldn’t keep it together, I found myself at 19 years old with no home to go to, no friends to go to, no bed, no food, no place to turn too. I ended up homeless for a few months living out of my car, struggling to find work, struggling to keep faith and struggling to keep pressing forward, But I did. I finally got myself a job living out of my car, got money together and made a way, all with the dream of one day, that my music will reach those who feel like the tunnel just gets longer and darker. The truth is, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You are the light. And only you can free yourself. So, stop walking in the dark, and start punching at the tunnels and make your own way out, that’s who I am today. A 25 year old recording artist who had to fall deeper in darkness to find the strength within myself, I just hope you can find yours.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not even close. My sound in hip-hop isn’t a sound that matches the culture here in Houston. I am a born and raised Houstonian. But I don’t have the Houston sound. I have my own, but because I have my own sound, the music scene doesn’t accept it. So, I am consistently fighting against the tide. Swimming against the current. Then being homeless, losing all my closest friends. Not having family to turn too. I was alone. Then dealing with the biggest battle of all, the one within myself.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am an Independent Hip-Hop Recording Artist. I book my own shows, manage myself, create my own concepts for visuals and photos, do my own networking and marketing and now I do my own music production and cover arts. I understand the importance of each roll which is why I appreciate every aspect and angle of this job.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I believe in my city, I do not drink, smoke or do drugs. I never have and I don’t plan on changing. I believe that one day, I’ll be able to open the doors in this city for artists like myself, who don’t sound like everybody else. as an artist, it’s not my job to force people to be fans of my music, it’s my job to put content out and allow my fans to find me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zak+the+tyrant
- Phone: 832-692-6448
- Email: Iamzakthetyrant@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zakthetyrantmusic/ ; @ZakTheTyrantMusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmTyrant/?ref=bookmarks ; Zak The Tyrant
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZakTheTyrant
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Be1YvX2NdbqfF5So2BbOa
Image Credit:
RennobShowTime Productions, Out of Mind Imaginations
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