Maverick “Baby T” Tyler, hip hop artist, music producer and engineer, released Prodigal Son in March; a refreshingly classic sound reminiscent of the giants of the early nineties.
Prodigal Son is 17 tracks of stimulating resonance. Maverick “Baby T” Turner, a two-time Emmy award winning mixing engineer for the Big Ten sports network, and owns his own Indie record label, Tyler Kayden Music Group.
Can you tell me a little bit about your creative process for this album?
The creative process for this album happened by accident, actually. Two years prior to its release I’d begun listening to tons of productions from all over the world. I would download the mp3’s just for personal listening pleasure until one night when I couldn’t sleep. I conceptualized the production for Call Home, and after that I finished multiple songs in one night.
You’ve been producing now for around 20 years… What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career you’ve faced?
I believe the biggest challenges I’ve faced throughout my career is staying creative. Prodigal Son is my first release in almost 5 years, and within that time frame I’ve changed careers to full time mixing in sports audio, won a few Emmy’s and traveled a little. But finding that creative space again to write, create and be unapologetically myself has been the biggest concern, but also the most rewarding.
Can you tell us about any memorable collaborations you’ve had/how they’ve impacted your music?
I think the most memorable collaborations had nothing to do with my musical career, but more as an audio mixer. Helping a network win its first Emmy was a proud moment because in television it’s a team effort and we proved that by winning in our first season.
Musical collaborations would have to be opening up for the late great Nipsey Hussle. My life was so busy during that time period I didn’t realize what I had done until maybe a few years later and went, “Wow!” I met and opened up for Nipsey, Bone Thugs and several others all within a 3 month time frame. It was a wild time back then!
Under his label Tyler Kayden Music Group and Studio 1524, Tyler has managed to land production placements on shows like American Idol, Fox Sports & Keeping Up With The Kardashians. What started out as a devotion to making music at 13 years old and years of both self-taught experience and the help of a major educational institution, Baby T knows exactly what his passion is, and he’s made a pretty great career out of doing what he really loves.
While Baby T’s prior releases have flashes of brilliance, Prodigal Son solidifies his place as one of the better independent artists in hip hop. This record demonstrates a wide spectrum of expertise, leaving no doubt about his abilities. The production is excellent throughout, with nostalgic melodies and soulful vibes—still leaving enough room for him to get creative. Baby T is fearless in his artistic expression. He blends genres and pure sonic candy.
With a musical style that’s constantly evolving, this new album demonstrates that artistic passion will never go out of style. This is a great CD. Don’t sleep on it.
