Big Dreams- Tayy Tarantino

Album Cover Courtesy of Tayy Tarantino

Opening my email and looking at the cover of Tayy Tarantino's Homecoming, it took awhile for me to click the audio tracks. I was immediately struck with a remembrance of home aka Anchorage, Alaska. The realness of the cover, the rawness of creativity made me wonder what treasures were on the inside. What was I about to hear in the tracks to come? Would it make me cry? Would it make me question the current state of home? Would it make me want to close my eyes and relax? Would it make me pick up the phone to tell those that I still had back in Alaska that I miss them?

Truth is...

Listening to the music made me want to do all those things and more. Without giving too much away from the musical genius that is Tayy Tarantino, you have to be ready to be taken on a lyrical roller-coaster. One that has loops of emotions that take you up to its peak and then plummet you down into sanity. Listening to the album brought memories of other hip-hop heads in the game those of Stalley, Future, J. Cole and Kendrick to name a few. I understand those are pretty big names, but don't let the size of Tarantino fool you, he can buck with the best of them in this creative poetry set to demanding beats that take you to another place, another world, a realistic dimension that we all face or will face at some point in our lives

Photo Courtesy of Tayy Tarantino's Facebook : Tayy Tarantino opening for Wu-Tang 

Being from Alaska it's hard to have a big dream, it's harder to chase it and have support. Being in entertainment tops the cake for difficulty. Only a few people from  Alaska have made their dreams a reality like Carlos Boozer, Mario Chalmers, James Morrison and even the singer Jewel from Homer, Alaska. It takes leaving what you're used to and being thrust into another world for Tarantino that world was California and Washington D.C.  If you ask me, he's doing a great job between his regular 9-5 gig, to being a father to being dedicated to the studio, participating in SXSW in Texas and much more. Because of his tenacity, I have no doubt that he'll be added to this list of amazing people....soon.

He, like the others who made their dreams come true, has determination in his eyes. He's opened for Wu-Tang, Twista, performed at the Alaska State Fair just to name a few impressive knock outs on his resume. I've personally been around him at SXSW and to hear him speak on his projects, what they mean to him, how his words fit his actions is refreshing. Most artists want it the easy way, "hey you know me so here's my stuff" But Tarantino, he's a different breed. One of respect, hard work, dignity, emotion, determination and the list goes on. What I love about him is that he takes no short cuts and will take his time to make sure his craft matches who he is as a man on and off the mic.

When you listen to Homecoming you have no choice but to enter his world. You enter the mind of a man who's been through a lot, who shares his experiences in a way that only he can. He immediately grabs your ears with his intro and holds it tight throughout the entire album until the outro. He makes you feel like you're going home too.

With his latest single Black America taking storm over YouTube, Homecoming by Tayy Tarantino couldn't come at a better time; is available tomorrow September 13, 2016.