On an evening just two weeks away from the Friday that could very well change Young Tyrant’s very existence the Louisville MC seems at ease as he and two accompanying members from his Young N Heartless entourage sit in on our conversation at the McDonald’s on 2nd and Broadway. On February 6th Tyrant will battle on BET’s coveted 106th & Park Freestyle Friday. If things go similar to the way they have here in Louisville then the rest of the country will understand why Louisville is destined to be the next hot spot for hip-hop.

When you ask Louisville’s Tyrant about this rap thing he approaches the question with careful thought to make sure he comes up with the most magazine ready quotable. “It’s all I been doin since I was three years old. When I was like 7, 8, 9, or 10 I did this freestyle contest up at Shawnee Park, B96.5 was out there. That was the first time I felt like I could do something with it.”

“Shut up nigga you sound like one of them wire tap niggas. You sound like you got a tap in your left gold.” This is just a slight sample of the back and forth gay, fat, and dumb jokes that Tyrant exchanges with an associate and his younger brother M. Porter throughout the interview.

After two or three more jabs Tyrant tunes his attention back to the interview and picks up right where he left off with “It’s more to life than just grindin and shit, niggas gotta do something productive.” For someone over eight months shy of his 21st birthday Tyrant sure does have the mentality of an eager up and coming rap entrepreneur. 

“We just tryin to find out how to work this rap game and… all the paper work and taxes and shit. That’s for real what I be doin in my spare time. I’m workin with spreadshirts.com, mine are called Vote Fa Tyrant shirts. Just shit like that to get my money up.”

As Tyrant speaks about his up coming trip to BET’s 106th & Park he speaks with an un-profound confidence, almost as if he’s already won the battle. “I went out there, I had a goal and I accomplished it. I’m the first person they called. Not the second I got back to Louisville, KY they was callin my phone! I feel like I’m not the best, other people feel like I’m the best. Other people say I’m the best so that’s why I say it.”

As with any worthwhile hustle, rap has the same patience clause. One false and under-thought step could jeopardize an artist’s entire career. Tyrant seems to be deeply in tune with those realities of the game. Last year when we spoke he talked about moving 500,000 units by this time. Obviously that hasn’t happened and he’s obviously taken a lot from the game over that time. “Hopefully next year around this time I’ll be able to drop my album. I wanted to drop it this comin June but I don’t think it’s the right time yet. Just cuz I’m gonna be on 106th & Park I still don’t think it’s like that for me quite yet.”