Born, raised, and based in Chicago, TKTAY is a rap and hip-hop artist whose sound draws deeply from the city that shaped him. Influenced by the raw storytelling of J. Cole and the everyday realities of his upbringing, TKTAY has built a catalog defined by honesty and songs that trace the tension between ambition and the obstacles that stand in its way. We sat down with the artist to talk about his breakout single, the city that raised him, and what “making it” really means to him.
TKTAY, what made “The Bubble” feel like the right moment to go professional?
The Bubble is what I feel is my best song that is out right now. I feel it is the song that can let people know who I am.
How did recording “The Bubble” change your relationship with music?
Recording The Bubble gave me a new scenery. It was the first song that I recorded in a studio and not on my phone so it gave me a new outlook and a new way to make my music sound better.
Does “The Bubble” still represent who you are today?
I do think it still represents who I am today. I am a person who wants to live life doing what I love which is music and I think The Bubble represents the hype part of that lifestyle.
Chicago shaped you — what part of the city lives in your music?
Every time I make a song I have Chicago with me it represents who I am and what I’ve been through and what I want for myself.
“Peak” came from a 15-year-old — where did that emotional maturity come from?
I think just being the oldest child and living in Chicago, it can make you grow up at a faster pace, you have to be more aware and more serious when you’re by yourself and not with friends in a new environment.
“Thanksgiving on a Friday” is about what-ifs — do you write to heal or to remember?
I would say I write to heal because you’re always going to remember, memory is too strong of a construct. There’s going to be things that remind you of a place you used to be at so you should at least be healed when that time comes.
J. Cole, Drake, Kendrick — who actually influences how you write, not just who you listen to?
J. Cole definitely. I think Drake makes the most hits, Kendrick tells the most stories, but Cole all around is the best. I think him influencing me allows me to transcend and be my best self.
What does making it actually look like for TKTAY?
Making it looks like getting all the perks of being a true popular professional musician. Whether it’s performing shows almost everyday or being in the studio almost every night or having more money that I ever could imagine, what I really would want is making sure my family is great financially and having fans that love my music as much as I do is my end goal.
